Hospital

In the Franco-Spanish town on Orleans Island, yellow fever was first identified in 1796, following unidentified outbreaks. The disease became a recurring epidemic, peaking between 1837 and 1850, with significant mortality rates among unacclimated residents. By 1853, the city faced a catastrophic outbreak, resulting in nearly 16,000 deaths from yellow fever alone. Despite the devastation, many residents maintained a belief in the city’s healthiness. The epidemic highlighted dire public health failures amid commercial interests, leading to widespread suffering and panic before the fever receded by October.