THE PURPLE DEATH (1895) – Written by William Livingston Alden. Presented in the first person this story is narrated by a British gentleman staying in Italy. He becomes friendly with his neighbor, a German M.D. and bacteriologist named Dr Schmidt.
Subsequent conversations reveal that Schmidt is a good old-fashioned mad scientist who has some very odd sympathies. The German doctor sides with Anarchists (among the biggest bogey-men of the 1890s) and his only objection to the occasional assassinations that Anarchists commit is how impractical those crimes are.
Schmidt feels that there will always be plenty of other capitalists, royalty and politicians to replace the odd few who get whacked by Anarchist assassins. He feels that the real way for Anarchists to help the working class is by paradoxically killing off laborers in enormous numbers, thus increasing the value of those workers who are still alive.
The German’s experiments have produced a variety of incredibly virulent strains of germs. His greatest creation is called the Purple Death and kills adult males within a half hour without fail.
Schmidt plans to carry out his plans for mass annihilation of laborers but finds his conscience roused by his conversations with the Englishman. The mad scientist decides against using his Purple Death after all but the thought of all the wasted years spent developing his mutant strains induces a heart attack.
As Dr Schmidt dies he begs our narrator to destroy all his implements for germ warfare. The Brit does so, except for the tube of Purple Death that the madman died clutching.
The narrator sees that Schmidt is buried with the vial but from then on is fearful that the Purple Death may infect worms or plantlife in the cemetery where his late neighbor was interred. He fearfully envisions this new plague spreading across the globe, leaving all of humanity dead in its path. +++
FOR EIGHT ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION CLICK HERE
FOR TEN MORE EXAMPLES OF ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2014/03/03/ten-neglected-examples-of-ancient-science-fiction/
FOR WASHINGTON IRVING’S 1809 depiction of an invasion from the moon click here: https://glitternight.com/2014/05/05/ancient-science-fiction-the-men-of-the-moon-1809-by-washington-irving/
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Sounds like a familiar social landscape. History does repeat itself in many hidden ways.🤔
It certainly does!
I see reputable bloggers may dip into the archives now and again.
Oh, hell yeah! I have so many more and/or different readers now that neglected items like this one went unseen by most people here now.
It’s amazing what authors wrote that far back. I need to search your site, see if you have reviews of the dime novels I read about so often in my Old West books. They were about the western gunslingers who fought for truth and justice with a gun (I think–never read one).
That’s a good thought! So far the only dime novels I’ve covered from back then were sci-fi oriented but still set out west. I really should start reviewing some of the old gunslinging dime novel heroes and heroines like Deadwood Dick, Hurricane Nell, the Denver Doll, etc. Thanks for the suggestion! I already covered plenty of overlooked gunslingers but many of them weren’t really fighting for justice, I’m afraid.
Never heard of any of those. I’m your reader!
Okay, great!
Reblogged this on El Noticiero de Alvarez Galloso.
Thank you, sir!
A pleasure and honor
😀
Thanks
😀
Java Bean: “Ayyy, not the Purple Death! Is it Barney? It’s Barney, isn’t it?”
Charlee: “Don’t be silly, Bean. The Purple Death is clearly that one Teletubbie.”
That is very funny! My money would be on Barney, though.
Great ancient science fiction stories. This one deals with rather depressing themes of mass genocide that reminded me a lot about the Holocaust. There are similarities with the atrocities committed against the Jews in history. The story “The Purple Death” brought to mind great movies about the Holocaust I admire. For instance, it reminded me of “Jojo Rabbit”. Taika Waititi’s spectacular satire offered a comedic approach to the mass genocide. It’s a controversial film that was destined to upset people, but personally I loved it. I thought it was one of the bravest films made by Hollywood.
Here’s why I recommend it:
“Jojo Rabbit” (2019) – Spectacular Holocaust Satire – The Film Buff (huilahimovie.reviews)
Thank you! I’m looking forward to reading your review of Jojo Rabbit.