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Where Are They Now? Diseases That Killed You in Oregon Trail (1110L)

Notes on my thoughts,

uncontrollable drooling, as well as a deep cough and chills. Diphtheria was most common on the

reactions and questions as I

trail during the winter months.

read:

Now: Routine childhood immunizations have nearly erased diphtheria in the US. According to

the US National Library of Medicine, there are less than five cases here a year. Though it is still

a problem in crowded nations with poor hygiene, diphtheria is now rarely fatal.

You Have Dysentery

Then: Dysentery, aka shigellosis, was not as widespread on the trails as its peer cholera. During

the 19th century, dysentery was a bigger problem on the Civil War battlefields. Like cholera,

dysentery spread via contaminated water and food, thriving in hot and humid weather. Unlike

cholera, dysentery lived in the colon and caused bloody, loose excrement. The rise of dysentery

in the 1800s was partially due to infected warm cow’s milk, an ideal incubator for shigellosis.

Now: Dysentery is still a major threat to the developing world. Not only is there no effective

vaccine, recent strains are increasingly resistant to antibiotics—the only proven line of defense in

tandem with fluids. It is estimated by the WHO that 80 million people contract dysentery

annually. An outbreak was detected in Japan this past August.

Sally Has Measles

Then: Evolved from the rinderpest virus, the highly contagious measles ravaged the United

States in the 19th century. It was not measles, but complications like bronchitis and pneumonia

that made it life threatening. Measles was spread through contaminated droplets—coughing,

sneezing, wiping one’s nose and then touching anything. It caused nasty rashes, fever and

conjunctivitis.

Now: A vaccine was discovered in the mid-20th century, virtually eradicating measles from the

developed world. It is now part of the trifecta inoculation MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) most

American children receive in infancy and again at age 6. Though relatively contained, measles is

still endemic. In 2009, there was an outbreak in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa.

New Zealand saw a small spike in August 2011, with nearly 100 cases popping up in Auckland.

Mary Has Died of Typhoid Fever

Then: Unfamiliar with the virtues of boiling water first, Oregon Trail pioneers contracted

typhoid like many other diseases—from contaminated water. Caused by Salmonella Typhi,

Typhoid was spread when an infected person “shed” the bacteria. Sparing you the grisly details,

let’s just say the bacteria lived in a person’s blood and intestines. The major symptom was high

fever, followed by weakness and loss of appetite. In the warmer months, typhoid was a real

killer.

Now: Still a killer, though not in the Western world. The CDC says it’s preventable with good

sanitation and antibiotics, but even Westerners are not immune when traveling in developing

countries. The CDC strongly recommends anyone planning travel to a ‘non-industrialized’

nation get vaccinated—and avoid any tap water or food cooked in unclean water.

Garrison, L.T. Where are they now? Diseases that killed you in Oregon Trail. Mental_Floss. October 11, 2011

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