Dr. Deveze is a Frenchman who had dealt with the yellow fever before, probably from the colonies near the equator that France had. Dr. Benjamin Rush was a Scotsman who had not encountered the disease before. The primary cure at the time for fevers was bleeding the victim to remove the pestilence from the blood. Bleeding involved cutting the sick person and draining a proscribed amount of blood before closing up the incision. Dr. Deveze felt this method was merely harmful to the victim. He prescribed keeping the patient clean, bathing them in cool water, and changing soiled linens frequently. He also recommended open windows with a fresh breeze to circulate the air.