History
of Disease
Origin
The smallpox virus emerged in human populations about 10 thousand years BC. (19:3) The
virus’ genes suggest that it was once a rodent virus that made its trans-species
jump into humans in one of the early agricultural river valleys. (15:54)
Smallpox
is thought to have rooted itself early in people living in the river valleys
of China. The first clear description of smallpox (by the great Chinese medical
doctor Ko Hung) appeared in a Chinese medical text in the fourth century
AD. (19:3) The disease had such a profound effect on
human culture that there were deities created in its honor. The Chinese worshiped
a goddess of smallpox named T’ou Shen Niang-Niang, who could cure the
disease. (15:55) Like the Chinese with their smallpox
goddess, the Hindu religion also has a goddess of smallpox, named Shitala
Ma. (15:55)
Poxviruses infect
species that congregate in swarms, herds or groups. (15:51) Epidemiologists
estimate that the virus needs a population of around two hundred
thousand people living within fourteen days of travel from one
another in order for the virus to maintain its life cycle. (15:53)This
theory is supported by the history of smallpox in Japan: in ancient
Japan, smallpox arrived once in a while from China or Korea but
the virus couldn’t start a chain of transmission there because
the population was too thin. Eventually, around A.D. 1000, the
population in Japan reached four and a half million, and apparently
two hundred thousand people began to live within about two weeks’ travel
from one another; smallpox came to live with them. (15:55)
The
earliest evidence of smallpox is found on the mummy of Egyptian Pharaoh
Ramses V (died1157 BC). (19:3) The mummy bears scars
which are believed to be smallpox scars.
The name variola is derived from the Latin varius (spotted) or varus (pimple).
The term, variloa, was first used during the 6th century by Bishop Marius of
Avenches (Switzerland). (8:1)
Mankind has dealt with smallpox throughout our historical record, affecting
populations around the globe. The role of this one disease in mankind’s
history is profound. World history could have been greatly changed had smallpox
not been a part of it. Smallpox decimated the Ethiopian soldiers in the Elephant
war in Mecca 568 AD. (22:V2:4) Introduced by slaves carried
by Spanish explorers in 1502, smallpox swept through the native populations
of the Western Hemisphere, exacting a heavy toll on Amerindian tribes and resulted
in the collapse of both the Aztec and Incan empires, enabling European colonization. (15:56)
(8:1) In 1738, smallpox killed half the Cherokee Indian population. (22:V2) At
the end of the 18th century in Europe, an estimated 400 thousand people were
dying annually from smallpox.
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