Featured Alien: Typhoid Fever

How It Came To Hawai‘i :

Typhoid fever, like many other infectious diseases, was introduced by Westerners visiting the Islands as early as 1778, the year of Cook's arrival.

Impact Since Its Arrival:

Many Hawaiians died from alien diseases brought here by Western foreigners. Their population was reduced drastically between 1778 and 1900. Eighty-five percent of the Hawaiian population died during this period of time.

Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell speaks about the mai 'oku'u that devastated the army of Kamehameha I in 1804 as they prepared for the conquest of the island of Kaua'i.

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