Born in the U.S.A. (Bruce Springsteen)

History's Best Selling Books of 1793

1. A Short Account of the Malignant Fever

   Released in 1793 by Mathew Carey

   Mathew Carey's "A Short Account of the Malignant Fever" is historically significant as one of the most immediate and vivid contemporary records of the catastrophic 1793 yellow fever epidemic that decimated Philadelphia, then the nation's capital. Published shortly after the crisis subsided, it provided a raw, unfiltered perspective on the suffering, panic, and societal breakdown that gripped the city. The document serves as an indispensable primary source for understanding public health, social responses to disaster, and journalistic practices in late 18th-century America. Its detailed narrative captures the terror and confusion of a community overwhelmed by an unknown disease, linking directly to the year's defining event.