This work investigates the 1885 smallpox epidemic in Montreal, questioning how a public health crisis exposed deep-seated cultural, religious, and political fractures within the city. Michael Bliss, a distinguished historian of medicine, utilizes archival records, contemporary newspaper accounts, and medical reports to reconstruct the chaotic response to the outbreak. He argues that the failure to contain the virus was not merely a medical oversight but a consequence of the intense friction between the French-speaking Catholic population and the English-speaking Protestant establishment.

This text is regarded as a definitive historical account of the Montreal smallpox crisis, noted for its meticulous research and balanced perspective on the social tensions of the era. The subject matter points to a rigorous, academic study that remains highly relevant for scholars of public health and Canadian social history.