The Gifts of Civilization: Germs and Genocide in Hawaii
In 1778 Captain James Cook made his first visit to the Hawaiian Islands. The members of his expedition and subsequent visitors brought to the previously isolated Hawaiian people new things, novel ideas, and, of greatest consequence, devastating alien germs. The infectious diseases introduced since 1778 have claimed more Hawaiian lives than all other causes of death combined.
During their long isolation in space and time, Hawaiians had not been exposed to the many microbes that afflicted populations in other parts of the world. They had developed no immunity to those germs and gained no experiences to enable them to endure the sicknesses the newly introduced germs caused. That terrible vulnerability to foreigners' diseases has almost destroyed Hawaiian society and culture. The nine essays in this collection discuss the impact of these "gifts of civilization" upon the native Hawaiian people and upon the social history of Hawai'i. Dr. Bushnell constructs a concise historical framework, including an examination of the native medical profession, and interprets the few facts known about it in light of present knowledge in the medical sciences. He presents information, opinions, and conclusions harvested from many years of thinking about the fate of native Hawaiian people, studying all the relevant documents, and writing about this and related subjects.Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0824814576
ISBN13:9780824814571
Release Date:February 1993
Publisher:University of Hawaii Press
Length:352 Pages
Weight:1.00 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"
Related Subjects
Europe History Medical Medical Books Modern (16th-21st Centuries) Politics & Social Sciences WorldCustomer Reviews
1 rating
FASCINATING, INSIGHTFUL
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
This book is a fascinating academic collection of essays about post-contact Hawaii's history in the context of health and medicine. Although a bit admittedly biased, the Kahunas are definitely not romanticized in this book. The constant reference to anecdotal quotes or comments from critical westerners about Hawaii's traditional beliefs and Kahunas got old sometimes. I especially enjoyed the rare quotes from his references that I would never be able to find. Bushnell tries to present a balanced historical look at old Hawaii's medicine and health. It is a great reference and very readable.
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