Details
Title A case of infectious fever (from "84 South Street, 4 doors from Callowhill Street," Philadelphia) before the New York Board of Health [graphic].
Publisher [Philadelphia] : [publisher not identified]
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1820
Date [1820]
Physical Description 1 print : hand-colored etching ; sheet 23 x 30 cm (9 x 11.5 in.)
Description Cartoon criticizing the New York Board of Health's handling of the 1820 yellow fever epidemic based upon August 1820 newspaper accounts about "John C. Williams," a drunk man falsely claiming to be from Philadelphia who was misdiagnosed with the fever. Depicts several doctors and officials from the Board, with handkerchiefs over their mouths, surrounding and discussing the condition of the bed-ridden Williams who is vomiting into a bucket and exclaiming, "drunk, drunk, oh lord." Despite the protestation of the African American housekeeper who holds a tankard and states that he is drunk from "de toast and toddy," the various doctors, including prominent physicians Felix Pascalis, Samuel Latham Mitchill, and President of the Board, David Hosack, discuss his symptoms of "black vomit," "delerium," "a red nose," and "difficulty of speech," as evidence of "yellow fever." Others including New York Post editor William Coleman and Marine Hospital attending physician Joseph Bayley discuss treatments and his being sent to quarantine.
Is referenced by Weitenkampf, p. 20
Murrell, Graphic Humour, p. 100
Notes Date and place of publication supplied by Weitenkampf.
LCP exhibition catalogue: Made in America, p. 24.
Accessioned 1979.
RVCDC
Description revised 2021.
Access points revised 2021.
Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Subject Mitchill, Samuel L. (Samuel Latham), 1764-1831.
Pascalis Ouviere, Felix, 1762-1833.
Hosack, David, 1769-1835.
Coleman, William, 1766-1829.
Bayley, Joseph, approximately 1775-1836.
New York (N.Y.). Board of Health.
African American household employees -- New York (State) -- New York.
African American women -- Caricatures and cartoons.
African American women -- New York (State) -- New York.
Intoxication.
Racism in popular culture.
Women domestics -- New York (state) -- New York.
Yellow fever -- New York -- New York City.
Genre Etchings -- Hand-colored -- 1820-1830.
Political cartoons -- 1820-1830.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| political cartoons - [1820] - 1W [P.2275.24]
Accession number P.2275.24