Archaeology & Disease

Archaeologist Paul Reed (Salmon Ruins & Archaeology Southwest) discusses some of the diseases that have been discovered among the ancient peoples who once lived in the southwest.  Some disease and illness were already here, but many were brought to the new world from the old and decimated native populations who had no immunity to the previous unknown viruses.  Limited medical knowledge of the time meant neither side knew the cause of the sickness and deaths. The discussion was prompted by this article in Science Magazine.