Agents of Apocalypse : Epidemic Disease in the Colonial Philippines

As waves of epidemic disease swept the Philippines in the late nineteenth century, some colonial physicians began to fear that the indigenous population would be wiped out. Many Filipinos interpreted the contagions as a harbinger of the Biblical Apocalypse. Though the direct forebodings went unfulfilled, Philippine morbidity and mortality rates were the world's highest during the period 1883-1903. In __Agents of Apocalypse__, Ken De Bevoise shows that those "mourning years" resulted from a conjunction of demographic, economic, technological, cultural, and political processes that had been building for centuries. The story is one of unintended consequences, fraught with tragic irony. De Bevoise uses the Philippine case study to explore the extent to which humans participate in creating their epidemics. Interpreting the archival record with conceptual guidance from the health sciences, he sets tropical disease in a historical framework that views people as interacting with, rather than acting within, their total environment. The complexity of cause-effect and agency-structure relationships is thereby highlighted. Readers from fields as diverse as Spanish, American, and Philippine history, medical anthropology, colonialism, international relations, Asian studies, and ecology will benefit from De Bevoise's insights into the interdynamics of historical processes that connect humans and their diseases. As Waves Of Epidemic Disease Swept The Philippines In The Late Nineteenth Century, Physicians In The Islands Began To Fear That The Indigenous Population Would Be Wiped Out. Many Filipinos Interpreted The Contagions As A Harbinger Of The Biblical Apocalypse. Though The Direst Forebodings Did Not Come To Pass, Philippine Morbidity And Mortality Rates Were The World's Highest During The Period 1883-1903. In Agents Of Apocalypse, Ken De Bevoise Bypasses The Simplistic Conclusion That Spanish And American Colonialism In The Philippines Caused The Epidemics. Instead, He Explains That Those Mourning Years Resulted From A Conjunction Of Demographic, Economic, Technological, Cultural, And Political Processes That Had Been Building For Centuries. Throughout The Book, The Author Highlights The Complexity Of Cause And Effect, Which Among Other Things Accounts For The Unintended Consequences And Tragic Irony That Characterize This History. On Another Level, The Book Is An Ecology Of Human Actions. De Bevoise Uses The Philippine Experience As A Case Study To Explore The Extent To Which Humans Participate In Creating Their Diseases. He Interprets The Archival Record With Conceptual Guidance From The Health Sciences To Set The Nineteenth-century Epidemics In A Historical Framework That Shows People Interacting With, Rather Than Acting Within, Their Total Environment. Emphasizing The Role Of Human Actions In Clearing The Way For Epidemic Disease, He Concludes That We Are The Primary Agents Of Apocalypse. Readers From Fields As Diverse As Spanish, American, And Philippine History, Medical Anthropology, Colonialism, International Relations, Asian Studies, And Ecology Will Benefit From De Bevoise's Insights Into The Interdynamics Of Historical Processes That Connect Humans And Their Diseases. Map Of Asia And The East Indies, 1875 -- Map Of Philippine Provinces And Principal Islands, 1890 -- Introduction: Dimensions Of The Crisis -- Ch. 1. Probability Of Contact -- Ch. 2. Susceptibility -- Ch. 3. Venereal Disease: Evolution Of A Social Problem -- Ch. 4. Smallpox: Failure Of The Health Care System -- Ch. 5. Beriberi: Fallout From Cash Cropping -- Ch. 6. Malaria: Disequilibrium In The Total Environment -- Ch. 7. Cholera: The Island World As An Epidemiological Unit -- Conclusion: Intervention And Disease. Ken De Bevoise. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [247]-265) And Index. CONTENTS Preface Acknowledgments Map of Asia and the East Indies, 1875 Map of Philippine Provinces and Principal Islands, 1890 INTRODUCTION. Dimensions of the Crisis PART ONE CHAPTER 1. Probability of Contact CHAPTER 2. Susceptibility PART TWO CHAPTER 3. Venereal Disease: Evolution of a Social Problem CHAPTER 4. Smallpox: Failure of the Health Care System CHAPTER 5. Beriberi: Fallout from Cash Cropping CHAPTER 6. Malaria: Disequilibrium in the Total Environment CHAPTER 7. Cholera: The Island World as an Epidemiological Unit CONCLUSION. Intervention and Disease Abbreviations used in the Notes Notes Bibliography Index As waves of epidemic diseases swept the Philippines in the years 1883-1903, many feared that the indigenous population would become extinct. This study shows how the epidemics were caused by demographic, economic, cultural and political processes that had been building for centuries.