Fever 1793 written by Laurie Halse Anderson is “A gripping story about living morally under the shadow of rampant death.” The story shows a part of the world that many of us don’t know what feels like. It draws you into the plot, and makes you contemplate how you would act in the life threatening situation. In the story, a young adult, Mattie, is living through the fever in Philadelphia. With lots of loss, and sorrow Mattie always finds something to look forward too. The book Fever 1793 suggests that there will always be conflict, pain, suffering, and disease in life. If you focus in on the bright side, and put the things that matter, that remind you that there are things in life better than this, you can get through it.…
In the midst of the 1853 yellow fever epidemic, physician Samuel A. Cartwright published “Prevention of Yellow Fever” in the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal. After introducing the predominant theories of disease transmission, contagionism and non-contagionism, Cartwright characterizes these ideologies as groundless “relics of medieval science … not derived from nature or the observation of facts” (292). Cartwright notes that the contagionists’ emphasis on strict quarantines had historically stifled trade and caused inflation, predisposing the weakened populace to illness. Conversely, the noncontagionists’ admittance of all ill immigrants into the community, negated the benefits of their advocation for sanitary measures (Cartwright…
RMSF can be a life-threatening disease that causes damage to the body’s blood vessels, tissues, and organs. Once the blood vessels are damaged, the body triggers an inflammatory response that causes a surge of microembolic clots to coagulate in the damaged blood vessels, leading to hypoxia and even death if not treated. According to Anikwe, Davis, and Waters (2013), “RMSF is a potentially lethal Gram-negative, tick-borne infection caused by the Rickettsia rickettsii bacteria that’s prevalent in South, North, and Central America” (p. 19). However, in the United States, sixty percent of new cases in 2012 were in Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee (Anikwe et al., p. 19). In the aforementioned states, the incidence rates are around sixty-three cases per one million people every year.…
Smallpox emerged around 200 years after the Black Death, during the mid-14th century, and quickly became one of the biggest killers in the expanding world. (Dobson,p.130) Smallpox changed the beauty standards in Europe through the use of makeup, fashion, and accessories. This disease struck in all social classes of society and was not dependent on status, wealth, sanitary conditions, or hygiene. Because of that, smallpox was sometimes referred to as the “democratic” disease (Skold,p.145) People believe that the Inca and Aztec empire likely collapsed because of smallpox. Hernan Cortes and his 300 men attacked the Aztec capital a force of 300,00 and captured the city within the span of three months. (Altman. p.42) This likely occurred because the Spaniards have had years of exposure to smallpox due to Columbus crossing the Atlantic from Europe to Africa and carrying the disease. (Dobson,p.130) On the other hand, the Aztecs and Incas were not immune to the ravages of the disease and quickly became weak which led to the collapse of the civilizations. (Altman, p.42)…
The description of the disease are red spots all over the arms, chest, and back, progressing to delirium, sores, and rashes.The scientific name for the typhus fever is called the Rickettsia prowazekii. During the Holocaust Typhus was problem for both sides in World War II. About 5 million died from typhus in World War II. Anne Frank was a victim of typhus she died in February 1945.…
Did you know that the yellow fever is estimated to infect 200,000 people a year causing 30,000 deaths. 90% of these deaths are in Africa. In Fever 1793, there is an outbreak of the yellow fever in the newly born country now called the United States of America. The main character, Matilda is very childish and lazy when it comes to work around the house. When her mother is diagnosed with the fever, her whole life and future is filled with fear. After she personally experiences the fever and survives, she starts to accept what is going on around her. She is still very afraid at this time. After all these hardships, she comes out of this experience as a mature young adult. These four stages have major effect on Mattie’s personality, confidence,…
Richard Morton gave the name of Chickenpox in the 1600’s. ^ Although, Richard gave it the name in the 1600’s, a man named Giovanni Filippo was believed to have been the first to discover it. Chickenpox is said to be closely related to the smallpox which deadly and they assumed that chickenpox was smallpox. In the 1700’s a man named William Heberden did his research and confirmed that it was not the same as smallpox. That the two were different.…
