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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (21552)	3/17/2002 11:10:47 AM
From: Ilaine	Respond to of 281500

OK - I am also relying on old statistics which predate vaccination - source The Destruction of the Bison, Andrew C. Eisenberg. His source, The Aboriginal Population of America North of Mexico, James Mooney (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1928). During smallpox outbreaks in the United States prior to vaccination, the death toll was around 30% for European American adults, 50% for European American children. Much, much higher for Native Americans - depending on the tribe. For Native Americans who lived in villages, the highest percent reduction was Mandan, 93%, the lowest Ponca 6%. For nomadic Native Americans, the highest percentage reduction was Assiniboine, 83%, the lowest Arapaho, 1%. In general, the death rate for Native Americans was in excess of 80%. The reason typically given for European Americans' higher survival rate is natural selection. European Americans are descended from populations which had previously been decimated by smallpox. Native Americans split off before smallpox became endemic in Europe, Asia and Africa. That in no way explains the tremendous variation in Native American survival rates. The only thing we do know is any resistance wasn't due to vaccination. However, I expect that any number is a WAG (wild-assed guess). Or maybe the lecture was about a more virulent strain of smallpox. My recollection is that within naturally occuring smallpox epidemics, there were variations. Kind of like the difference between bubonic and pneumonic plague. BTW, cowpox is still endemic worldwide, so Jennerism is still possible.