Prior to the Spanish invasion of 1519, the Aztec people lived in prosperity and health. The Aztecs lived long lives, free from infectious diseases and plagues. Although they suffered mild ailments such as infection from insect bites, amoebae-based diarrhea and fevers, and arthritis in old age, the population bloomed from thousands to tens of thousands in a short time. The common theory for health preservation among the people was sanitation, and cleanliness was clearly emphasized in all aspects of their lives. Aqueducts were built, which provided clean drinking water and an efficient sewage system to the people. A strict code of hygiene was followed by every household member; frequent baths and cleansing salves were a part of daily life. Then, everything changed with the arrival of the Spanish conquistador, Hernando Cortez, in the spring of 1519. Along with his Gatling guns, rapiers, and horses, he brought an unseen enemy: disease. Just as quickly as it rose, the Aztec empire fell when a majority of the population succumbed to the five principal killer diseases (smallpox, measles, malaria, typhus, and influenza) that came with the Spanish.
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