The Courier-Mail First Fleet smallpox deliberate – scientist Chris Griffith 27dec01
AN EMINENT scientist and a local anthropologist have backed claims that Aborigines were deliberately infected with smallpox after the First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay. Hundreds of thousands of Aborigines died in the smallpox epidemic of 1789 but whether it was part of a deliberate act by settlers after the First Fleet arrived is historically contentious. A research paper to be published by anthropologist Dr John Lambert says Sydney's Aboriginal population may have been much larger before the epidemic than first estimated – and as a result 90 per cent of about one million Aborigines may have died from smallpox. It is argued that this proportion of deaths could not have happened by chance. In his paper, Dr Lambert quotes well-known demographer Henry Dobyns claiming that – based on the new population projections – he "does not feel there can be any other explanation" than Aborigines having been deliberately infected by colonists. Dr Lambert also quotes Yale University epidemiologist Francis L. Black, who said a 90 per cent decline of Sydney's Aboriginal population from smallpox could not be explained by any perceived absence of indigenous immunity to new illnesses. Dr Lambert said the possible source of the smallpox infection was samples of the disease preserved by the ships' surgeons for use as a primitive form of vaccination. His paper said that in the 18th century, colonist Watkin Tench admitted the surgeons had brought out preserved smallpox, but denied it had been used to deliberately infect Aborigines. Dr Lambert also cites the influence of Sir Jeffery Amherst, the British military commander held responsible for the sale of blankets deliberately infected with smallpox to American Indians. Dr Lambert said Amherst was linked to First Fleet commander Arthur Phillip. His research revives an earlier theory, by the late historian Professor Noel Butlin, of a deliberate smallpox infection. However, the idea is rejected by other historians. Australian historian Professor Ross Fitzgerald said there was "indisputable evidence" that diseases such as smallpox decimated Australia's Aboriginal population, but he was yet to be convinced the introduction of smallpox was intentional. But he said it was undisputed that Aborigines had sometimes been deliberately poisoned in Queensland and elsewhere. Strychnine was put in their damper and their flour, left in shepherd's huts, was laced with arsenic. AMA spokesman on infectious diseases Dr Michael Whitby said smallpox could not be carried without symptoms and there would have been waves of infections of it on a long voyage to Australia for it to be transmitted by humans. He said smallpox infections on these voyages were quite common. © 2001 Queensland Newspapers http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,3496434,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/ until 11 March, 2001 and Recoznettwo is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznettwo%40green.net.au/ from that date. This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
