The Yellow Fever Epidemic Of 1878 - 1658 Words

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, as the country grew and trade flourished, periodic epidemics struck regions of the nation as population density increased. Outbreaks of influenza, cholera took over the nation, and in the south, one of the most prevalent was yellow fever. Due to these diseases, a lot of public health policies were either created or changed to better suit the new issues arising. In this essay, I will argue that the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878 brought upon many changes in the health realm in terms of public sanitation. In order to prove the epidemic s place in the history of health policies, I will be discussing the creation of the new sewer system, waste disposal techniques, and other projects created. In its†¦show more content†¦It was a design that made Memphis, an epitome of change, and was to revolutionize the design of sewer systems across the nation. However, the sewer system, like most of the other improvements that came about as a result of t he government s reforms, initially benefited only the business district and the wealthier neighborhoods of the city; it would be years before these innovations came to the neighborhoods of African-Americans, immigrants, and poor whites. After all, many of the debts owed by the old City of Memphis were owed to the wealthy elites who now, for all practical purposes, ruled Memphis, so improvements in other areas had to wait until the city s debt was retired. Regardless after such a rocky start, the Taxing District of Shelby County, which supervised over commissions administering specific city functions in an oligarchical administration that invested in ways they regarded as vital to the city s future, while at the same time slashing the city s services and workforce. The Taxing District also cut the salaries of the workers who remained and at the same time methodically worked to finish the city s debt. So, strict sanitation laws were passed outlawing open outside lavatories. The decaying wooden paving blocks wereShow MoreRelatedThe Memphis Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878 Essay2107 Words   |  9 PagesThe 1878 yellow fever epidemic in Memphis proved to be fatal, killing almost all who got infected. The disease traveled up from New Orleans infecting and killing many on its way. Memphis was going through reconstruction and was becoming the center for merchants and travelers. Furthermore, Memphis began to become overly populated only inc reasing the devastation that would be caused by the yellow fever. 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