Wednesday, August 28, 2002
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Wednesday, August 28, 2002 |
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Westville catches Yellow Fever and Fiddle Fever By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
When people think about Labor Day weekend, yellow fever does not typically come to mind. However, visitors to Westville this Saturday, Aug. 31 will be able to see how yellow fever epidemics struck the south during the middle of the 19th century. Things will get back to a more rollicking and celebratory state on Monday, Sept. 2 when Westville hosts the seventh annual Fiddle Contest. Columbus State University and CSU historian John Lupold aided Westville in research on how Yellow Fever affected towns in the south. Though no one knew it at the time, Yellow Fever was spread by mosquitoes. When citizens heard that a neighbor had a disease, they stayed away from him or her and if a town was known to be going through an epidemic, travelers would keep their distance. Newspapers at the time would downplay local outbreaks and focus more on outbreaks in other cities. Medical knowledge was not like it is today and doctors did not understand that unsanitary conditions could often lead to infections. They did not know much about bacterias or viruses and often attributed disease to "miasma," meaning bad air. It was a scary time. Half of the children born 150 years ago died before adulthood. Yellow Fever outbreaks once killed 27 people in Savannah in a 24 hour period and two years later, 8,000 people died in New Orleans because of the disease. A Yellow Fever Commission was created after the Spanish American War and by 1905, after linking mosquitoes to the outbreaks, the disease had been wiped out. Visitors to Westville will see how a town dealt with the disease. Doctors will treat the symptoms to the best of their abilities with medicines like colomel, jalap, castor oil and more. There will be victims in various stages of the disease and one home in the village will bear a black wreath, indicating a death from the disease. "Yellow fever at Westville Day" recalls how fragile life was in the 19th Century. It also reminds visitors of the major advances in the past 150 years that allow many to take their health for granted. After experiencing Yellow Fever on Saturday, Westville invites people to experience Fiddle Fever at the seventh annual Fiddle Contest. The contest is broken up into two parts, the youth division and the adult division. The youth division begins at 11 a.m. with each contestant playing one tune without accompaniment. The top 10 will be selected for a second play and the top five will be selected for a third play. Prizes will be given and admission is free for one contestant and one adult. The adult division will begin at 2 p.m. and contestants must play tunes of their choice for the elimination round which requires one fast piece, one slow piece and one open choice. There is to be no accompaniment or amplification and the only pieces that cannot be played are "Orange Blossom Special" and "Listen to the Mocking Bird." The fanciest fiddler will be awarded $200, second and third prize receive $100 and $50 respectively. Before and after the competitions, skilled musicians will participate in an open stage jam session. Westville will also be abuzz with skilled artisans giving demonstrations all day. Westville is located in Lumpkin, Ga., 35 miles south of Columbus. They are open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on every day but Sunday, when they are open from 1-5 p.m. Tickets are $4 for students and $10 for adults. Phone 1-888-733-1850 or visit www.westville.org. |
