Pestilential Problems
Lice and Fleas
Lice and fleas were ubiquitous in the Wild West, infesting people’s hair, clothing, and bedding. With no effective means of eradication, these pests spread diseases like typhus and plague. People scratched and suffered, often resorting to drastic measures like shaving their heads or burning their clothes to get some relief. The constant itching was a daily torment.
Rat-Infested Abodes
Homes in the Wild West were often simple wooden structures with dirt floors, providing perfect habitats for rats. These rodents not only ate stored food but also carried deadly diseases like hantavirus and bubonic plague. Efforts to control the rat population were largely ineffective, and encounters with these vermin were a regular part of frontier life.
