Graveyard Containing Remains of Children and Babies Who Died From Cholera Discovered by Archaeologists in Canada

Burial sites offer archaeologists the unique opportunity to study the remains of people who died from plagues and other causes. Recently, archaeologists in Canada have uncovered a graveyard with skeletons belonging to children and babies.

Unearthing the Cholera Graveyard

For the last three weeks, excavations have occurred on the street of Rue de Maisonneuve in Quebec, Canada. These excavations were conducted to prepare for the construction of a new tramway. When dozens of human skeletons were discovered at the site, experts were not shocked since the excavations were done above the site of an old cemetery. Human skeletons were already uncovered on the same site in 1997 during construction work for municipal pipes. In the latest discovery in Rue de Maisonneuve, the excavated remains belong to three adults or teenagers and several children and babies.

Cholera first reached Canada in 1832 when British immigrants brought it across the Atlantic. That year, the disease had become an epidemic that extended in 1834, 1849, 1851, 1852, and 1854. These succeeding epidemics killed at least 20,000 people in Canada. Cholera was highly feared during this period in history because no one understood its causes and its possible treatment.

In 1832, hundreds of people died daily in Canada, mostly in large settlements such as Quebec. This explains the large population of people buried in the Saint-Louis Cemetery. From 1832 to 1855, this graveyard was a burial site for cholera victims and other outbreaks. Because of this, the cemetery has been dubbed a 'cholera graveyard.'

According to the archaeologists, the excavations along the street may reveal around 20 burial sites by the time it is completed at the end of next week. After the excavation project, all the human remains, and artifacts that will be discovered will be cleaned and studied in the laboratory. The experts also aim to identify the sex of the buried people, as well as their age when they died. Aside from this, they will try to determine whether these people suffered from bone diseases. Then the remains will be sent to a local diocese, where they will be reburied.

What is Cholera?

Cholera is an acute secretory infection of the small intestine that can affect a person that accidentally ingests or swallows Vibrio cholerae bacteria. This bacterial infection is often mild or does not show symptoms, but it can also be severe and life-threatening if left untreated. In its early stage, cholera shows symptoms such as watery diarrhea, vomiting, thirst, leg cramps, or irritability. In extreme conditions, cholera can develop severe dehydration, leading to kidney failure and shock or death.

In 1817, cholera became a disease of global importance when a particularly lethal outbreak occurred in Jessore, India. A total of seven cholera pandemics have occurred in the past 200 years. Today, cholera affects 1.3 to 4 million people worldwide every year, killing about 21,000 to 143,000 individuals, according to data from the World Health Organization.

Check out more news and information on Cholera in Science Times.