The natives of the Americas were nearly wiped out by germs that Europeans brought with them, like smallpox. They had no resistance due to lack of exposure, hence the staggering mortality rate. Why didn't the reverse happen? Why wasn't Europe devastated by some heretofore unknown germ brought back from the Americas?
hi! not discouraging more discussion here, but fyi, there have been some detailed posts on this subject - check out section Impact of indigenous diseases on the Europeans in the FAQ:
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