1862 Smallpox Epidemic: British Columbia’s First Major Contagious Outbreak

With the Covid 19 Pandemic, we remember the disastrous first epidemic to strike British Columbia. Our province has experienced several contagious outbreaks but none matches this first one. Also known as SARS CoV 2 and the Corona Virus, these types of pandemics often hit vulnerable populations like indigenous people very hard. One of the most traumatic periods of British Columbia history was the Smallpox Epidemic of 1862. Some people estimate almost 50% of the population of the province died. Some settlers and Southern First Nations died but the Northern First Nations experienced catastrophic mortality of 60 to 70 percent. This video documentary explains and describes this tragic period that is just one of the many deadly contact diseases that devastated indigenous and aboriginal communities. Smallpox has been eradicated but outbreaks happened regularly in the past and struck terror in hearts and had no treatment. But prevention was possible with inoculation and vaccination. Governor James Douglas and Dr John Helmcken sent vaccine around the province. Thanks to their fast action, local First Nations like the Songhees and Esquimalt avoided the epidemic almost entirely. Other Southern First Nations avoided the worst. When Douglas had governed the west coast through the Honourable Hudson Bay Company which had the legal powers of government, he had quarantined ships and had inoculated widely during previous outbreaks. But the racist majority had petitioned London to make him accountable to an Elected Assembly. His request to re-instate quarantine was rejected. Amor De Cosmos was a newspaper editor who often criticized Douglas for letting native people stay near Victoria. One editorial accused him of jeopardizing the lives of Victoria residents. That day, while Douglas was in New Westminster the police towed Northerners to the ocean. Anti-Douglas settlers spread rumours that Douglas was trying to spread disease through infected smallpox blankets. They believed smallpox was being used as a biological weapon in a type of germ warfare. The Germ Theory of Disease was only being developed between 1860 and 1864. It would not be accepted for many years. Most people believed in the Miasma Theory of Disease which held that bad air cause sickness. People would not knowingly handle a blanket surrounded by bad air. The smallpox virus dies within 24 hours in high relative humidity at room temperature. These are the kind of conditions one would expect in Victoria in spring in a blanket. The great majority of smallpox infection comes from breathing. There was great distrust between Northern and Southern First Nations because of historic conflicts. Also between Northern First Nations and the settler community. Reverend Alexander Garrett was the only European to give aid to the northerners’ camp just north of Victoria. He lamented that ’they refused to be vaccinated with few exceptions’. Kumtuks is a Vancouver vlog that shares knowledge and explores new narratives. Some quotes and descriptors have been adjusted for clarity and brevity. Please subscribe if you would like to be notified of new videos. If you would like additional commentary and notices and want to support additional videos Another way you can help this video get more views is to like, subscribe, share or comment and watch the video till the end which will then lead the algorithm to suggest it to more people. Thanks for considering this! Sam Sullivan is a Member of the Order of Canada, a former Mayor of Vancouver and Cabinet Minister in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia representing Vancouver-False Creek. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Kumtuks website: