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Message:: [QUOTE="TheNickelGuy, post: 8169221, member: 20201"]1873 Elgin Watch Co Chicago Inter-State Exposition R-IL-EL-8 [ATTACH=full]1426893[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1426895[/ATTACH] This is an advertising medal from Elgin Watch Co of Elgin Illinois which is located about 35 miles northwest of Chicago. It was made in the Exposition Building in the first year The Chicago Inter-State Exposition opened. This watch face has the time at about 3:03.Odd that the hour hand is at about the 3:15 position. (I think I have two of these in equal condition) [ATTACH=full]1426892[/ATTACH] The Elgin National Watch Company was a major US watch maker from 1864 to 1968. A very similar medal exists with "Contribution to 1873 Yellow Fever Sufferers" over the watch face on the reverse. 1873 Elgin Watch Co.Yellow Fever Sufferers VarietyChicago Inter-State ExpositionR-IL-EL-9 [ATTACH=full]1426898[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1426899[/ATTACH] The time on this watch face reads about 3:38.A more scarce variety, this one was minted to benefit those who were affected by the "Yellow Fever" that broke out in Shreveport Louisiana in 1873. Most of the doctors and nurses there at the time were among the 759 citizens who died in an 80-day period to the epidemic, with over 400 additional victims eventually succumbing.The total death toll from August through November was approximately 1,200.Many were buried in a single common grave named Yellow Fever Mound.It began when men who were working to remove a log jam were bitten by infected mosquitos near the small city. [ATTACH=full]1426900[/ATTACH] Yellow fever virus is mainly transmitted through the bite of the yellow fever mosquito, but other mosquitoes such as the tiger mosquito can also serve as a vector for this virus.Like other arboviruses, which are transmitted by mosquitoes, yellow fever virus is taken up by a female mosquito when it ingests the blood of an infected human or another primate.When the mosquito next sucks blood, it injects its saliva into the wound, and the virus reaches the bloodstream of the bitten person.The transmission from a female mosquito to her eggs and then larvae, are indicated. The offspring are born as carriers without having a previous blood meal and it seems to also play a role in single, sudden breakouts of the disease. [ATTACH=full]1426901[/ATTACH] Another Elgin medal has Father Time on the obverse in a similar pose as shown above. I have missed a few and passed up many as they are often seen quite worn. I believe sometimes they came with the purchase of a new pocket watch and had the matching serial number.[/QUOTE]

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