Abstract:
Smallpox, caused by the variola virus, was a deadly scourge that plagued mankind for
centuries, causing severe disfigurement, blindness, and death in most cases. In Ceylon,
smallpox was known as Vasuriya, Vaduru rogaya, Deviyange ledé (divine affliction),
Maha leda (great disease), Divi dosa (leopard misfortune), Ankaria and Masurika and the
natives worshipped deities like, Mari Amman and Pattini to ward off smallpox, which
was believed to be an indication of divine displeasure. It is surmised that it wreaked
havoc in the time of Panduvasdeva and led to the collapse of the Rajarata Civilization. At
the time of Arahat Mahinda’s visit, smallpox ravaged Anuradhapura & during
Srisangabo’s reign in the 3rd century, it wiped out half of Ceylon’s populace. This study
aimed to trace the history of smallpox and to explore the herbal remedies used for treating
pox boils and its complications. Also examined are the waves of smallpox epidemics that
repeatedly assailed Ceylon from 1500 to 1800, and its influence on Colonial expansion,
Lankan culture and tradition. I argue that smallpox was the ‘unspecified pestilence’ that
desolated Mannar at the time of St Xavier’s advent in 1543 and that the European
Colonists introduced new epidemics into Ceylon. I also argue that Prince Sakka
Senatipati, King Karaliyadde Bandara, Princes Dom Luis & Dora Joao of Kotte, Modliar
Simon de Melho and the wife of Governor Adriaan van der Meyden fell victim to
smallpox. An archival review was conducted for this study and I perused the writings of
Loten, North, Gollonese, De Orta, Daelmans, Grimm and Hermann. To date, there has
been no research wholly dedicated to the history of smallpox epidemics before the British
rule in Ceylon, ergo, my research will not only fill the knowledge gaps but it will also add
to the existing body of knowledge available on the history of medicine of Sri Lanka.
Moreover, the lessons learned from smallpox eradication are essential in tackling the
ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19.
Keywords: Bezoars, Colonialism, Herbal remedies, Medical history, Smallpox epidemics
