Shotgun quarantines

Recently I've read some references to citizen action taken in the 1870s to try to stem
yellow fever outbreaks by prohibiting travel from areas so afflicted.
Shotgun squads in Louisiana, Texas, and elsewhere were formed to stop travelers and
turn back those who were sick.
There is an 1873 print in Frank Lesley's Illustrated Newspaper of a T&P train being stopped
east of Dallas by armed citizens and officials.

Looks like an interesting research topic!

Dennis, I have read in various places that quarantines were routinely enforced by armed law enforcement personnel and by the citizenry in the 19th century. Smallpox, malaria, yellow fever were particular targets. Dallas operated a "pest house" where persons who were suspected of infection were housed, and that was true during the influenza epidemic of the early 20th century as well. Vaccination for smallpox had been developed well before the late 19th century, but was not regularly practiced. In some parts of the country, mask mandates and stay home orders were in place during the so called "Spanish Flu" of the early 20th century, and were routinely violated, sometimes by persons acting violently toward enforcement personnel. Schools were closed for many months at a time, as in our current pandemic, except that there was no substitute method of instructional delivery.

Dave McNeely

is that image on line somewhere?

Peterk Wrote:
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> is that image on line somewhere?

[www.tshaonline.org]

Engraving from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (1873) showing Dallas health officers stopping a train and attempting to quarantine it for fear of yellow fever



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2021 10:14PM by Frank.