HISTORY 135F

Infectious and Epidemic Disease in History

Department of History
University of California, Irvine
 Instructor:    Dr. Barbara J. Becker

Week 7.  Cure? Report on the Bilious Fever by the College of Physicians

Philadelphia, August 26th, 1793. The college of physicians having taken into consideration the malignant and contagious fever that now prevails in this city, have agreed to recommend to their fellow citizens the following means of preventing its progress. 1st.  That all unnecessary intercourse should be avoided with such persons as are infected by it. 2d.  To place a mark upon the door or window of such houses as have any infected persons in it. 3d.  To place the persons infected in the centre of large and airy rooms, in beds without curtains, and to pay the strictest regard to cleanliness, by frequently changing their body and bed linen, also by removing, as speedily as possible, all offensive matters from their rooms. 4th.  To provide a large and airy hospital, in the neighbourhood of the city, for the reception of such poor persons as cannot be accompanied with the above advantages in private houses. 5th.  To put a stop to the tolling of the bells. 6th.  To bury such persons as die of this fever in carriages, and in as private a manner as possible. 7th.  To keep the streets and wharves of the city as clean as possible.  As the contagion of the disease may be taken into the body, and pass out of it without producing the fever, unless it be rendered active by some occasional cause, the following means should be attended to, to prevent the contagion being excited into action in the body. 8th.  To avoid all fatigue of body and mind. 9th.  To avoid standing or sitting in the sun; also in a current of air, or in the evening air. 10th.  To accommodate the dress to the weather, and to exceed rather in warm, than in cool clothing. 11th.  To avoid intemperance, but to use fermented liquors, such as wine, beer, and cyder in moderation. The college conceive fires to be very ineffectual, if not dangerous means of checking the progress of this fever.  They have reason to place more dependence upon the burning of gunpowder.  The benefits of vinegar and camphor are confined chiefly to infected rooms, and they cannot be used too frequently upon handkerchiefs, or in smelling-bottles, by persons whose duty calls to visit or attend the sick. Signed by order of the college, WILLIAM SHIPPEN, jun.  Vice president. SAMUEL P.  GRIFFITTS, Secretary.