The power of plagues / Irwin W. Sherman.

Print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The nature of plagues -- Plagues, the price of being sedentary -- Six plagues of antiquity -- An ancient plague, the black death -- A 21st century plague, AIDS -- Typhus, a fever plague -- Malaria, another fever plague -- King cholera -- Smallpox, the spotted plague -- Preventing plagues: immunization -- The plague protectors: antisepsis to antibiotics -- The great pox syphilis -- The people's plague: tuberculosis -- Leprosy, the striking hand of God -- Six plagues of Africa -- Emerging and re-emerging plagues.

This book presents an historical account of how plagues past and present have shaped the outcome of wars and altered the course of medicine, religion, education, feudalism, and science. Cholera gave birth to the field of epidemiology. The bubonic plague epidemic that began in 1346 led to the formation of universities in cities far from the major centers of learning (and hot spots of the Black Death) at that time. Pathogens are not the only stars of this book. Many scientists and physicians who toiled to treat and prevent these plagues are also featured. This edition also covers modern disease.