Notes and queries

What exactly did Columbus bring back from the New World? Razors: it's cut-throat competition
Illustration of Christopher Columbus Arriving in the New World by T. Sinclair
Christopher Columbus Arriving in the New World, by T Sinclair. Picture: PoodlesRock/Corbis


The population of the New World was to all intents and purposes cut off from the Old World before the adoption of agriculture and the keeping of domesticated animals for food. The only domesticated animals in the New World were llamas. 

Many of our diseases stem from living in close proximity to animals; recent examples of these are bird and swine flu. Once a pathogen becomes established in a population, that population develops a level of tolerance; it is not in the interests of the pathogen to kill its host. So the pathogen becomes endemic, only killing a small proportion of those infected.

The hunter gatherers that found their way into the Americas, however, would live in small groups, too small for an infectious disease to sustain. So even if the original settlers of the New World did take some diseases with them these would have died out.

Thus when the invaders arrived, bringing new diseases, the indigenous population had no resistance. Moreover, they harboured few, if any, diseases of their own to transmit the other way.

Terence Hollingworth, Blagnac, France

The term Columbian Exchange refers in part to Christopher Columbus's return from the Americas with syphilis. Some of his soldiers are said to have been among the Spanish army that later stormed Naples; after indulging in the usual rape and pillage, they scattered all over Europe. Within a few years a terrible epidemic had spread across Europe, with revolting abscesses eating into genitals and faces: "the Great Pox" certainly acted like a new disease.

Simon Rodway, London W14

One reason that Europe was a net exporter of such diseases would be that any European explorer infected with a New World disease would have to survive the long journey home if the disease were to catch hold in Europe.

Tim Lidbetter, London EC1

Haven't you heard of – or suffered from – Montezuma's revenge?

Keith Hodgkinson, East Leake, Leics

Is any research going on into a depilatory to replace shaving? There is something a bit bronze age about scraping one's face with a razor.

There are masses of hair removal products suitable for use on the face: creams, waxing, threading, electrolysis . . . Granted, you might have to go into the scary girly/lady section of Boots to find them, and they won't be packaged in macho grey and navy with pictures of ruggedly handsome fellas doing ruggedly handsome things – but they will still work on you. We're not that different.

Mary Macfarlane, Salford

It sounds as though Ben Rudling (N&Q, 5 May) has been reading too much Edgar Wallace. In The Man Who Hated Sheffield, Mr Odwall discovers a secret formula held by the Bald Men of I'fubi, whose heads "shone like polished ebony" as a result of the use of a "green butter" that magically removes all hair. Odwall, who is on a singleminded hunt for gold, disregards their offer of the formula and the chief, the only holder of it, is killed.

When Odwall reports to his sponsor, Mr Wilberry (who hates Sheffield because he fell out with the local steel magnates) that he turned down the offer of the formula, Wilberry is incandescent. As he says: "the formula of this would have put out of business every razor, every safety razor company in the world . . . If I had this formula I could ruin Sheffield!"

Ginnie Gledhill, Cowes, Isle of wight

Many men enjoy shaving, but not the extortionate cost of multi-blade cartridges. An increasing number are returning to the much cheaper and more satisfying routine of using warm lather and a classic safety double-edge, or even straight (cut-throat) razor.

John Lord, Peebles, Scotland

Why are the 26 letters we use in alphabetical order? Who decided the order?

It's because of that song.

Matt Carroll, Cheltenham, Glos

Any answers?

Has the Nobel prize for science ever been awarded for something that turned out to be just plain wrong?

Ben McCrory, Manchester

What did the Lady of Shalott do that was so bad as to merit such a curse?

Amanda Clay, Norman, Oklahoma, US


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