Smallpox
By: Stanley Joseph
Smallpox in the New World
Smallpox was brought into the New World by the Europeans. This disease killed about 90% of the entire native population of the New World. The first smallpox epidemic occurred in 1518, and it spread through all of Mexico and through South America. The crazy outbreak killed almost a third of their population in just a few months.
Symptoms of Smallpox
The first symptoms of Smallpox usually appear in the first 12 to 14 days of when you first contracted the disease. You get a lot of flu like symptoms such as fever, headache, and severe fatigue. After a couple of days after the flu like symptoms appear you will start to get red bumps all over your body.
Effect on the Native Population
Smallpox killed almost entire populations of Native Americans. In some places this disease killed up to 90% of the entire population!
How people get Smallpox
Smallpox is transmitted through extended face to face contact, or direct contact with infected body fluids or contaminated objects. Some pus from a blister could be on your clothing and you could get the disease by being in contact with the pus.
Native Americans and Smallpox
The Native Americans had no prior exposure to Smallpox, so this made them even more susceptible to the disease. The Native Americans were isolated before the Europeans came, so their immune systems were not ready to take on Smallpox.