Smallpox

=Smallpox effects to the natives in South America= Jennifer Chen



Aztec drawings of smallpox victims.

In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes, in quest of slaves and gold, led an army of five hundred men, sixteen horses, and several pieces of artillery to explore and conquer Mexico, which was then ruled by the Aztec civilization with a population of many millions.Smallpox was the first invader. It's believed that the primary carrier was one of Cortez's men. This individual transmitted the virus to a few Native Americans who then, in turn, infected others. In this manner the virus gradually moved north and south over the next century, decimating the local population with each incremental advance. Generally the virus explored the continents much more quickly than the Europeans. Therefore, by the time the Europeans fully reached a given region, they'd find it already depopulated.
 * How smallpox reached America?

//Conveyors　　　Item Conveyed　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Deaths 　　　　　　　　　　　Destination// (1562-1563) || Smallpox || 10s of 1,000s || Indians of Brazil || (1518-1519) || Smallpox || 1 million (in Santo Domingo alone) || Arawak Indians of Santo Domingo (Greater Antilles & Bahamas) || (1519-1530) || Smallpox || 8.2 million || Maya Indians of the Yucatan and Aztec Indians of Mexico || (1514-1530) || Smallpox (probably also measles, pneumonia and typhus) || 2 million || Panama ||
 * Where, when and how serious?
 * Portuguese
 * Spanish
 * Cortez & Spanish
 * Spanish

Caribbean: - The population of the Caribbean islands was all but wiped out.

Mexico: - Smallpox carried away several important Aztec leaders, not least the emperor Cuitlahuac, thus weakening the natives’ ability to counter-attack. Even before Pizarro had arrived, the Incas were plunged into a disastrous war of succession after the deaths of the emperor Huayna Capac and his consent heir, Ninan Cuyoche, both from smallpox

Incas: - When a smallpox epidemic struck Cuzco, the capital of Inca, the disease killed the emperor’s brother, sister, uncle and many other relatives.


 * Primary source:

It began to spread...striking everywhere in the city and killing a vast number of our people. Sores erupted on our faces, our breasts, our bellies; we were covered with agonizing sores from head to foot. The illness was so dreadful that no one could could walk or move. The sick were so utterly helpless that they could only lie on their beds like corpses, unable to move their limbs or even their heads. They could not lie face down or roll from one side to the other. If they did move their bodies, they screamed with pain. A great many died from this plauge, and many other died of hunger. They could not get up to search for food, and everyone else was too sick to care for them, so they starved to death in their beds. (Portilla 92-93)
 * 1) This account can be found in the book "Broken Spears" edited by Miguel Leon-Portilla.

2. Here is related how the plague came, named Totomonjztli [smallpox], of which the natives died, when the Spaniards set forth from Mexico. And [even] before the Spaniards had risen against us, a pestilence first came to be prevalent: the smallpox. It was [the month of] Tepeilhuitl when it began, and it spread over the people as great destruction. Some it quite covered [with pustules] on all parts--their faces, their heads, their breasts, etc. There was great havoc. Very many died of it. They could not walk; they only lay in their resting places and beds. They could not move; they could not stir; they could not change position, nor lie on one side, nor face down, nor on their backs. And if they stirred, much did they cry out. Great was its destruction. Covered, mantled with pustules, very many people died of them. And very many starved; there was death from hunger, [for] none could take care of [the sick]; nothing could be done for them. And on some the pustules were widely separated; they suffered not greatly, neither did many [of them] die. Yet many people were marred by them on their faces; one's face or nose was pitted. Some lost their eyes; they were blinded. At this time, this pestilence prevailed sixty days, sixty day signs. When it left, when it abated, when there was recovery and the return of life, the plague had already moved toward Chalco, whereby many were disabled--not, however, completely crippled. When it came to be prevalent, [it was the month of] Teotl eco. And when it went, weakened, it was Panquetzaliztli. Then the Mexicans, the chieftains, could revive....

This disease almost completely wiped out a native population of 40 to 50 million peoples in the New World. Some estimates of decimation have been at a devastating rate of 90%. The defeat not only came from the sword of the Spanish and Portuegese empires, but also from the germ of smallpox from the Old World.
 * Overall:

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Some people argue that the disease is one of the biological weapon the Europeans brought to easily
 * Conspiracy?

- Williamson, Edwin. __The Penguin History of Latin America__. Penguin. September 7, 1993. - Giblin, James C. __When Plague Strikes__. HarperCollins. April 11, 1997. - Tucker, Jonathan B. __Scourge: The Once and Future Threat of Smallpox__. Atlantic Monthly Press: New York. 2001. - Hays, J.N. __Epidemics and Pandemics__. ABC-CLIO, Inc: California. 2005. - The Columbian Exchange and Diseases. http://historyanddisease.tripod.com/exchange/id7.html - Shoomp. The Columbian Exchange Image: Aztec. http://www.shmoop.com/columbian-exchange/botw/resources?d=http://www.famsi.org/research/pohl/images/meetfigure12.jpg
 * Source: