The travelers used quinine water to treat these illnesses. 'Mountain fever', which may have been Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus, typhoid fever, and/or scarlet fever.The travelers treated these diseases with castor oil. Dysentery and other diseases that caused diarrhea.Other diseases common on the Trail included: Often, cholera's symptoms would be so bad that travelers would die within 12 hours of getting sick. After this, any traveler that drank water from the Platte River, or made food with that water, could get cholera. However, as thousands of travelers used the same campsites over and over again, sewage from travelers with cholera got into the Platte River. Camping near rivers contaminated with cholera bacteria made cholera spread quickly among travelersįor example, travelers liked to camp along the Platte River in Colorado, so they could easily get fresh water. Oregon Trail, by Albert Bierstadt, circa 1863. One of the causes of the epidemic was that there was no sanitation along the Trail. Up to 3% of all travelers during this time may have died from cholera. From 1849-1855, there was a cholera epidemic along the trail. Cholera Ĭholera was the most common illness and cause of death on the Trail. While travelers usually brought some medicines with them, they usually were not very helpful. Diseases ĭisease was the most common cause of death on the Trail. Because of this, historians can only estimate the total number of people who died along the Oregon Trail. They did this so that animals and robbers would not dig up the graves. For example, they would bury people right in the middle of a trail and then have their oxen run over the graves. Many travelers would bury their dead in unmarked graves and would disguise the graves. It is difficult to know how many people died along the Oregon Trail. There were many dangers along the Oregon Trail, including disease, bad weather, drowning during river crossings, attacks by Native Americans, and many others. Pieces of wood held up a cover, made of something like dried ox skin, that rose about five feet above the bottom of the wagon. One common style, called the 'Independence-style' wagon, was usually about 11 feet long, four feet wide, and two feet deep. There were a few different styles of covered wagons. Most travelers used covered wagons to travel the Trail. Travelers also ate berries that grew along the Trail, partly to help prevent scurvy. Bison, antelope, and deer were the best animals to hunt for food. Īlong the Trail, travelers could fish and hunt for food. Some travelers also brought other foods, like rice, peas, dried beans, or dried fruit. Boiling water was difficult on the Trail, so cooking was not always possible. Travelers often brought along a lot of dried meat and 'bread stuff' (like flour, crackers, and hardtack). Most travelers used covered wagons like this replica to travel the Trail To feed four people for six months, food would cost about $150 - over $4,500 in today's dollars. However, food for the trip was expensive. It was very important for travelers to carry enough food and water for the trip. Oxen were easy to train, and they usually traveled at a steady pace of 2 miles per hour, even in mud and snow. They could eat grass along the Trail, unlike horses, who needed special food. They were less expensive than horses and mules, and also less stubborn than mules. People who traveled the Oregon Trail could use three types of animals to pull their wagons: oxen, mules, or horses. The groups that did best on the Trail wrote constitutions or rules that they could use to settle disagreements or problems on the Trail.

They would hire a guide that knew the Trail and would elect leaders. Often, relatives or people from the same town would travel together. Instead, travelers formed groups so they could help and protect each other.

The oregon trail 1.2