Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Yellow Fever



The Yellow Fever Epidemic of Philadelphia in 1793 was one of the worst plagues of it's time.  Reasonable people went mad,  true character came out, friends turned on friends, and lives were  lost. An estimated 5 thousand people died of this disease, a small number compared to today's population, so one might think of the epidemic as small, and unimportant. But, imagine 1 in every 10 people in the largest city in the U.S. being infected, with no cure available, and 17th century  medical care. What would it be like if so many people were dying daily, that the church bell stopped  ringing for every deceased citizen? Times would be hard. This was life during summer of 1793 in the streets of Philadelphia.

In July of 1793, refugees from the Caribbean Islands came to Philadelphia with their belongings to escape political havoc.  Little did anyone know, they also brought with them something that would change Philadelphia forever.  The weather had been very unusual that summer, hotter and drier than usual. This created the perfect place for the population of the mosquitoes to grow immensely. It seemed that fate and irony had come into the picture of Philadelphia. The Caribbean refugees carried Yellow Fever. Mosquitoes were the perfect transportation. And with that, one of the worst plagues Philadelphia had ever seen was upon the citizens.

The first deaths came only a few weeks later, but people thought nothing of it. Soon, more and more people were killed, with similar symptoms. Some of them were head, back, and limb pains. After recovering, or so they thought,  a more severe fever would come back along with yellowed skin, as well as eyes, and victims would sometimes vomit blood with little black spots. Mosquitoes were fast and furious, biting an infected person, and then a clean one, spreading the disease like a tsunami. Many people fled to the countryside in attempt to dodge the sickness. Those with the fever were often thrown out on the streets by their own family, and left there to die. In the morning someone would come around with a wheelbarrow collecting bodies. They would stop and yell to every house, "Bring out your dead!". They would then be taken to a mass burial area, today famously known as Washington Square. Some people were even buried alive. The city went on like this for months, with no absolute cause or cure.

There were only about 80 trained doctors in Philadelphia at the time, and many had either died or fled the city. Several claimed to know how to cure the Fever by bleeding the patient, like famous Dr. Benjamin Rush, believing it would rid the body of the "pestilence" , but some patients were believed to have bled to death. He was also accused of poisoning them by giving them large amounts of mercury. There was a fairly large amount of French people from the colony of Santo Domingo living in Philadelphia at the time, and one of them was the talented Jean Deveze.

Deveze had some experience with Yellow Fever, previously, in the West Indies. He had also had the fever himself before, so he was immune to the disease. His way of curing patients was to give them sweetened wine, broth, tea, and creamed rice to stimulate the blood and nourish the body. Everything else he did was to simply keep the patient, bed, and air clean and give them nontoxic medicine. This practice proved to be more of a success, compared to Dr. Rush's, who lost many more patients.

Also at the time, there were several free African-Americans in Philadelphia.  At the beginning of the plague, they were thought to be immune to the disease, but later, many got sick as well. There was an organization called the Free African Society that was about black people helping other black people. When it was found out that they could get the disease just the same as whites, Dr. Rush asked them to help the sick and dying whites, as well. At first they provided free service, but later asked for a  fee, which was granted by Mayor Clarkson. The FAS would play an important part in society during that time, taking care of the sick, cleaning the houses, and collecting and burying the dead. It was comforting for the Philadelphians to know there was still some good in the city. This was a rough time for everyone.

Finally, on a November day, long waited for, came the first frost. The end of the summer's epidemic had come at last. People started coming back to their homes in Philadelphia. Although, life was never the same. The fever had taken many loved ones and brought out the best and worst in everyone. Many families came back to homes and businesses that had been totally ransacked by people who knew there were many empty homes in the town, and decided to take the risk of sickness for riches. The Fever was possibly the reason that the United States' capital was changed from Philadelphia to Baltimore and then several places after that. Yellow Fever killed an approximate 10 percent of Philadelphia's population that year.

