Things Have Always Been Terrible

A series in which I make you feel less lonely, realizing how many other pandemics humans have lived through. Ethiopian Malaria Epidemic of 1958 This is our newest epidemic thus far. I know people who saw 1958 in person. The villain today, such as she is: the anopheles gambiae mosquito. Anopheles gambiae like both fresh […]

Things Have Always Been Terrible

A series in which I make you feel less lonely, realizing how many other pandemics humans have lived through. Madagascan Smallpox Epidemic of 1817-18 Are you having a rough day? Well, be grateful you don’t have smallpox in Madagascar under the rule of King Adrianampointimerina (his parents were not kidding around). King Adri’s idea was […]

Things Have Always Been Terrible

A series in which I make you feel less lonely, realizing how many other pandemics humans have lived through. European Malaria Epidemics of 1805-12 and 1823-27 Luck, that tricky bitch, has us looking at an entry adjacent to yesterday’s. Did you get enough of European malaria yesterday? Sorry, but there’s more! Just when you thought […]

Things Have Always Been Terrible

A series in which I make you feel less lonely, realizing how many other pandemics humans have lived through. European Malaria Epidemic of 1678-82 The Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence describes some people as being “exhausted to death with recurring episodes of malaria.” I was like, I hear that. Although as an American, I generally […]