In the train of a stifling heat wave, the summer of 1793 ushered a in one of the most deadly plagues ever to afflict America. Mosquitoes were flourishing in the swampy marshes south of Philadelphia, and large numbers of cats were inexplicably dropping dead. By the time Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the most highly esteemed physicians of the time, diagnosed a patient with Yellow Fever, the epidemic had stealthily, but firmly, entrenched itself in the community.
The plague unleashed itself on Philadelphia, then the seat of our nation�s government. In the panic, anyone who had the wherewithal to leave town did so. A national crisis loomed as America�s leaders fled to safety, leaving the helpless and indigent to fend for themselves. A blockade added to the misery, and hysteria led to abuses of immigrants who were blamed for bringing the disease into the country. Members of the Free Black Society, many of whom had acquired an immunity to the disease in Africa, selflessly cared for the ill. Although most of the doctors left town, Dr. Rush continued to try different treatments, although he fell ill twice himself.
Although cold weather brought an end to the epidemic, Yellow Fever returned repeatedly until 1900, when it was discovered that the disease was borne by mosquitoes. It was not until 1937 that a vaccine was developed. Controlling the breeding grounds for the culprit mosquitoes has kept the disease at bay, which has led to complacency. The vaccine is no longer produced in the United States and there is no cure for the disease. It is estimated that if a city the size of New Orleans should have an outbreak of Yellow Fever, 100,000 would become infected and at least 10,000 would die.
Jim Murphy is a well-respected author of non-fiction for children and young adults. Much research has gone into this book, as evidenced by the list of sources used. They include first-hand accounts, books, journals, government documents, letters, directories, and diaries. Some of these are appropriate for children who will undoubtedly want to read more about the subject. They are divided by topics that include Yellow Fever, doctoring in the old days, Philadelphia, George Washington, blacks in Philadelphia, mosquitoes, and other plagues. There is also an alphabetical index, and a table of contents of the eleven chapters.
Murphy uses language rich in imagery to recreate 18th century Philadelphia and the heartbreaking tragedy of the epidemic. Setting the scene, he describes one sweltering day in August: �The sun came up, as it had every day since the end of May, bright, hot, and unrelenting. . .Dead fish and gooey vegetable matter were exposed and rotted, while swarms of insects droned in the heavy, humid air.� (p. 1)
The reader is quickly disabused of any romantic vision of colonial America, as Murphy describes city life before the days of modern sewer systems: �Dead animals were routinely tossed into this soup, where everything decayed and sent up noxious bubbles to foul the air.� (p. 2)
The reader is spared no details, either, in the description of the last stages of Yellow Fever: �The skin and eyeballs turned yellow, as red blood cells were destroyed, causing the bile pigment bilirubin to accumulate in the body; nose, gums, and intestines began bleeding; and the patient vomited stale, black blood. Finally the pulse grew weak, the tongue turned a dry brown, and the victim became depressed, confused, and delirious.� (p. 14)
The black and white illustrations play a major role in telling the story. Reproductions of city maps, newspaper articles, and death rolls help to recreate the grim setting and tell the story in the words of those who experienced it. Although there is no artistic documentation of the epidemic of 1793, Murphy incorporates images of the city, medical practices of the time, and historical characters who figure prominently in the story.
The author�s skillful writing style tells a true story that reads like a novel. In addition to highly descriptive language, he fleshes out the actors in the drama with details that bring them to life. Medical and scientific terms are used appropriately, in a context that is understandable. Stories of individual human misery are juxtaposed against a background of the larger tragedy that engulfed Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. The reader is left with a strong sense of the very real threat that Yellow Fever still poses today.
Related Websites:
Learn about Jim Murphy:
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/murphy.html
Information on Yellow Fever:
http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/yellowfever.htm
Africans in America account of the epidemic:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3p1590.html