Cholera and typhoid fever in 19th-century Bielitzer Zion

Abstract

Cholera and typhoid fever in 19th-centuryBielitzer ZionThis study outlines an analysis of selected anthropo-demographic data ofDer Bielitzer Zionpopulation from parish registers and historical sources. The analysis focuses on three epidemics: cholera (two) and typhoid fever (one) which took place in mid-19th century in Bielitz. The aim of this paper is to explore the demographic structure of the fatalities due to the epidemics and to propose possible causes of any variations. Analysis shows the divergence in the age structure of deceased parishioners between the normal and epidemic years. Also, similar outbreaks of infection but of different pathogenesis could lead to observable discrepancies in the overall demographics of the deceased. In the case of cholera: more fatal cases were seen in the city, a higher frequency of deaths occurred in Bielitz females, the disease occurred only in the warm months and the outbreaks were of short duration. For typhoid fever: more fatal cases were seen in the peri-urban villages, a higher frequency of deaths occurred in the female of the peri-urban villages and the outbreak was of long duration. Frequencies and mortality rates of the above causes of death were compared with younger, more advanced populations. The similarities between these groups suggest a high socio-economical status ofBielitzer Zion.

Identification of demographic crises and evaluation of their intensity in the Kujawy region (Central Europe) in the 19th century

“…Owing to this mechanism, at the final stages of an epidemic an increased number of christenings were often recorded, though it was not a rule. Cholera epidemics observed and recorded in Poland (Czapliński 2012;Berner 2008;Budnik, Liczbińska 1997;Liczbińska, Sosinko, Budnik 2007;Liczbińska 2009;Piasecki 1990;Wrębiak 2010;Rejmanowski 2001;Korpalska 2011;Dorobek 1979;Włodarczyk 1998) perfectly correspond to demographic crises which occurred in 1831-1832, 1848 and 1852 on a given area.…”

“…The results obtained from the analysis of data concerning the residents of Kowal parish in the 19 th century were set against the information about events causing a sudden growth in mortality in the local population derived from the widely-accessible literature (Dziki 2007b;2007a;Rejmanowski 2001;Siudikas 1998;Wrębiak 2010;Korpalska 2011;Evans 1988;Puzyrewski 1899;Budnik 2008;Dorobek 1979;Winkle 1999;Włodarczyk 1998;Drozd-Lipińska, Bartczak, and Dziki 2021a;Dziki 2021) as well as the archives.…”