Why was it called Yellow Fever?

Great question. Because when I see yellow suits I develop a fever for want of them and it would make sense that you might say I have "yellow fever" and yet...you'd be mistaken. 

Apparently.

Google told me this: "Yellow fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes. Yellow fever can lead to serious illness and even death. It is called 'yellow fever' because in serious cases, the skin turns yellow in color. This is known as 'jaundice.'"

So that's all terrible news. Though I do remember when our baby was born our midwives said he looked a bit jaundiced and when testing his skin, he, in fact was and this why: immature livers cannot process bilirubin. Bilirubin is formed when the body breaks down old red blood cells (not sure how a new human could have old red blood cells, but what I do know?). The liver usually processes and removes bilirubin from the blood.

What helps the yellow-tinged baby? SUN.

Sunlight helps to break down indirect bilirubin so that a baby's liver can process it more easily.

THE SUN! 

So we sat in a sunny window with our newborn baby. If only I had been wearing this yellow blazer and these yellow pants, I may have helped. (Definitely would not have helped.)

xo

Claire