The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words

William Tomison, in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's Cumberland House on the Saskatchewan River, described the devastating smallpox epidemic of 1781 and 1782. He understood contagion, practised isolation and disinfection, and provided mortality statistics during a 'virgin soil...

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Main Authors: C Stuart Houston, Stan Houston
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2000-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/782978
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author C Stuart Houston
Stan Houston
author_facet C Stuart Houston
Stan Houston
author_sort C Stuart Houston
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description William Tomison, in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's Cumberland House on the Saskatchewan River, described the devastating smallpox epidemic of 1781 and 1782. He understood contagion, practised isolation and disinfection, and provided mortality statistics during a 'virgin soil' epidemic. Above all, he showed remarkable compassion. He and his men took dying Indians into their already crowded quarters, and provided them with food, shelter and 24 h care. This article describes the epidemic and its aftermath.
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spelling doaj-art-3add0fd628834547a9c9a638f047aebd2025-08-20T02:08:02ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases1180-23322000-01-0111211211510.1155/2000/782978The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' WordsC Stuart Houston0Stan Houston1Professor Emeritus of Medical Imaging, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaWC Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaWilliam Tomison, in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's Cumberland House on the Saskatchewan River, described the devastating smallpox epidemic of 1781 and 1782. He understood contagion, practised isolation and disinfection, and provided mortality statistics during a 'virgin soil' epidemic. Above all, he showed remarkable compassion. He and his men took dying Indians into their already crowded quarters, and provided them with food, shelter and 24 h care. This article describes the epidemic and its aftermath.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/782978
spellingShingle C Stuart Houston
Stan Houston
The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
title The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words
title_full The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words
title_fullStr The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words
title_full_unstemmed The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words
title_short The First Smallpox Epidemic on the Canadian Plains: In the Fur-traders' Words
title_sort first smallpox epidemic on the canadian plains in the fur traders words
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/782978
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