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While working on plantations in the South in the United States, many slaves faced serious health problems. Improper nutrition, unsanitary living conditions and excessive labor made them more susceptible to diseases than their masters. The death rates among the slaves were significantly higher due to diseases. Slaves often lived in unhealthy settings. Frequent human excretion in the water caused cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid, tuberculosis, influenza, hepatitis, as well as other things such as STD's.
The diet of a slave was sufficient to maintain the slave’s body weight and normal health. The daily energy intake of an adult slave was between 2500 to 3000 calories. So it was enough for the whole day’s work. However, in terms of nutrition, it was not. More than four-fifths of slave calories came from corn and pork. It has also been reported that their diet also included meat, bread, vegetables and fruits. Fewer calories came from proteins compared to fats and sugars. But their diet was low in iron and important vitamins. Some of the slaves also had low levels of calcium due to lactose intolerance. By having vitamin A deficiency, some of them had weakened eyesight. Intestinal diseases were also problems for them. Diseases such as anemia (low iron) and rickets (low vitamin D) were caused by malnutrition among the slaves. Thus, due to the quality, not quantity, the slaves developed health problems.
Slaves were given two outfits of clothing a year, for winter and for summer. The masters only gave a pair of “gator shoes” or “brogans”. Sometimes children and adults who were not working had to walk around barefoot. However, these things were insufficient for the field work; therefore they did not last very long. Clothing and shoe supplies from masters made matters even worse for them.
Slave masters often performed the health care needs of their slaves before they sent them to the doctor. If the home treatment did not help to improve the slave’s conditions, they would then send them to the physician or asked the doctor to come to the plantation. Considering the importance of the health of their slaves, the planters organized the slave hospitals to treat their serious health problems like scurvey or the flu.
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