Reconstruction of diffusion processes at different geographical scales: the 1904 measles epidemic in northwest Iceland

• Published in: Journal of historical geography 1983, Vol.9 (1), p.29,IN1,31-30,IN12,46
• Main Authors: Cliff, Andrew D., Haggett, Peter, Graham, Rosemary
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: History of medicine; History, Modern 1601; Iceland; Measles - history
• ISSN: 0305-7488; 1095-8614
• DOI: 10.1016/0305-7488(83)90140-8

This paper presents a case study in the historical reconstruction of the spatial and temporal links by which an infectious disease spreads through a human population. The choice of area (northwest Iceland), the time (the summer of 1904) and the epidemic (measles) are conditioned by the remarkable richness of the historical records for the events described. These records include descriptive accounts in the form of doctors' reports and newspaper articles, and numerical evidence in the shape of morbidity and mortality records collected by doctors and parish priests. The nature of these sources is discussed and illustrated. The information contained in them is used to reconstruct the spread process at both regional (northwest Iceland) and local scales (two parishes in the centre of the area most heavily affected by the disease). It is shown that the pattern of spread can be interpreted in terms of conventional spatial diffusion models. It also highlights the importance of the networks of social contacts—in this case revolving around a church confirmation ceremony—in producing widespread dissemination of the disease.