Disease Epidemics Among Indians, 1770s-1850s

Published In

The Oregon Encyclopedia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

Subjects

Epidemiology -- North America -- History -- 18th century, Epidemiology -- North America -- History -- 19th century, Indians of North America -- Diseases -- History -- 18th century, Indians of North America -- Diseases -- History -- 19th century

Abstract

In the Old World, epidemic crowd diseases had evolved along with the earliest civilizations, but they had no equivalents in the New World. When the new diseases spread to the Americas and to peoples who had never experienced them before, the results were dramatic and sometimes catastrophic. The interhemispheric disease exchange resulted in what has been called the "greatest demographic disaster in human history." Millions died.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/25126

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