Final answer:
Europeans overcame malaria by using quinine as a preventative measure and through subsequent scientific advances in bacteriology. Despite initial success in controlling the disease, resistance over time has posed new challenges, mandating continued reliance on historical and modern treatments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Europeans overcame diseases such as malaria through a number of ways. One pivotal breakthrough was the discovery, in 1841, that daily doses of quinine could serve as an effective preventative measure against contracting malaria. Quinine is a medicine derived from the South American cinchona tree which proved to be a crucial resource allowing Europeans to survive in tropical regions like Africa at much higher rates. However, the supply of quinine was initially limited as cinchona trees were endemic to the Andes, and cultivation attempts in other environments often failed.
After Louis Pasteur's advances in bacteriology, there was an increased understanding of diseases which also helped to control them. Yet, the impact of European diseases on indigenous populations was frequently devastating. For example, the introduction of diseases like smallpox and influenza led to the tragic death of many Native Americans who lacked immunity to these Old World diseases. On the other hand, the introduction of malaria by settlers into malaria-free regions such as North America saw it becoming a significant issue, as it found suitable mosquito vectors for its spread.
These diseases, including malaria, remained a challenge, but by the 1950s, it was nearly eradicated through the use of effective drugs and insecticide spraying campaigns. The pathogen and mosquitoes have developed resistance over time, but the foundation of malaria treatment still heavily relies on historical discoveries, such as the use of quinine and, more recently, artemisinin.