For the Health of the Enslaved: Slaves, Medicine & Power in the Danish West Indies, 1803-1848

In the first half of the 19th century, the safeguarding of the health of the enslaved workers became a central concern for plantation owners and colonial administrators in the Danish West Indies. With the end of the slave trade, the longstanding excess mortality in the hardworking enslaved population became a crucial problem for the colony because the slaves could no longer be replaced. On this background, the author explores the health conditions of the enslaved workers and the health policies initiated by planters and the colonial government. The investigations reveal that in a comparative Caribbean perspective, Danish West Indian health policies were often quite unique and efficient, but also that the health of the enslaved was a contested field showing an ongoing power struggle between the planters, the colonial administration and the slaves themselves.