Jurmain, Suzanne. The Secret of the Yellow Death.

Jurmain, Suzanne. The Secret of the Yellow Death.
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2009 104p 19.00
978-0-618-96581-6 ms/hs
Four Army doctors, led by Walter Reed, were charged with discovering the cause and the cure for this deadly disease before it completely decimated U.S. troops. The book unravels the mystery, chapter by chapter, and is filled with much primary source material, first-person accounts and letters, and period photographs and illustrations, that make their scientific search even more immediate to the reader. Yellow fever was, and is still, a major killer in many areas of the world where the Aedes aegypti mosquito thrives. When the United States defeated Spain in 1899, they took over the governance of the fever-ravaged island of Cuba. Four Army doctors, led by Walter Reed, were charged with discovering the cause and the cure for this deadly disease before it completely decimated the troops. Many theories about the cause of yellow fever abounded, from the bacteria responsible for hog cholera or the touch of disease-soiled items to bites of mosquitoes but nothing was actually known. It would be up to Reed and his team to find the answers. Each member was assigned a part of the project and it began as soon as they reached Cuba. The American doctors would collaborate with a Cuban physician who believed the disease was carried by mosquitoes, then an unpopular view. Written in vivid prose, this description of the race for cure is a fascinating account of what determined and brave men can do. The book unravels the mystery, chapter by chapter, and is filled with much primary source material, first-person accounts and letters, and period photographs and illustrations, that make their scientific search even more immediate to the reader. As the book continues, it delves into the rationale behind each part of the study and highlights the important information being gleaned. The courage shown by the medical staff and the volunteers was amazing given that the chances of death were very high and did, in fact, occur. Reed was the first doctor who truly demanded “informed consent” from his volunteers before he allowed them to participate. The book ends an appendix listing both the Spanish and American volunteers and medical staff, a glossary of scientific terminology, copious chapter notes and source material, a thorough bibliography, and an index. Pair this with Halse’s Fever, 1793 and Murphy’s An American Plague for more information. Ogintz, Susan