Typhoid Fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. Annually in the united states 5700 cases are reported. In the majority of the cases reported, the infected were traveling internationally. Typhoid Fever is still very common throughout the world where it is estimated to infect 21.5 million people per year. Even with advanced prevention and treatment Typhoid Fever is still easily contracted and is a threat to all military members while deployed or in a field environment.…
Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic originated on July of 1793 and was one of the most significant American diseases in history. Yellow fever is known to be a contagious disease and at times transpired in mild provinces. Even though the first eruptions commenced along the coast and central of South America. It is proclaimed that Western Africa was the place where this disease primarily affected the people living there and later on spread to other regions. Not only does yellow fever contaminate humans but various types of monkeys and specific diminutive mammals as well. There are numerous symptoms shown when an individual has this disease such as pyrexia, migraine, queasiness, upchucking, chills, and having pain on one’s back.…
Scarlet fever (sometimes referred to as scarlatina) is an infectious disease characterized by fever, sore throat (pharyngitis), and a characteristic rash. Scarlet fever is predominantly a childhood disease occurring in children 2-10 years of age, though it can less commonly occur in older children and adults. The incidence and mortality rates associated with this once feared disease have significantly decreased due to the introduction and widespread use of antibiotics…
1346 to 1350 were years of utter hell in the mid-14th century. These were the years of the great pestilence otherwise known as the Black Death. This horrible disease caused the deaths of nearly half of Europe’s population. It came in three forms, bubonic, septicaemic and pneumonic, all of which eventually lead to death. There were many supposed cures for the disease such as sweet smelling herbs and spices, lancing of the buboes and bleeding the poison out of the body. Sadly, not one of these “cures” could ever be named as effective. As well as there being many “cures”, there were also many “causes” for the Black Death. Again, none of these were actually proven causes. Because many people were anti-Semitic, one of the leading beliefs of the time was that the Jews had brought the plague by poisoning the wells, this blame impacted the Jews greatly.…
A once common disease that had a possibility of killing children is not very known anymore. If asked what scarlet fever was, most would not know the answer. Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness that is developed in some people with strep throat. This illness is now very rare. There are less than 20,000 cases in the United States. This illness used to be life changing, especially for Helen Keller (Mayo Clinic).…
"By turning the world upside-down, the black death helped pave way for the new" (Giblin 44). There were many names for the Black Death including The Great Pestilence, The Great Plague, The Great Mortality, The Death, and The Black Plague. Genoan ships are thought to have brought the disease from Kaffa (Dunn 26). The bacteria first infected the black rats and transmitted the infection to humans by fleabites (Bagley 100). Once people are infected, they infect others very rapidly. Plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands called buboes, which is how it gets its name (101). The symptoms of the plague were swelling in the groin of under the armpit, which grew to the size of a small apple or egg, also known as tumors. The tumors…
How has the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic of 1793 change history? An appalling contagious outbreak impacted the colossal city of America and its country’s capital. In the summer of 1793 the weather was brutally humid and mild. Therefore, this infectious disease has initiated in August and is known to be terminated approximately few months later in November. This disease has commenced by mosquitoes and caused a massive amount of deaths. Not only has this epidemic dispatched numerous people it made them suffer to the point where it was unbearable to handle.…
Doctors! Doctors have been around for centuries with all different techniques. The Renaissance is known as the “rebirth” in French, the rebirth of classical art, literature, and science. Science during the renaissance was seen in the odds of many. Medical practices during the renaissance were absurd however, many couldn’t afford it or they did not believe in doctors because they believed they were evil. During this period of time due to the lack of hygiene and a proper system like today’s world this caused many diseases including even plague causing the emerges of the plague doctors and their believes. Also women of this era did not have the advantage has we do in today’s world in taking care of ourselves… a mid-wife was the closest women…