During the eighteenth century, Quito's Indian population did not recover as rapidly as it had during the previous century. Disease and natural disasters hampered population increase, and economic depression reinforced demographic stagnation. Lack of economic opportunities discouraged both natural increase and immigration, so by the 1780s the number of Indians in the north-central highlands still had not reached the peak attained during the 1670s. As the audiencia's economic situation became more desperate, Quito's elite increased their demands on Indian communities. In response, native resistance to Spanish political and economic repression escalated sharply. Evidence suggests that native healers played an important role in preserving local traditions and organizing opposition to the colonial government, a political reaction examined in this chapter's final section.

Epidemics and endemic disease

The beginning of the eighteenth century found Quito still reeling from the disasters of the previous decade. In January 1700, the drought had entered its ninth year; food shortages and high prices remained a serious problem. An epidemic of fevers had spread among the populace, and officials expressed concern that the number of unlicensed medical practitioners had increased as the epidemic worsened (see Table 6.1). Attempting to curtail such abuses, the council published the names of two men suspected of practicing without licenses, and they ordered Jacinto Rondon and Fulano Estupinan to present their credentials within two days or pay fines of 200 pesos. Although the fines were probably never collected, the threat indicates that officials were taking more seriously their responsibilities for regulating the medical profession.