Demographic catastrophe and its causes: viruses, Black Legend and the social context of epidemics
Basin of Mexico: a long view
Three puzzles in the history of smallpox in Latin America
Not a puzzle:
Demographic catastrophe in 16th century Mexico: 50%+ decline
1. Smallpox and catastrophe: What was the role of smallpox in the demog. catastrophe (Mexico)?
Ethno-racial composition, New Spain
Fr. Bernardino de Sahagun’s General History (Florentine Codex, 1576), native voices: smallpox
1520: Death of Montezuma’s successor, from smallpox
1538
Rhetorical exaggeration vs. evidence
9 other epidemics were probably as or more devastating than smallpox
2. Genes or exploitation and experience: Why did natives suffer so greatly from the disease?
Genes: Francis Jennings, The Invasion of America (1975:22)
Science: F. Black (1994) and Peter J. Bianchine & Thomas A. Russo (1995)
Smallpox mortality in London: 10-20% of deaths 1720-1797
Evidence from chronologies and parish burial books
Burials: Indian parishes, Center
Chiapas (South): after 1693, no recovery
Another parish in Chiapas: disaster in 1770
Epidemics Center, North and South
3. Smallpox and recovery: Did smallpox become less virulent? Yes, but only after 1797
Spain: inoculation introduced in 1768; and New Spain in 1797.
Mass Inoculation Worked for Indians
Public charity in Mexico City reduced deaths by one-third in 1797
First world-wide public health campaign: Balmis smallpox vaccination expedition, 1803-1806
Smallpox: not a big killer in 19th century Mexico City
Smallpox not a big killer in 19th century Northern Mexico
By 1900, smallpox was no longer a Big Killer in Mexico
Conclusion: three puzzles require more research and careful analysis
Email: rmccaa@maroon.tc.umn.edu
Home Page: http://www.hist.umn.edu/~rmccaa/
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