1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic 1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic During the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 in Philadelphia, 5,000 or more people were listed in the official register of deaths between August 1 and November 9. The vast majority of them died of yellow fever, making the epidemic in the city of 50,000 people one of the most severe in United States history. By the end of September, 20,000 people had fled the city. The mortality rate peaked in October, before frost finally killed the mosquitoes and brought an end to the epidemic in November. Doctors tried a variety of treatments, but knew neither
Yellow Fever Commission Yellow Fever Commission The Yellow Fever Commission was a research team of the United States Army which researched treatment for yellow fever. The research process itself became a focus of study for later generations. A United States nurse named Clara Maass and two Spanish immigrants were among those who died as a result of their research participation. Researchers mark the research of the Yellow Fever Commission as the origin of the model of modern consent in medical research. The 1934 play "Yellow Jack" told the story of Walter Reed in the Yellow Fever Commission. That play was the basis of