<Tab/>The average American was susceptible to many infectious diseases during the 1800's. Because the spread of disease and pathology itself were not adequately understood until the late 1800's(major epidemics continued to occur into the 1900's, however), and the practice of medicine was relatively primitive, the average life expectancy was very low. Many epidemics occurred in the new and thriving industrial centers of America, where rapid urbanization had not provided for adequate sanitation or living conditions for the burgeoning middle class. Major epidemics were caused by…
