"Infectious diseases introduced with Europeans, like smallpox and measles, spread from one Indian tribe to another, far in advance of Europeans themselves, and killed an estimated 95% of the New World's Indian population"

This quote by Jared Diamond talks to the devastating impact of European colonization on the indigenous populations of the New World. Diamond highlights the role of infectious diseases in this procedure, keeping in mind that diseases like smallpox and measles were spread out from one Indian tribe to another, often far in advance of the Europeans themselves. This spread of disease had a disastrous result on the native population, with an approximated 95% of the New World's Indian population being eliminated. This quote works as a stark pointer of the disastrous consequences of European colonization on the indigenous populations of the New World, and the function of contagious illness in this procedure.