Has disease always been politicized or has this been a recent occurrence (last 100 years or so?)
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Doctors at Ellis Island made immigrants with tuberculosis symptoms turn around and get back on their boats, but that may not be the kind of thing you have in mind?
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This kind of thing still goes on. Many countries have immigration laws banning anyone with HIV or tuberculosis. I'm thinking more about damning who groups of people for "causing" the disease, or accusing sick people of being responsible for their own demise, etc
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I think there was a fair amount of rhetoric about "sick immigrants" in the early 20th c ("they bring disease" etc) which caused those doctors at immigration ports to have the power to turn people around. So the phenomena are linked. But I see the distinction.
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