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Okay, so the most common disease in the 19th Century (no matter what part of the world) would be syphilis. I've heard from a doctor friend of mine (he showed me no stats though) that it was estimated that up to 50% of the male population had it in some form. Now that's something you won't see in most westerns!
I am very suspicious of that percentage. Perhaps 50% of the male population in some particular location, but certainly not in the general population.
I got a book one time on the dollar at Walden's or somewhere "Sex Lives of Famous People" was the title I think. Anyway, it had profiles of hundreds of historical figures and one thing stood out which was that from 1500 on syphilis was widespread across all European social classes. I read something recently that there's a theory that Wild Bill Hickok was getting ready to go to end stage when he was killed-eyes going bad, strange illnesses, etc. I loaned the book to a colleague who retired and I never got it back.
Liberal that I am I already addressed that one The animus against government common in the "rugged individualism" was not common in the 19th century West. The government, be it local marshals or the US army was seen as key protectors (well by the white settlers anyhow) People regularly worked together, while the reality was often different contributing to the well being of society was seen as an ideal, including by the wealthy.
That was certainly true of many outlaws. Most of whoom had short (two years or less) careers anyhow. The American West, like Victorian society generally, had a clear hiearchy of who was acceptable and not. Blacks, native americans, mexicans, asiatics, and those of mixed parentage ("half breeds") were looked down on and to a large extent were outside the general society. Thus the constant references to white and non-white society. And those who had wealth were seen as signficantly better than those that did not, regardless of behavior.
Not quite the social darwinism seen in the East, but noticable if you read the accounts of the time. The times were firmly racist, sexist, and anti-egalitarian and the West was heavily influenced by this.
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