Today Yellow Fever still exists, but not in the United States. The disease is carried by the female  Aedes aegypit mosquito . It still is the cause of death for thousands in Sub- Saharan Africa and parts of South America, although a vaccine was developed in 1930. No matter how many people did survive this plague, it was still one of the worst the United States had ever lived through and is still an important factor in improving healthcare and deciphering the future medical mysteries of the world.


Works Cited
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793  . London: Hodder Children's Books, 2002. Print.
"Yellow Fever Attacks Philadelphia, 1793." EyeWitness to History - history through the eyes of those who lived it. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/yellowfever.htm>.
"Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Fever_Epidemic_of_1793>.


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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Changes

Author's note: I wrote this on a day that was extremely sunny and hot. Then, the next time I looked out the window, it was gloomy and looked like it was about to storm. This is a free verse about how,in life when you're not looking, things can change dramatically.

A little sprout
With big expectations
Cycles of rain and sun
Nobody watching
Someone noticing
How suddenly
That little sprout
Is now a mighty Oak

The afternoon sun
Taken for granted
Until you see it setting
Look away for a moment
Turning back
The day is gone
And night upon you

A clear blue sky
Clouds off in the distance
It won't rain
They're creeping closer
You hear a rumble
The storm has started

A baby girl
Her skin anew
The future so far
Parents cherishing every moment
But age takes it's toll
One day realizing
That their little girl
Has been replaced with an independent woman

 A friendship strong
Seemingly unbreakable
A little time away
Different circumstances
That same trust and sisterhood
Turned to distance and uncertainty

A group of strangers
Different personalities and goals
Supposedly a team
But you just don't see the same way
Game after game
And something new comes
Needing each other to succeed
Not only support
But confidence and a family

Monday, April 18, 2011

Controlled Burns

There is a lot of controversy of whether or not people should use controlled burns. Controlled burns are setting fire to a natural habitat, such as forest or prairie, in order to clear out the unwanted species or just refresh the area. Some plants, such as the Sequoia (a tree), need the heat in order for their seeds to be spread. Controlled burns can also prevent real wildfires by getting rid of all of the underbrush that could easily set on fire in dry weather. But controlled burns can also have a negative impact on the environment, such as the smoke polluting the air. And if not executed properly, the fire can get out of hand, like it did in May of 2000, when the town of Los Almos, New Mexico experienced an out of control burn that was originally started by the National Parks Service at Bandelier National Monument. Although with controlled burns there is a chance this will happen, I still think controlled burns should be used. The reason is because, even though the smoke could be harmful, the burns are a lot less harmful than real wildfires. I believe that, if controlled right, the government should continue putting on controlled burns.
 


Works Cited
"Controlled burn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_burn>.
McCuen,  Barbara. "Should the U.S. End Its Policy of Controlled Burns in Wild Areas?." Politics, Activism, Political Issues, Government, and Elections - SpeakOut.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. <http://speakout.com/activism/issue_briefs/1359b-1.html>.


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Monday, April 4, 2011

Comparing Countries

Ways of life all over the world can be similar, but also very different. Each country has different ideas-  ideas that affect the way the people live. I will be comparing countries in 3 different areas of the world- Chile,  Australia, and The United States. All of these have different political, religious, and environmental standpoints.

Starting with economic statistics, America is definitely not one of the highest ranking country right now when it comes to employment rates. For instance, in Australia, you have a 38.7 more percent chance of being employed. Although, the U.S. is definitely not the worst country for it- Chileans have a 7.5 percent more chance of having no job. You also have a dramatically lower pay in Chile than America- $32,000 less- according to the  GDP. Also in Australia you would less money, but by a smaller 8,000 dollars.
 
Environmental  issues are a big part of today, so it would be important to mention the footprints that each country leave. Chile uses 73.68% less oil and 72.6% less electricity, whether it be because of the want for a better Earth or just a lack of the sources, it still makes for a healthier planet and self. In Australia, they too use less electricity and oil, but a greater amount than Chile.

Lastly, the life facts. In Australia, there is a smaller chance of dying in infancy and the average lifespan is longer. It extends by almost 4 years! Sadly, in Chile, you have a higher chance of dying in infancy and a slightly shorter average life span.

