This book examines the relationship between the indigenous peoples of northern Ecuador and disease, especially those infections introduced by Europeans during the sixteenth century. It addresses an important and often overlooked element in the history of Amerindian populations: their biological adaptability and resilience. But it is more than a history of disease incidents, medical responses, and population trends. The history of the biological experience under colonial rule. It differs from other studies in the field by its emphasis on the relationship between biological and social responses.

"This book is an achievement for several reasons. First, it offers a panoramic view of about three centuries of demographic developments in colonial Ecuador. Second, it frames the discussion of Ecuador with what is known about Mesoamerica and the Andes. Third, it studies epidemics in their interaction with economic, religious, and political events. And fourth, it is a remarkable effort to intertwine the history of populations with the history of medicine in a Latin American country....The book includes superb descriptions of colonial hospitals and public health measures, and native concepts of health and illness....this well-documented and well-organized book is certainly instrumental in raising the standards of Latin American medical history." Marcos Cueto, Bulletin of the History of Medicine

"...a well-documented case study of European-introduced disease and its demographic consequences in colonial Latin America. Researchers will find the work a particularly valuable source of insights into Old World diseases and their demographic consequences for Native America." Daniel Reff, EthnoHistory

"...contains a great deal of useful information and implications for further research on the connections between biological and sociopolitical transformations." Susan M. Deeds, Colonial Latin American Review

"This slender book is packed with information on the history of disease in colonal Ecuador....Native Society and Disease in Colonial Ecuador is a clearly written and thoughtful study of health and disease in a critical period of Latin American history....Alchon does an admirable job of sifting through the material and explaining her interpretatons of the data....This book should find an audience among scholars who are concerned with the Spanish colonial period or who wish to understand how the events of that time have influenced today's Andean reality. As a study of epidemiological and cultural history, it should also be of interest to readers with backgrounds in medicine and allied fields of study. In addition, the book merits consideration for use as a case study in Latin America and medical anthropology courses." William T. Vickers, Medical Anthropology Quarterly