New World Diseases

Hello Researchers,

There is a book about New World diseases titled "Born to Die - Disease and New
World Conquest, 1492-1650" by Noble David Cook. The book describes the diseases
the Spanish brought in great detail. The diseases were horrible in how they
affected the natives who had no immunities. There seemed to be variations of
smallpox, some strains worse than others. When I read that book, I feel that it
is a wonder I have any ancestors at all, because the diseases struck constantly.

bubas - bubonic plague
sarampion - measles
viruelas - smallpox
paperas - mumps
tabardete/tabardillo - typhus
dolor de costado - pleurisy, which could have been influenza, pneumonia, or
typhus
camaras de sangre - dysentery
pestilence - when no other specific term is used except pestilence, it is
probably influenza
catarrh - severe cough, probably influenza

I think heredia means you inherited a condition. It probably means heart
attack, stroke, and other typically old-age afflictions.