The Thule community (Northwest Greenland) sets the scene for this study of health and environmental hazards in a historical perspective. In the early 19th century, when European contact was first made, the region was still in the grip of the Little Ice Age, and the tiny population was on the brink of extinction partly owing to epidemics. This was to change in the late 19th century when more regular contact was made and provisions became more secure. During the 20th century, new political realities were mixed into the environmental issues, leaving the local population on the brink of disaster once again. Most recently, global warming is undermining the hunting economy, yet few subsistence alternatives are present this far in the High Arctic. Increasing contamination of the sea is having negative effects on all Arctic trophic levels with consequences for human health. This article discusses the historicity of health, and the unification of the world through disease and pollution and unpacks a pervasive sense of disequilibrium owing to many factors.

中文翻译：

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健康的历史：格陵兰西北部的环境危害和流行病

Thule 社区（格陵兰岛西北部）从历史的角度为这项健康和环境危害研究奠定了基础。在 19 世纪早期，当欧洲人第一次接触时，该地区仍处于小冰河时代的控制之下，部分由于流行病，该地区的人口数量很少，处于灭绝的边缘。这种情况在 19 世纪后期发生了变化，当时人们建立了更频繁的联系，供应变得更加安全。在 20 世纪，新的政治现实与环境问题交织在一起，使当地居民再次处于灾难的边缘。最近，全球变暖正在破坏狩猎经济，但到目前为止，在高北极地区几乎没有生存替代品。不断增加的海洋污染对所有北极营养水平产生负面影响，对人类健康产生影响。本文讨论了健康的历史性，以及通过疾病和污染实现世界的统一，并揭示了由于多种因素造成的普遍的不平衡感。