Yellow Jack

The end of a scourge"The prayer that has been mine for twenty years, that I might bepermitted in some way or some time to do something to alleviatehuman suffering, has been answered!"
--Major Walter Reed, writing to his wife, New Year s Eve,1900As he wrote to his wife of his stunning success in the mission toidentify the cause of yellow fever and find a way to eradicate thedisease, Walter Reed had answered the prayers of millions. For morethan 250 years, the yellow jack had ravaged the Americas, bringingdeath to millions and striking panic in entire populations. Thevery mention of its presence in a city or town produced instantchaos as thousands fled in terror, leaving the frail, the weak, andthe ill to fend for themselves.Yellow Jack tracks the history of this deadly scourge from itsearliest appearance in the Caribbean 350 years ago, telling thecompelling story of a few extraordinarily brave souls who struggledto understand and eradicate yellow fever. Risking everything forthe cause of science and humanity, Reed and his teammates on theU.S. Army Yellow Fever Board invaded the heart of enemy territoryin Cuba to pursue the disease--and made one of the twentiethcentury s greatest medical discoveries. This thrilling adventuretells the timeless tale of their courage, ingenuity, and triumph inthe face of adversity.