Famine, pestilence and war, often feeding on each other, have challenged mankind throughout time. This fascinating book explores the impact of disease on the great events in history, demonstrating that even the most powerful individuals and societies can be and have been fatally weakened by disease.
Plagues drained the strength of Ancient Athens and Rome. In the 14th century The Black Death devastated Europe signalling the end of feudalism and provoking the rise of dissident sects from within the church. Venereal disease could have prevented Henry VIII from securing the male heir he so desperately wanted, and certainly cause the insanity which afflicted Ivan the Terrible. In Mexico, smallpox was Cortez's most powerful ally against the Aztec's, which Queen Victoria transmitted haemophilia to her heirs, and consequently contributed to the collapse of the Russian monarchy.
Each era has made some progress against physical and mental disorders, only to be faced with new and unforeseen threats. We, no less than other gene
Revised, updated, and completely reset, the second edition of this classic of medical history is a must for anyone interested in illness and disease, or fascinated by the hand that fate has taken in human history.
Contents:
Preface
Introduction: Disease and History
1. Disease in the Ancient World
2. The Black Death
3. The Mystery of Syphilis
4. Smallpox, or the Conqueror Conquered
5. General Napoleon and General Typhus
6. Cholera and Sanitary Reform
7. Gin, Flu and Tuberculosis
8. Mosquitoes, Flies, Travel and Exploration
9. Queen Victoria and the Fall of the Russian Monarchy
10. Mob Hysteria and Mass Suggestion
Conclusion: Current Problems of Survival
Further Reading
Index
Review:An excellent introduction to the fascination of medical history - The Sunday Telegraph
Fascinating and highly recommended - Library Journal
