Yellow Fever, Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is an important cause of hemorrhagic illness in many African and South American countries despite existence of an effective vaccine. The yellow refers to the jaundice symptoms that affect some patients.

John Todd, Dolley's husband, was a Quaker and a lawyer. He felt it was his duty to remain in Philadelphia and provide legal services (wills, probate, etc.) to those who were dying or the families of those who died. However, he moved his family across the river. One day on a visit to his family, he collapsed into his wife's arms on the doorstep of their house and died soon after. Dolley and her eldest son, John Payne Todd, contracted yellow fever but survived.

It has been claimed that the large death toll was due to commercial interests taking precedence over reporting the outbreak of yellow fever. Crosby, MC. 2006. The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic That Shaped Our History. Berkley Books. ISBN 0-425-21202-5.

Although no cure has yet been discovered, an effective vaccine has been developed, which can prevent and help people recover from the disease.Yellow fever can turn into a deadly disease if it is not treated properly.

Source: Wikipedia > Yellow Fever