Exploring Epidemics in Philadelphia: Yellow Fever and COVID 

In conjunction with the National Library of Medicine travelling exhibition Politics of Yellow Fever in Alexander Hamilton’s America, on view from February 3 to March 15 in the Holman Biotech Commons, this panel aims to explore and discuss two important epidemics in Philadelphia. 

Using the historical example of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic and the contemporary example of the COVID-19 pandemic, this program will bring together historians and physicians to examine the evidence around how epidemics unfold and who is held accountable as they do.

Panelists

• David Barnes, PhD, Associate Professor, History & Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania
• Carolyn Cannuscio, ScD, Associate Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine and Associate Professor, History and Sociology of Science, School of Arts and Sciences
• Rana Hogarth, PhD, Associate Professor, History & Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania

• Ala Stanford, M.D., Founder, Black Doctors Consortium; Professor of Practice, Department of Biology in the School of Arts & Sciences; Director of Community Outreach, Penn Institute for RNA Innovation; Research Associate, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

Featured image: Woodcut of Onesimus’ vision of Philadelphia with caskets in the sky over the city, from The Doctrine of the New Birth (Philadelphia: Rackliff, 1839) (RBC AC8 H4998 839d)