During the later part of 1838, a mystery illness raged through the colony. The Hobart Town Currier, Friday 28th December 1838 wrote; ‘the prevailing epidemic which has attacked most families throughout the country, and has, in its progress, spared neither the rich nor the poor, the old or the young’
The illness took the life of Rev Thomas Reddall whose sons, Luke & John had Dora Dora station on the Upper Murray River. Rev Reddall died on 30 November 1838. The Colonist newspaper of Wed 5th Dec 1838, pg 2, Domestic intelligence wrote; “Mr Reddall fell a victim to the epidemic that at present rages in almost every part of the colony, or at least that is spreading far and wide. On the forenoon of Wednesday last he celebrated a marriage, apparently in his usual health; and he departed this life on the night of Friday last.”
Just four days later the same illness also took the life of Reddall’s daughter, Julia, aged 14. She died on 3rd December 1838.
On 11th April 1840, The Cornwall Chronicle, Launceston, Tasmania printed a letter about the illness. They referred to it as an ‘epidemic fever’ and wrote, ‘the young and robust, as well as the aged and infirm, are equally liable to become its victims,’ They also wrote, ‘it presented much of the appearance of typhus fever, and…..showed it to be infectious…..and, a large proportion of the patients had been subject to affections of the lungs.’
According to the article, the disease generally made its appearance with headaches and increased fever.
The letter was signed, Colonial Hospital, Launceston, 10th April 1840.
The Sydney Monitor of 8th Jan 1840 published a letter where the writer mentions the skill of a ships doctor during, ‘ the prevailing epidemic.’
The Colonist, 31st March 1838 published a letter regarding immigration ships being resumed after a stoppage due to a mystery illness. The letter points out the illness was a fever but the name of the fever was not known – the author does not agree it was Typhus.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/31720698?searchTerm=epidemic%20illness%2C%201838%2C%20deaths
Just what the illness was is still to be discovered.
- IMAGE: Unknown artist, image taken from cholera epidemic of Glasgow, 1832
