Vomit and Smallpox

During the 17th and 18th centuries, vessels transported thousands of emigrants between Europe and America. They experienced close quarters in crowded vessels over a six to ten week period. One colonist wrote that “betwixt decks, a man can hardly catch his breath by reason there ariseth such a funke in the night that it causeth putrification of the blood and breedeth disease much like the plague.” Note: funke is the German word for “odor”.