[Pharmboy]

Palter...thanks much for the post and the ping. He didn't cite any evidence for this theory, but he might be right. Interesting nonetheless...here's a site that lists battles affected by malaria (or presumed so). Yorktown is listed as a possibility.

The RevWar/Colonial History?General Washington ping list...

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Doctors and medicine were little help. To treat malaria, military physicians normally recommended venesection - draining 20 ounces of blood, about 10 percent of an adult's supply - sometimes supplementing that with doses of mercury or opium, and in one case applying freshly killed pigeons to the soles of patients' feet.

BTTT