ABSTRACT
The identification of "Negro/Slave Diseases" was a direct manifestation of the human/subhuman issue. Extending from that basic premise, people of African descent would logically contract and manifest diseases and illnesses that were race-specific, and more importantly, different from those contracted by Whites. Negro Consumption (also called Struma Africana and "Negro Poison") was thought to be a race-specific condition among people of African descent, specifically, enslaved Africans. Similar to Negro Consumption, Cachexia Africana also contained a major psychological component. The African's condition in enslavement, being so profoundly challenging, produced a host of debilitating symptoms. Outside of the realm of "Negro/Slave Diseases," enslaved Africans suffered from the same diseases and illnesses as Whites. However, Africans were thought to add a different quality to the ailments. These conditions were numerous and Africans in the United States experienced significant mortality.
