There is no doubt that the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 has affected nearly every person in the civilized world's life. Quarantines, stay-at-home orders, workplaces shut down and shortages of supplies are a part of everyday life for most Americans. But while the crisis seems unprecedented, the truth is that it is only unprecedented in our time.

 The United States has seem many epidemics and pandemics during its life. The 19th century alone saw several outbreaks that killed thousands of people and bankrupted entire cities.

 The most severe outbreak in recent history was the 1918 influenza pandemic, also known as the Spanish Flu. Between 1918 and 1919 it is estimated that about 500 million people, or one-third of the world’s population at the time, became infected with this virus. An estimated 50 million deaths occurred worldwide, with about 675,000 occurring in the United States. By comparison, World War I claimed around 20 million lives worldwide.

 Just as today's crisis, the spread of the virus seemed to be linked government and municipalities' slow response, and sometimes outright denials, of the outbreak. With World War I raging in Europe, it was thought that news of the flu would spread panic. Nevertheless, by the time the public became aware of the virus, it was too late.

Businesses closed as fear spread throughout the region. As citizens were asked to quarantine and to wear masks to help prevent the spread, panic set in and many residents fled the area. When the virus spread to Chattanooga, many of the population evacuated to nearby Signal Mountain and Lookout Mountain. Hospitals swelled with patients and many simply had to be turned away as doctors became overwhelmed.

The populace also had to deal with a litany of snake oil salesmen, or scammers as they are known today, during this period. Claims of cures and preventative medicines filled newspaper ads from unscrupulous individuals trying to make a buck from the crisis.

Approximately 1,300 Nashvillians lost their lives during the 1918 Flu Pandemic, while over 5,800 deaths were recorded in Chattanooga. Statewide the virus claimed approximately 7,700 Tennesseans.

While the 1918 pandemic is the most recent crisis that mirrors today's Covid-19 pandemic, there were many other examples that hit the country in the nineteenth century. One such epidemic struck the south extremely hard, the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878.

Early in 1878, cases of yellow fever were rampant throughout the Caribbean, with Cuba especially hard hit. Many refugees fled to New Orleans, and in an effort to stave off an outbreak President Rutherford B. Hayes signed the Quarantine Act of 1878 into law. Ships entering New Orleans would be inspected at a quarantine station south of the city. Despite their efforts, at least two ships, the Emily B. Souder and the Charles B. Woods arrived in the city with cases of yellow fever onboard. By July the city had recorded its first fatality from the virus, a four-year-old girl.

As news spread, one fifth of the city's population fled. Businesses were shuttered and streets were empty. It was officially declared an epidemic on August 10, after 431 reported cases and 118 deaths were reported, but the virus had not been contained.

On July 27, a towboat arrived in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with three crew members infected, one dying that evening. By August, there were 100 cases of yellow fever reported in Grenada, Mississippi, south of Memphis.

Memphis, Tennessee, had dealt with outbreaks before and in an attempt to stop the epidemic from spreading, on July 28 the mayor ordered a quarantine to block incoming riverboats and trains from entering the city.

The effort was in vain however, when in early August a riverboat crew member, who had avoided the quarantine, died in a Memphis hospital. On August 13, a local resident died from yellow fever.

Just as had happened in New Orleans, many Memphis residents evacuated the city. Of its 47,000 residents, it was estimated that over half fled the area. Chattanooga was one destination for Memphis refugees. With no one during that time understanding how the virus was spread, later it was discovered by mosquitoes, the people of Chattanooga wrongly believed the area was immune to the disease. The city welcomed the refugees as they sent aid and healthcare workers to Memphis.

The remaining citizens of Memphis saw aid from all over the country. Healthcare workers and religious organizations descended on the city, many putting their lives at risk and succumbing to the fever. Annie Cook, a madam of a Memphis brothel, even converted her business into a hospital where she cared for the sick. She would fall to the virus that September.

Business in Memphis ground to a halt, with banks closing due to all their employees falling ill. Postal deliveries also ceased as many of the carriers had fled the region. With $15 million in losses due to the yellow fever outbreak, the city of Memphis was bankrupt.

By October, Memphis and New Orleans cases were on the decline, but the people of Chattanooga were discovering their city was not immune from the virus. In mid-August one Memphis refugee died from the fever, then another died on September 6. The newspaper in the city tried to downplay the deaths and the fear of an outbreak. Then in mid-September the first Chattanooga residents died from the virus, a prominent woman and her infant son.

Just as the people of New Orleans and Memphis had done, as news spread, the citizens of Chattanooga fled the area. Of the city's 12,000 residents at that time, it's estimated that 10,000 evacuated the city. Police and fire services were essentially suspended during the crisis, and prominent citizens announced that looters in the area would be hanged.

Just as Chattanooga has sent aid to Memphis, now cities were sending aid to Chattanooga. Atlanta sent doctors and nurses to the city, while donations came in from as far away as New York City and Paris, France.

The only saving grace of Chattanooga's outbreak was the timing of the crisis. Unknown to anyone at the time was that mosquitoes spread the virus, and with Chattanooga's outbreak peaking in October, the cooler weather likely saved thousands of lives.

Chattanooga saw 144 deaths from the outbreak, including the mayor, Thomas Carlisle. More than 17,000 were stricken in Memphis that year, with over 5,000 deaths, including 10 of the city's 48 police officers. New Orleans claimed 4,600 deaths.  Overall, the Mississippi Valley experienced 120,000 cases of yellow fever, with 20,000 deaths.

