Spanish and Nahuatl Views on Smallpox and Demographic Catastrophe in Mexico

The author reexamines contemporary Spanish and Native American sources for evidence concerning the demographic impact of smallpox the first Old World epidemic which was introduced into Mexico in 1520. He concludes that the impact of the disease was indeed significant and in a critique of a recent study by Francis J. Brooks concludes that almost one half of the native population may have died in the epidemic. (ANNOTATION)