This passage is written from the perspective of Dr. Benjamin Rush. He was a political leader, respected physician, and was considered the “smartest man in America.” These are his leading beliefs on Yellow Fever during 1793.
Welcome physicians, congressmen, and fellow Philadelphians. I am Benjamin Rush, a respected physician, signer of The Declaration of Independence, and a Revolutionary War medic. I have promoted anti-slavery acts and established a Pennsylvania Hospital in the city of Philadelphia, for goodness sakes. I have the treatments, theories, and truths that you want. I know what is best for Philadelphia.
Those French physicians think that the French Refugees brought it over through cargo. I have never heard anything more false! Mr. Deveze, Mr. Girard, Dr. Currie, and—surprisingly—Mayor Clarkson are completely incorrect. How could people believe such utter nonsense? These inexperienced fools are out of their minds. There is no other cause than miasma. I am livid!
It is typical to find illness in the summer. However, the constant deaths that this August caused are not normal. The cause is surely miasma. My theory is that the rancid, rotten coffee smells coming from Arch Street Wharf are what is causing the epidemic. The smell fills the air of the city. The fever began on the day that the coffee stench filler the city. It only makes sense that me, the smartest man in America, is correct!
These men are plain wrong. They think that the best way to cure the fever is through “Palliative Treatment.” They feed them wine and water, and force them to lay in bed for hours at a time. This treatment is idiotic and useless. How does he think that doing nothing will treat his patients? How is this supposed to cure an illness so severe? People are sick with an epidemic, and passive treatment is not what they need! These men will flee the city anyways.
To cure the fever, we must remove the infection from the blood by purging and bloodletting. This is called my, Dr. Benjamin Rush’s, heroic treatment. We must drain the blood of the patient, and then feed them mercury. The mercury will purge them, and they will vomit out all of the illness. This is the only way that we can relieve the fever. Call me a murderer all you want, I will stick to what I know!
I recently discovered that the number of African American deaths to the fever are slim. They are immune! I told my idea to Dr. Richard Allen, but he was skeptical. I ordered them to be nurses. This is the solution! They are to perform my heroic treatment to all of the patients under my care. This is the only way that we can save Philadelphia without killing our nurses in the process.
These are the theories and solutions that will save our city! Don’t you want the the church bell to stop ringing? Don’t listen to the foolish French physicians, listen to me, Dr. Benjamin Rush!
Problem Solving & Dreaming Big in History: Making Philadelphia 