Prairie Madness Afflicted Isolated Settlers

During the 19th century, European settlers migrating to and settling the Great Plains sometimes experienced an affliction known as "prairie madness" or "prairie fever." Its reported symptoms included depression, social withdrawal, changes in character and habits, and sometimes violence. The Homestead Act of 1862 spread families across isolated 160-acre farms, while distant towns, limited transportation, blizzards, hot summers, endless flat land, and relentless wind intensified their loneliness. Some sufferers returned East, while extreme cases ended in suicide.

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