So, if given the chance, I would choose to move to Australia, not only because it is my dream vacation spot, but because most of the statistics are better. Although I might be making less money, I would at least have a higher chance of being employed at all! Out of these countries,  I think Australia is the ideal location for a great lifestyle.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Open Air

Author’s note: This poem is about how life can get very hard at times, but you have to always remember the good times you’ve had and learn to let go and enjoy the moment. I chose this topic because it seems like a lot lately, my life has been very hectic. The poem is formed after Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee” . The first poem is "Annabel Lee" and the second is my poem, "Open Air". I mostly tried to copy the repetition and rhyming patterns.


Annabel Lee



It was many and many a year ago,
   In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
   By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
   Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
   In this kingdom by the sea:
But we loved with a love that was more than love--
   I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
   Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
   In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
   My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
   And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher
   In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
   Went envying her and me--
Yes!--that was the reason (as all men know,
   In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
   Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
   Of those who were older than we--
   Of many far wiser than we--
And neither the angels in heaven above,
   Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams
   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes
   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling--my darling--my life and my bride,
   In her sepulcher there by the sea,
   In her tomb by the sounding sea.


 Open Air

In times like these,
When life never seems fair,
I like to appreciate
moments in the open air.
And I feel as if
Success in this world is rare.
When I mess up,
And life doesn’t seem fair,
I want to remember
Moments in the open air
And I just let go
Of the reputation that I wear.

On those dark, lonely days,
The times life isn't fair,
I' ll do my best to hold onto
Those moments in the open air
Even when all the people around me,
Don’t have the time to care.

So I'll feel the wind on my back
Enjoy moments in the open air
I'll feel the sun shining on my skin
And savor the open air.
I will love the life I am living
Through all the pain it's giving
Even if life never seems  fair;
Life isn't worth living if its all fair.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Japan Earthquake/Tsunami

     The definition of unity is " The combining or joining of separate things to form one".  What happened in Japan was terrible misfortune, one that not only tests the bravery of the country, but the kindness of others. All countries go through trying times, times that show countries' true colors. We went through one almost a decade ago,  when terrorists hijacked planes and destroyed the Twin Towers. Though we had many noble people from America that were heroes that day, but we probably couldn’t have gone through it without the support of other countries. What would have happened if other countries hadn't helped? What kind of people would we be if we didn’t help other human beings in this time of need. Even if we have had our fights and have different ideas culturally and politically, we are all human. I believe that the reason we are put on this Earth is to help each other, because alone we would be ruined. United, we make up an amazing human race. This is why I think we should help Japan.

Price Tag

Author's note: I recently heard a song called "Price Tag" by Jesse J. The song is about how today's word is revolved around money when, in simpler times it was about love and kindness.  I believe that this is a truly visionary song and should make people realize that life isn’t all about material items, so this piece will be about my opinions on today's society and money.

Money really is a dirty and sinful thing, but we can't seem to survive without it. We use it to buy things we think we need. We steal it. We con people out of it and gamble it. People use it as a lifeline. We will do anything for it. And all for what? The concept of money has been around since the beginning of civilization. But printed money and little pieces of solid material is all it is, and it’s almost silly to think that so many people will do anything for it. Don’t get me wrong, I like money just as much as the next person. The system isn't the bad thing. What's sad is that it seems that the world couldn’t revolve without it. People have an unconscious carnivorous craving for money.

Can't we all just forget about the prices and debts for one second, and enjoy the one gift that is given to us for free? The gift is life, the present, right now. We don’t have a mortgage on the moment. Money may be the reason we get far, but we don’t pay to wake up each morning, or live in this world. It is a gift from God that we shouldn’t take for granted. The way people are living now, is like getting the best present ever, but putting it aside, spending precious time trying to get all of the accessories for it.

One of my favorite lines in the song "Price Tag" is "We're payin' with love tonight." It means that the things you need to live a good life don’t need a price tag. They are priceless. All I hope is that one day we can all get a chance to live like this, even just for a little while.