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The Format of this page has been severely changed for the worse. What happened? Rfts ( talk) 03:48, 26 November 2009 (UTC)
This page needs to broaden its sources. I wrote about the epidemic several years ago and since then, thanks to Google Books, many of the primary sources I used are now available on-line. Let me add that fever was the cancer of that day and the books and pamphlets written on the epidemics are many and prolix. If I ever get the time it would be fun to try to redo the page based on those sources alone. In my own writing, the private letters of the period, especially Rush's and a thick file of letters written by Quakers formed my take on the epidemic. Unfortunately, with Wikipedia style editing demanding strict sourcing, it is rather difficult to get to that reality of the epidemic because the sources are not published, save for most of the letters Rush wrote. Perhaps more important are the letters written to him. Bob Arnebeck (what I wrote on Rush and the several yellow fever epidemics he fought is at http://bobarnebeck.com/fever1793.html) Arnebeck ( talk) 02:46, 10 November 2009 (UTC)
vandalized. it said the fever outbreak was in 1762 and the page is dated (you know what i mean i don't have time to explain) in 1793 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.44.25.158 ( talk) 20:37, 1 May 2008 (UTC)
I eliminated a paragraph on Israel Israel because I've yet to find a contemporary witness signalling him out for his service. He was an active member of the mayor's committee but no one called him a "saint." Despite his name, he was not Jewish. He also had political ambitions and perhaps contemporaries thought his services not entirely disinterested. ( Arnebeck ( talk) 04:16, 11 March 2012 (UTC))
Beginning the last week of January, 2012, I started trying to rewrite this. Everything not using the Murphy book as a source is new. It takes time. ( Arnebeck ( talk) 01:43, 29 January 2012 (UTC))
This whole page needs to be reviewed and edited for both grammar and readability, particularly towards the end. It reads like a child's school report in places. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.57.150.59 ( talk) 18:45, 5 April 2009 (UTC)
This page referring to the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 is sorely lacking. Nowhere are the contributions that the Free African Society made to the city mentioned. Mistreated and abused by their white “equals,” they still had no hesitation to help the whites when many other whites fled the city in fear. The society volunteered their time, money, and risked their lives to help their fellow man, woman, and child. The strong and courageous leaders of this organization, Absalom Jones and Richard Allen personally walked the plague ridden streets to find where they were most needed. Richard Allen even contracted the illness himself. Only one hero of this story has been highlighted in this encyclopedia, Israel Israel. It is true that he did his fair share of helping the sickly, dying, and homeless; however, he certainly is not the only person that deserves praise or glorification. One of your listed references, An American Plague by Jim Murphy, contains all of the necessary information on the contributions the Free African Society made during this dark time in American history. I am not African American but still I am an American as were the woman and men of the Free African Society who sacrificed so much to return right back to the bottom of the heap in social standing as soon as the plague faltered. These people were the true Americans during this epidemic, as were many others not highlighted in your article. It was somewhat expected back then that they would never receive the gratitude of those who safely waiting out the epidemic far from the city. But in the year 2010 to still not have all their efforts seen, heard, and appreciated is a further tragedy. So what needs to be done is historically accurate, balanced, and fair mention of all those who pulled America out from the brink of destruction. Starting with the Free African Society who deserve the right to have their heroic actions acknowledged. Thank you, Jodi —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.146.150.69 ( talk) 10:36, 10 January 2010 (UTC)
I've studied this and the other yellow fever epidemics extensively. Many secondary sources are not accurate. Murphy's book is a nice read for the adolescent audience it is designed for, but it is not accurate. History must be based on primary sources and many of those sources are now on-line. I have read all of the primary sources I've referenced and my selection of the parts I use is not haphazard. Someone else who has read the sources can select and shape the material differently, but you shouldn't undo what I've done with references to books like Murphy's. If you want I can add references from my own on-line books about the epidemic but you would disallow that as being self-serving. You owe it to the people who suffered through their epidemic to let their voices be heard. Arnebeck ( talk) 04:04, 26 March 2012 (UTC)
jkl;' — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2603:8080:1201:7268:6898:3A97:FFCF:6B16 ( talk) 20:33, 8 February 2021 (UTC)
No wonder the Wikipedia is generally so inaccurate. I can pair a secondary source to almost every primary reference but not all because most historical treatment of this epidemic has been piecemeal and like a chain of rumors inaccuracies seem to get magnified. That will take more time, and I will do it, if that is kosher. By the way the sole source of the previous article was Murphy's book for high school students. Is that the level of referencing and the level of research Wikipedia is after? Finally, believe me, what I have written is not original research. But because I have done original research I'm able to use primary sources to illuminate a more or less standard narrative of the epidemic. Since many primary sources are now on line, they are more accessible than most secondary sources about this epidemic. The Wikipedia policy is backward and without a change the Wikipedia will tend even more, especially in its US history and US biography articles, to become a melange of inaccuracy.
Arnebeck (
talk) 15:23, 26 March 2012 (UTC)
I live in Philly and I have to drive an hour and a half to get, as the locals say, down the shore.
I have changed this to port city. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.32.58.131 ( talk) 02:16, 3 August 2011 (UTC)
I started a page on " A Short Account of the Malignant Fever." i am looking for suggestions on how to improve the page and keep it growing. Please take a look. Thank you — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kpilkington ( talk • contribs) 03:33, 24 February 2012 (UTC)
I don't think editors have identified sufficient independent material for the article A Short Account of the Malignant Fever, based on a pamphlet published the year of the epidemic. Its notability is not established, the article is an orphan, and considerable overlap is developing related to the main article on the epidemic, Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. I recommend this be merged with this main article, in order to avoid errors and duplication of content. If sufficient content is developed from reliable secondary sources for the pamphlet, a separate article could later be created for it. Parkwells ( talk) 16:02, 16 March 2012 (UTC)
The following is the beginning of a contribution: "Rush actually cuased some deaths even if people thought they were cured." FOR MORE INFO read Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. - Please get to know the guidelines for inline citations; book information needs to include location and name of publisher, publication date, and page number of the reference. Book titles are italicized. Thanks! Parkwells ( talk) 18:38, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
So, the information included here about the Quaker reaction to Yellow Fever is not right. That source cannot be correct. The Arch Street Meeting House wasn't built until 1804 so the yearly meeting was certainly not having their meeting in that space. Drgreengrass ( talk) 00:26, 1 October 2014 (UTC)
This article is crying out for short citations because there are lots of primary sources that are repeatedly cited in the References section, e.g. Carey appears at least 10 times, refs. 17, 20, 27, 30, 36, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 61. Rather than defining the source multiple times, the whole thing can be simplified using shortened footnotes that link you straight to the book citations down below. I can do that today unless there are any objections?
P.S. In response to previous discussions above, I would say it's fine to use these particular primary sources because they are authoritative, high-quality, etc., and (for the most part) published by a reputable publisher. See WP:PRIMARYNOTBAD.
Rodney Baggins ( talk) 08:50, 24 October 2019 (UTC)