Complex sentence: During the next few decades, other damaging outbreaks would attack this area: a smallpox epidemic in 1800-1801, influenza in 1836-1837, measles in 1847-1848, and smallpox again in 1862.
Split into simpler sentences: During the next few decades other damaging outbreaks would attack this area. A smallpox epidemic in 1800-1801, influenza in 1836-1837, measles in 1847-1848, smallpox again in 1862.