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Epidemics and Pandemics: Their Impacts on Human History
Great pandemics have resulted in significant death tolls and major social disruption. Other "virgin soil" epidemics have struck down large percentages of populations that had no previous contact with newly introduced microbes. Written by a specialist in the history of science and medicine, the essays in this volume discuss pandemics and epidemics affecting Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, covering diseases in ancient times to the present. Each entry combines biological and social information to form a picture of the significance of epidemics that have shaped world history.
The essays cover the areas of major pandemics, virgin soil epidemics, disruptive shocks, and epidemics of symbolic interest. Included are facts about what an epidemic was, where and when it occurred, how contemporaries reacted, and the unresolved historical issues remaining. This fascinating material is written at a level suitable for scholars and the general public.
The essays cover the areas of major pandemics, virgin soil epidemics, disruptive shocks, and epidemics of symbolic interest. Included are facts about what an epidemic was, where and when it occurred, how contemporaries reacted, and the unresolved historical issues remaining. This fascinating material is written at a level suitable for scholars and the general public.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published December 12, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 14, 2024
Spoiler Alert: An excellent overview from a historical perspective. Recommended.
July 30, 2020
I read only relevant chapters to complete Minister’s speech. But surprisingly, I found that people or even leaders are misled by the belief that Covid-19 share similarities with Spanish Flu. Well, totally wrong!
November 1, 2020
A good detailed account of many different epidemics throughout human history; also bibliographically useful.
September 19, 2008
This book gives a very good sense of changes in how people perceived diseases and the medical establishment in general. It covers 50 pandemics and epidemics in roughly chronological order. Hays acknowledges at the beginning that the focus is on the Western World because that is her area of expertise and that is what she thinks her readers will be interested in.
The book never focuses on any one disease for more than 20 pages, and mostly only have 3-5. But each section does contain a bibliography which can be quite useful.
Each chapter/disease has a section that covers what the disease is, the significance of the disease, how it was understood at the time, remedies, and unresolved historical issues as well as a bibliography and often suggested reading. Some sections also include bits of source material, usually no longer than a paragraph or two.
The book gives a good feel for how diseases are thought of and changing medical, political, social, and often theological views about disease. While I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a basis to learn about any one disease, it makes a good jumping off point for many of the diseases that are covered and it's a good reference for anyone trying to get a feel for the historical impact of disease generally.
The book never focuses on any one disease for more than 20 pages, and mostly only have 3-5. But each section does contain a bibliography which can be quite useful.
Each chapter/disease has a section that covers what the disease is, the significance of the disease, how it was understood at the time, remedies, and unresolved historical issues as well as a bibliography and often suggested reading. Some sections also include bits of source material, usually no longer than a paragraph or two.
The book gives a good feel for how diseases are thought of and changing medical, political, social, and often theological views about disease. While I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a basis to learn about any one disease, it makes a good jumping off point for many of the diseases that are covered and it's a good reference for anyone trying to get a feel for the historical impact of disease generally.
June 19, 2019
After reading Pandemics: A Very Short Introduction, I was thinking about my rating on this and decided to knock it down.
While this author's tone is (mostly) not as obviously bad as in Pandemics, I do know I had reservations about his tone, and I'm now aware of the serious state of vaccine hesitancy currently. And so similar to my opinion expressed my Pandemics review, I think his tone and the lack of the explanation of by an epidemologist scientific explanation of the pathology, prevention, and cures by an epidemiologist this book could tend to increase hesitancy. Besides of course the tendency to possibly inaccuracy of tone (tone is part of accuracy).
And yet, like with the other, I still to recommend this to the serious-minded reader with a desire for accurate knowledge of disease and who has a basic understanding of disease pathology and vaccination.
While this author's tone is (mostly) not as obviously bad as in Pandemics, I do know I had reservations about his tone, and I'm now aware of the serious state of vaccine hesitancy currently. And so similar to my opinion expressed my Pandemics review, I think his tone and the lack of the explanation of by an epidemologist scientific explanation of the pathology, prevention, and cures by an epidemiologist this book could tend to increase hesitancy. Besides of course the tendency to possibly inaccuracy of tone (tone is part of accuracy).
And yet, like with the other, I still to recommend this to the serious-minded reader with a desire for accurate knowledge of disease and who has a basic understanding of disease pathology and vaccination.
October 19, 2016
Only read sections relevant to some family history research I am doing but this book is a great tool. Well researched and referenced; nicely organized. Really appreciated the sections that put things in perspective at the time.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews