Misconceptions caused great confusion in Philadelphia in 1793. A misconception is a misconception. Philadelphia was teeming with cleanup crews and transportation in 1793. Some people were willing to believe that people could stop the fever while others chose to flee. They were all afraid of getting sick from poorly perceived causes like dead animals, dirty docks, refugees, etc. The novel Fever 1793, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, is about the devastation caused by yellow fever. The main character, Mattie Cook, must fend for herself and others while trying to avoid the supposed causes of the fever. Fever 1793 author Laurie Halse Anderson shows misconceptions about the era through the causes and treatments of yellow fever. Anderson shows the misconceptions about the era by using the misperceived causes of yellow fever. Mattie doesn't understand what really killed Polly and the others, but rumor has it around the cafe that it was a miasma. She overhears this conversation: “I have heard stories of fever among the refugees from Santo Domingo. They live near Ball's Wharf…Bad coffee is a nuisance” (Anderson 20, 21). No one understood how it all started, so they left it to doctors and scientists to figure it out. Under enormous pressure, doctors and scientists were conducting research to determine the cause of yellow fever and why it was killing so many loved ones. According to Jim Murphy, on page 15 of An American Plague, "Foulke said he knew the origin of the fevers: the foul smell in the air caused by the rotten coffee on Ball's Wharf...A number of things could cause this condition, such as poor diet, excess alcohol, poison, or a dog...... middle of paper ...... the first frosts. If doctors, scientists, or residents had realized earlier that infected mosquitoes were causing the disease, they might have been able to do something to prevent more people from getting sick. Indonesian author/poet Toba Beta said: “Mistakes and regrets, illness and death… are not recognized by the mind capable of changing into something else. » The research carried out at the time was not enough to stop the spread of fevers. Maybe misconceptions happen for a reason, to teach people a lesson. Experiencing something once and not knowing what to do is what makes people stronger and more informed the next time. Works Cited Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793. New York, New York: Aladdin Paperback, 2002. Print.Murphy, Jim. An American Plague: The Terrifying True Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. New York, New York: Clariton Book, 2003. Print.