The Great Philadelphia Feverscare: When the City Turned Jaundice-y and Buggy (But Not the Fun Kind)
Ah, Philadelphia. City of brotherly love, cheesesteaks, and apparently, a particularly nasty bout of yellow fever in 1793. Let me tell you, folks, this wasn't your average case of the chills. We're talking chills, fever, vomiting that would make even the bravest Revolutionary soldier flinch, and let's not forget the whole "turning-your-skin-the-color-of-a-bad-banana" situation. Not exactly a banner year for tourism.
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So, how many unfortunate souls got stuck with this tropical unwelcome mat? An estimated 5,000 Philadelphians shuffled off this mortal coil, which translates to a cool 10% of the entire city's population. Yikes. Needless to say, folks hightailed it outta there faster than you can say "continental congress." The city basically became a ghost town, with tumbleweeds rolling down Broad Street (okay, maybe not tumbleweeds, but you get the picture).
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| What Stopped The Yellow Fever Outbreak In Philadelphia How Many People Died |
But Wait, There's More! (The Not-So-Fun Part)
But what actually ended this whole yellow fever fiasco? Turns out, Mother Nature decided to play hero. Remember those pesky mosquitoes everyone thought were spreading the disease (because, science wasn't exactly a thing yet)? Well, a good ol' fashioned frost rolled in and said, "hasta la vista" to those blood-sucking fiends. No more mosquitos, no more yellow fever! Except, for the whole "thousands-dead" thing, it was kind of a bittersweet victory.
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Fun Facts (Because Apparently, Pandemics Can Be Fun...Ish)
- Benjamin Rush, a prominent doc at the time, tried everything to fight the fever. He even tried bloodletting, which, spoiler alert, did not work. Sorry, Ben, good effort though.
- The city basically became a giant petri dish of crazy theories about how yellow fever spread. Some folks blamed rotting vegetables, others thought it was immigrants (because, you know, xenophobia never takes a vacation).
FAQ: How to Survive a Future Yellow Fever Freakout (Probably Not, But Here's Hoping)
- How to avoid yellow fever: Easy! There's a vaccine now. Get it, it's your friend.
- How to tell if you have yellow fever: Fever, chills, muscle aches, and that whole "turning-yellow" thing are all signs. Basically, if you look like a highlighter come to life, see a doctor ASAP.
- How to avoid mosquitos: Bug spray is your BFF. Also, wear long sleeves and pants if you're in mosquito territory. They may not be the height of fashion, but they'll keep those suckers at bay.
- How to treat yellow fever: There's no cure, but there is supportive care. Basically, doctors will try to keep you hydrated and fight off any secondary infections.
- How to avoid a pandemic: This is the tricky one. The best thing you can do is practice good hygiene and stay informed about any outbreaks.
So there you have it, folks! The not-so-sunny story of Philadelphia's yellow fever scare. Remember, folks, wash your hands, don't panic, and for the love of all that is cheesesteak-related, get your yellow fever vaccine!
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