The next was the effect of the strong drink[14] introduced by the agents of the Hudson's Bay and, still more, the two North-west Companies.

Phthisis or pulmonary consumption also seems to have been introduced from Europe (though Hearne thought that the Northern Indians had it before the white man came).

In fact, before the European invaded America neither Eskimo nor Amerindian seem to have had many diseases.

They suffered from ulcers, scurvy, digestive troubles, rheumatism, headache, bronchitis, and heart complaints, but from few, if any, "germ" diseases.
[Footnote 14: Before the white man came to _North_ America the natives had no form of intoxicating drink.] Some of the agents of the North-west Company apologize in their writings for the amount of rum that was circulated among the Amerindians at the orders of that company to stimulate trade, by saying that it was seven parts water.

Nevertheless it excited them to madness, as the following extracts show.