Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 | Fears & Falsehoods | 2

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 November 2022

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In September 1793, yellow fever continued to ravage Philadelphia. As the death toll mounted, Dr. Benjamin Rush raced to find a cure. Rush used an aggressive and controversial treatment to battle the grisly disease, sparking a political backlash. Soon Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and President George Washington were forced to flee the disease, leaving government on the verge of collapse. But the Mayor of Philadelphia, and ordinary citizens, stepped in to try to save their city from ruin.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon music, download the app today.
0:17.0	Imagine it's a cloudy evening in mid-September, 1793.
0:22.0	You're a widow, riding in a carriage just outside Easton, Maryland, 100 miles south of your hometown of Philadelphia.
0:29.0	You finally left your disease-ridden city behind, and for the first time in weeks, you feel yourself relaxing.
0:35.0	You're desperate, though, for a hot meal and a soft bed, and you're hoping to find a decent inn up ahead, or you can spend the night.
0:42.0	You startle at the sound of man-wooping and hollering in the distance.
0:46.0	You crane your neck out the window, but can't see anything in the door.
0:50.0	You call out to your servant driving the carriage.
0:52.0	What's that sound?
0:54.0	Why are we stopping?
0:57.0	All of a sudden, someone throws open the door to your carriage.
1:03.0	A strange man pulls you out of your seat and shoves you to the ground.
1:07.0	You try to get up but you trip of your twisted skirts.
1:10.0	You look for your servant. He's also been thrown to the ground.
1:14.0	A large man with a musket slung over his shoulder looms over him.
1:17.0	Please, don't hurt us. Just take what you want and leave us alone.
1:21.0	Your attackers upper lip curls menacingly as he stares down at you.
1:26.0	He reeks of vinegar.
1:28.0	Easton is closed to Philadelphia's.
1:31.0	Now you understand.
1:33.0	You thought these men were going to rob you, but they think you're contagious with yellow fever.
1:38.0	So slowly you try to sit up, holding your hands above your head.
	...

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