A Short History of Disease: Plagues, Poxes and Civilisations

Disease has plagued human civilizations throughout history, claiming more lives than natural disasters and warfare combined. The Black Death took the lives of one-third of Europe's population in the fourteenth century, while the conquest of the New World was accompanied by devastating waves of smallpox. The Industrial Revolution happened in a world blighted by the diseases of urbanization and overcrowding, typhoid and cholera, typhus and TB. New diseases such as AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19 present further challenges to medical science and healthcare. A Short History of Disease chronicles the historical and geographical evolution of infectious and non-infectious diseases, from their prehistoric origins to the present, and offers a comprehensive guide to ailments and the medicines developed to combat them. It also analyzes case studies, including the Black Death, Spanish Flu, cholera, leprosy, syphilis, cancer, and Ebola, to map the growth of our understanding of disease. The book provides a fascinating insight into an important area of social history and offers an accessible introduction to disease and the ongoing quest to protect human health.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2022
Publisher: Oldcastle Books Ltd

Disease has been a persistent and devastating force throughout human history, claiming more lives than natural disasters and warfare combined. In the fourteenth century, the Black Death struck Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of its population. The conquest of the New World brought with it waves of smallpox that decimated indigenous communities. The Industrial Revolution unfolded in a world plagued by diseases such as typhoid, cholera, typhus, and tuberculosis, exacerbated by urbanization and overcrowding.

The 20th and 21st centuries have witnessed the emergence of new diseases like AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19, posing unprecedented challenges to medical science and healthcare.

A Short History of Disease delves into the historical and geographical evolution of infectious and non-infectious diseases, from their prehistoric origins to the present. It provides a comprehensive guide to ailments and the medicines developed to combat them. Through the analysis of case studies, including the Black Death, Spanish Flu, cholera, leprosy, syphilis, cancer, and Ebola, Sean Martin charts the growth of our understanding of disease. The book offers a fascinating insight into an important area of social history, providing an accessible introduction to disease and the ongoing quest to protect human health.

Weight: 246g
Dimension: 131 x 196 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780857304155