This Podcast Will Kill You
Ep 130 Cocoliztli: We do love a salty dish
Nov 28, 2023
This podcast explores the deadly cocoliztli epidemics that ravaged Mesoamerica during the 16th century, causing massive hemorrhage, jaundice, and high mortality rates. Researchers analyze various proposed pathogens, ruling out diseases like smallpox and measles. The possibility of bubonic plague as the cause is discussed, along with limitations of DNA analysis. The hosts delve into the symptoms and effects of the mysterious pathogen, drawing comparisons to typhus and typhoid. The difficulty of tracking the spread of nosebleeds is also explored. The episode ends with gratitude and hygiene reminders.
01:52:10
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Quick takeaways
- The coco-leprosy epidemics of the 16th century in Mesoamerica devastated the indigenous population, killing millions and leaving towns and villages in desolation.
- The cause of coco-leprosy remains unknown, as no single pathogen fully matches the symptoms and effects observed.
Deep dives
Symptoms and effects of coco-leprosy on the population
The coco-leprosy epidemics of 1545 and 1576 devastated the indigenous population in Mexico. In the 1545 epidemic, an estimated 5 to 15 million people died, accounting for about 80% of the indigenous population at the time. The disease was characterized by acute onset fever, severe headache, bleeding from the nose, ears, and mouth, jaundice, abdominal pain, and neurological manifestations. The 1576 epidemic was even more severe, resulting in the death of over 2 million people, approximately half of the population. Similar symptoms were observed, including fever, bleeding, jaundice, and pallor. The impact on the Spanish colonial regime was significant, as the loss of population affected various aspects of the economy and society.
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