Nebergall, John (Died 1883)

NEBERGALL

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 10/22/2008 at 14:00:46

DEATH OF JOHN NEBERGALL

John Nebergall died at the residence of his brother-in-law, about fourteen
miles northwest of town, at 11 a.m. Thursday, aged 33 years.

Mr. Nebergall was one of Plymouth county's old settlers, and the news of his
death will occasion surprise to his many acquaintances in this section of
the country. The circumstances of his death were as follows:

About the first of March last, two mules belonging to Mr. Nebergall were
taken with the glanders. Mr. Nebergall attended to the animals, and in some
way became inoculated with the horrible disease through a slight wound on
the back of his hand. Soon after the hand commenced to swell, and the
disease soon spread to the lower limbs. Medical attendance was summoned,
but the real cause of the disease was carefully concealed from the doctor,
who, from the symptoms, naturally supposed his patient was suffering from
inflammatory rheumatism. About the same time Mr. Nebergall commenced taking
some patent medicine, hoping to drive the horrible poison from his system.
He seems to have realized the extent of his danger, but warned his friends
to say nothing about his having been inoculated with glanders.

About the 1st of June, Dr. Richey was called in and found Mr. Nebergall in a
terrible condition. One side of his head and face was swollen to twice its
natural size, and the joints of the arms and lower limbs were also badly
swollen. About this time he was also taken with chills, but during all this
time, and up to within three or four days of his death, he ate very
heartily.

The doctor gave medicine that reduced the swelling and relieved the intense
pain for a time, but the relief was only temporary, and the swelling of the
joints soon returned. A short time since a sickening discharge commenced
coming from the nose and mouth, and the patient grew rapidly worse, until,
as above stated, death came to his relief. His suffering for the past four
or five days is said to have been severe, and the pus discharges clearly
indicated that the terrible poison had worked through his entire system.

~Source: LeMars Sentinel, July 19, 1883