Thought for the Day

The secret of success: Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.

Katherine Whitehorn

HIST 2020: The U.S. Since 1877

Instructor: Ms. Laura Perry

Text: Created Equal, a la carte edition

with MyHistoryLab

Memphis, 1878

El Vomito Negro

Yellow Jack 60% mortality rate Course of 4-5 days

Arrival and spread

Came by ship or steamer Started in Happy Hollow Spread to the Pinch Arrived with warm weather Left with hard freeze

Theories

Divine punishment Noxious night air Filth of the city

1878

Up from West Indies Quarantine stations in

Germantown, Whitehaven, President’s Island

Aug. 10: Mrs. Bionda By Aug. 23, hundreds have died Nearly half of Memphians leave

town

Epidemic

Business ceases Except for undertakers Home remedies ineffective Annie Cook Memphis Relief Committee Late frost finally ends it

Memphis devastated

Over 5500 mortalities 75% of whites, 7% of blacks Many who fled did not return Lost charter in 1879

Afterward

Improving sanitation Good water supply Cause unknown until 1900 Spanish-American War Dr. Walter Reed Isolated mosquitoes