By Chris Tramel

There is no doubt that the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 has affected nearly every person in the civilized world's life. Quarantines, stay-at-home orders, workplaces shut down and shortages of supplies are a part of everyday life for most Americans. But while the crisis seems unprecedented, the truth is that it is only unprecedented in our time.

The United States has seem many epidemics and pandemics during its life. The 19th century alone saw several outbreaks that killed thousands of people and bankrupted entire cities.

The most severe outbreak in recent history was the 1918 influenza pandemic, also known as the Spanish Flu. Between 1918 and 1919 it is estimated that about 500 million people, or one-third of the world’s population at the time, became infected with this virus. An estimated 50 million deaths occurred worldwide, with about 675,000 occurring in the United States. By comparison, World War I claimed around 20 million lives worldwide.

Just as today's crisis, the spread of the virus seemed to be linked government and municipalities' slow response, and sometimes outright denials, of the outbreak. With World War I raging in Europe, it was thought that news of the flu would spread panic. Nevertheless, by the time the public became aware of the virus, it was too late.

Businesses closed as fear spread throughout the region. As citizens were asked to quarantine and to wear masks to help prevent the spread, panic set in and many residents fled the area. When the virus spread to Chattanooga, many of the population evacuated to nearby Signal Mountain and Lookout Mountain. Hospitals swelled with patients and many simply had to be turned away as doctors became overwhelmed.

The populace also had to deal with a litany of snake oil salesmen, or scammers as they are known today, during this period. Claims of cures and preventative medicines filled newspaper ads from unscrupulous individuals trying to make a buck from the crisis.

Approximately 1,300 Nashvillians lost their lives during the 1918 Flu Pandemic, while over 5,800 deaths were recorded in Chattanooga. Statewide the virus claimed approximately 7,700 Tennesseans.

While the 1918 pandemic is the most recent crisis that mirrors today's Covid-19 pandemic, there were many other examples that hit the country in the nineteenth century. One such epidemic struck the south extremely hard, the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878.

Early in 1878, cases of yellow fever were rampant throughout the Caribbean, with Cuba especially hard hit. Many refugees fled to New Orleans, and in an effort to stave off an outbreak President Rutherford B. Hayes signed the Quarantine Act of 1878 into law. Ships entering New Orleans would be inspected at a quarantine station south of the city. Despite their efforts, at least two ships, the Emily B. Souder and the Charles B. Woods arrived in the city with cases of yellow fever onboard. By July the city had recorded its first fatality from the virus, a four-year-old girl.

As news spread, one fifth of the city's population fled. Businesses were shuttered and streets were empty. It was officially declared an epidemic on August 10, after 431 reported cases and 118 deaths were reported, but the virus had not been contained.

On July 27, a towboat arrived in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with three crew members infected, one dying that evening. By August, there were 100 cases of yellow fever reported in Grenada, Mississippi, south of Memphis.

Memphis, Tennessee, had dealt with outbreaks before and in an attempt to stop the epidemic from spreading, on July 28 the mayor ordered a quarantine to block incoming riverboats and trains from entering the city.

The effort was in vain however, when in early August a riverboat crew member, who had avoided the quarantine, died in a Memphis hospital. On August 13, a local resident died from yellow fever.

Just as had happened in New Orleans, many Memphis residents evacuated the city. Of its 47,000 residents, it was estimated that over half fled the area. Chattanooga was one destination for Memphis refugees. With no one during that time understanding how the virus was spread, later it was discovered by mosquitoes, the people of Chattanooga wrongly believed the area was immune to the disease. The city welcomed the refugees as they sent aid and healthcare workers to Memphis.

The remaining citizens of Memphis saw aid from all over the country. Healthcare workers and religious organizations descended on the city, many putting their lives at risk and succumbing to the fever. Annie Cook, a madam of a Memphis brothel, even converted her business into a hospital where she cared for the sick. She would fall to the virus that September.

Business in Memphis ground to a halt, with banks closing due to all their employees falling ill. Postal deliveries also ceased as many of the carriers had fled the region. With $15 million in losses due to the yellow fever outbreak, the city of Memphis was bankrupt.

By October, Memphis and New Orleans cases were on the decline, but the people of Chattanooga were discovering their city was not immune from the virus. In mid-August one Memphis refugee died from the fever, then another died on September 6. The newspaper in the city tried to downplay the deaths and the fear of an outbreak. Then in mid-September the first Chattanooga residents died from the virus, a prominent woman and her infant son.

Just as the people of New Orleans and Memphis had done, as news spread, the citizens of Chattanooga fled the area. Of the city's 12,000 residents at that time, it's estimated that 10,000 evacuated the city. Police and fire services were essentially suspended during the crisis, and prominent citizens announced that looters in the area would be hanged.

Just as Chattanooga has sent aid to Memphis, now cities were sending aid to Chattanooga. Atlanta sent doctors and nurses to the city, while donations came in from as far away as New York City and Paris, France.

The only saving grace of Chattanooga's outbreak was the timing of the crisis. Unknown to anyone at the time was that mosquitoes spread the virus, and with Chattanooga's outbreak peaking in October, the cooler weather likely saved thousands of lives.

Chattanooga saw 144 deaths from the outbreak, including the mayor, Thomas Carlisle. More than 17,000 were stricken in Memphis that year, with over 5,000 deaths, including 10 of the city's 48 police officers. New Orleans claimed 4,600 deaths.  Overall, the Mississippi Valley experienced 120,000 cases of yellow fever, with 20,000 deaths.