SHIP FEVER IN 1847. 



By Dr J. McG. Baxter. 



Nearly 64 years ago there was a great deal of immigration to 

 Canada, and either from some European focus, or spontaneously 

 from the crowded shi^js during the long passages, typhus or ship 

 fever broke out simultaneously in several ports, such as St. John, 

 N. B., Chatham, N. B., and Quebec. Sixty-four years is a long 

 time ago, and those that were in adult years at that time have 

 mostly passed over to the majority, and if one wishes to get in- 

 formation about circumstances that occurred at that time, from 

 those that w^ere there, he should not w-aste time but carpe diem, 

 for these old gentlemen will soon go on the lonesome voyage and 

 will not wait to be interviewed. 

 These notes are what I have been able to pick up in this locality 

 Rev Hugh McGuirk was 87 years of age the 18th of December 

 last, yet is straight as an arrow, quick in his movements, has 

 a wonderful memory, and converses with equal readiness in Latin, 

 French and English. He was born in St. John, N. B , was ordain- 

 ed a priest in Quebec by Bishop Turgeon the 13th of May, 1847, 

 and four days later, viz. May 17th, was sent to attend the shi]) 

 fever patients at Grosse Isle, where he stayed five weeks till he 

 took the fever himself . He says : "When I went there. Father 

 McGauvern had been there ten days and left when I arrived. I 

 was then left there alone to attend to all those people, and liad to 

 work night and day, and never had time to go to bed, but rem in- 

 ed dressed to answer calls at any minute. People were afrail, 

 and would not come near the poor people. I kept this aj) for five 

 weeks, till I suppose the disease, making its appearance, or from 

 an overstrained nervous system, I had to be carried around !o the 

 bedsides in a chair. As nearly as I can recollect there were 

 twenty-five or thirty ships lying there. At last they got another 

 priest to take my place, and I was taken to the Marine Hospital 

 at Charles River. During the last five days of my stay at Grosse 

 Isle, there were 300 deaths a day. I do not know the total number 

 of deaths. I was then taken to the Marine Hospital, and was sick 

 for six weeks and very nearly died. After I recovered I attended 

 the rest of the sick there all summer till the autumn. These were 



