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The Cocoliztli Epidemics: Disease That Toppled an Empire
Description
When Hernán Cortés and his men landed in Mexico, they brought more than steel and gunpowder. Smallpox, measles, and typhus ravaged indigenous populations who had no immunity. But the deadliest was cocoliztli, a mysterious hemorrhagic fever that killed millions between 1545 and 1576. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the science and history behind these epidemics. They discuss the probable pathogen — a salmonella enterica strain — and how the combination of drought, famine, and colonial disruption created a perfect storm for disease. They examine the social impact: how the epidemics decimated communities, disrupted agriculture, and facilitated Spanish domination. They also touch on indigenous responses, from traditional healers to mass burial rituals. Drawing on the work of epidemiologist Rodolfo Acuña-Soto and the Florentine Codex, this episode reveals how disease, not just conquest, shaped the demographic collapse of Mesoamerica.