The HORRIFYING Life of a Cowboy with Tuberculosis

Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorian They told you the West was freedom. Wide horizons, clean air, a fresh start. What you found was dust thick enough to choke a horse, bunkhouses crawling with lice, wages too thin to buy a second pair of boots, and a cough that never let go. Consumption stalked cowboys as closely as the cattle they drove — turning young men hollow before their time, bleeding them dry in bunkhouses, on cattle trails, and beneath makeshift canvas shelters. This isn’t the ballad of fearless riders under open skies. This is the reality of fevered nights, bloody rags, indifferent comrades, and shallow prairie graves. 🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep Tools Looking to upgrade your nighttime routine? These are a few things I personally use or recommend: • Sleep Earbuds for Enhanced Immersion → https://amzn.to/4pVFoJy • Blanket Soft Enough to Make the Plague Feel Tolerable → https://amzn.to/3GSOq8f • Weighted Blanket for Pretending You’re a Mummified Pharaoh → https://amzn.to/4kVJCgE • Sleep Mask Headphones For Total Historical Escape → https://amzn.to/4nWsNVn • Book Light for Reading About Plagues at 2AM → https://amzn.to/4eSg0iu • White Noise Machine for Blocking Out the 21st Century → https://amzn.to/3GJ9jTw These are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show while staying cozy. #history #cowboys #drowsyhistorian #americawest #forgottenhistory #tuberculosis #darkhistory