Summary 

  

The Malignant Fever

Summary 

  On August 3, 1793, many people from Philadelphia noticed some sudden changes, like heavy, humid air, which attracted lots of flies and other insects. Mosquitoes could be mostly found on sewers/sinks, which were big holes where runnof water and other stuff were collected. They first thought that the abundance of pigeons had brought some kid of "unhealthy air", or sickness. Dr. Benjamin Rush was investigating to figure out what was happening, so he started to focus on ilnesses that had happened throughout the year, like the mumps, mouth infections, scarlet fever and influenza. He noticed there was something in the "heat and drought" that was affecting the human body, even though it was uncommon. He finally concluded that it was a bilious fever , that began with chills, headache, and pain in the back, arms and legs. Dr. Rush also conluded that the disease was yellow fever, that had struck some years before. After people noticed all that was going on, they began to leave the city, into other places in the country, about 20,000 people left the city during the fever.

Quotes

  "The smoke of tobacco," he pointed out, "being regarded as a representative, many persons, even women and small boys, had segars almost constantly in their mouths." (27)

   This quote shows how the people are desperate to find a way to end the fever, or at least not be infected with the disease. People thought that stong smells like the tobacco or vinegar would help you to not contract the disease, so many people began to follow these recommendations. 

"The tolling bells that had thoroughly terrified everyone were ordered to remain still. The silence that followed did little to comfort those left behind. It was too much like the eternal silence of the grave" (33)

 This quote is very important to the whole story, because it explains the fear of the people during that moment. Also something that is very  important is that they explain about the bells. The bell was a way to show when a person had died, when someone died the bell sounded once. 

Conclusion

The story is showing the perspective of the people at the time where the disease, they were really scared, because they didnt know how this illness was contracted, or how to stop it. They were scared because there was no cure. 

Duty

Summary 

 People were constantly listening loud booms that came from not too far, the cause of these loud noises were cannons that were fired, because they wanted to follow the physicians suggestions, they said that gunpowder should be "flashed through the streets". Most of the people had already left the city, in fear that the fever might attack them. The food was running low, most farmers didnt want to give their food to the  city. All of  this caused that the prices were very expensive, so many people couldn´t even afford eating. Many people that died because of the illness weree thrown on the streets, so people demanded that they should be disposed correctly. On September 5th, a rumor began, the rumor was that black people were imune to the disease, which was not exactly true, but it seems that they had some kind of additional resistance to it, so they didn´t get the disease as commonly as white people did.

Quotes

"Orders had been issued to clean up the streets and patrol the wharves, but few people were around to carry out such orders. One day thirty ships arrived, thirteen of them from the West indies, but no one was available to stop them from docking or discharging passengers. The bodies of the indigent dead were carrted to the potter´s field and dumped, but no gravediggers were there to bury them." (37)

  This is the impact of the people leaving the city, it was causing that many labors didn´t get done, even though that these were orders sent by the mayor, or other important people. 

"It was clear that the fever was winning. People were still streaming from the city in droves;houses, houses, businesses, and shops were closed and dark; the sick;  dying. and dead were everywhere to be seen." (47)

 The quote shows how the people were feeling, the terrible situation of the time. It gives you a perfect image of the  abandoned houses, and how the city was silent and dark now.

Conclusion

We can clearly see the impact of the people leaving the city because of the disease. We can see how many labors can not be done without the people, and that it is becoming a lot more difficult to find a way to stop the disease and find a cure.

Dr. Rush

Summary

Dr. Rush also got infected with the disease, which is something that it is not that surprising, because he spent most of his time taing care of people with the disease, which needed help to stop it. He was the most important and most loved doctor of the time, because he had helped with knowledge to stop the illness. Rush, no choice left, used his "cure" on himself. It was a set of purges that help him with some of the symptoms the disease caused. After some days, Rush was back in feet again. His "cure" had worked. He continued to work with patients and making similar things he did with himself so they could be cured. The purges were mostly toxic, the use of these caused that the patient have extreme amounts of vomit and diarrhea. After using these purges, Rush said himself that he saved around 29 of the 30 people he was called to treat everyday.  The effects of this calmed most of the populance, but the disease appeared to become deadlier and a lot stronger than before.

Quotes

"My body became highly impregnated with the contagion. My eyes were yellow, andd sometimes a yellowness was perceptible in my face." (57)

 This is Rush telling what he was feeling when he got sick, and in his decription we can see the early symptoms of the disease. 

"

Conclusion

  Rush, after being infected himself with the disease, he develops a cure that will him and most of the people a little light of hope.