Spores Plagues And History

Spores, Plagues and History follows the trail of anthrax from prebibical times to the present. A highly readable, authoritative perspective of the role infectious agents have played in world history.

Since publication of the initial version of Plagues & Poxes in 1987, which had the optimistic subtitle "The Rise and Fall of Epidemic Disease," the rise of new diseases such as AIDS and the deliberate modification and weaponization of diseases such as anthrax have changed the way we perceive infectious disease. With major modifications to deal with this new reality, the acclaimed author of Civil War Medicine: Challenges and Triumphs has updated and revised this series of essays about changing disease patterns in history and some of the key events and people involved in them. It deals with the history of major outbreaks of disease - both infectious diseases such as plague and smallpox and noninfectious diseases - and shows how they are in many cases caused inadvertently by human actions, including warfare, commercial travel, social adaptations, and dietary modifications. To these must now be added discussion of the intentional spreading of disease by acts of bioterrorism, and the history and knowledge of those diseases that are thought to be potential candidates for intentional spread by bioterrorists. Among the many topics discussed are: How the spread of smallpox and measles among previously unexposed populations in the Americas, the introduction of malaria and yellow fever from Africa via the importation of slaves into the Western hemisphere, and the importation of syphilis to Europe all are related to the modern interchange of diseases such as AIDS. How the ever-larger populations in the cities of Europe and North America gave rise to "crowd diseases" such as polio by permitting the existence of sufficient numbers of non-immune people in sufficient numbers to keep the diseases from dying out. How the domestication of animals allowed diseases of animals to affect humans, or perhaps become genetically modified to become epidemic human diseases. Why the concept of deficiency diseases was not understood before the early twentieth century; disease, after all, was the presence of something abnormal, how could it be due to the absence of something? In fact, the first epidemic disease in human history probably was iron deficiency anemia. How changes in the availability and nature of specific foods have affected the size of population groups and their health throughout history. The introduction of potatoes to Ireland and corn to Europe, and the relationship between the modern technique of rice milling and beriberi, all illustrate the fragile nutritional state that results when any single vegetable crop is the main source of food. Why biological warfare is not a new phenomenon. There have been attempts to intentionally cause epidemic disease almost since the dawn of recorded history, including the contamination of wells and other water sources of armies and civilian populations; of course, the spread of smallpox to Native Americans during the French and Indian War is known to every schoolchild. With our increased technology, it is not surprising that we now have to deal with problems such as weaponized spores of anthrax.

Explores how major medical events and plagues impacted society and forever changed the course of history, including a review of the black plague and its effects on the feudal system and yellow fever and its impact on the slave trade.

This history of destructive plague shows how centuries of epidemic alternated with centuries that were almost plague-free. The authors examine the social responses to the calamities, which were mainly religious and focused around guilt and punishment.

Using vivid descriptions and a wealth of personal stories and anecdotes, this work tells of the origins, biology and destiny of such scourges of the human race as bubonic plague, malaria, typhoid, cholera, syphilis and AIDS.

Recognized as the definitive book in laboratory medicine since 1908, Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods, edited by Richard A. McPherson, MD and Matthew R. Pincus, MD, PhD, is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary pathology reference that gives you state-of-the-art guidance on lab test selection and interpretation of results. Revisions throughout keep you current on the latest topics in the field, such as biochemical markers of bone metabolism, clinical enzymology, pharmacogenomics, and more! A user-friendly full-color layout puts all the latest, most essential knowledge at your fingertips. Update your understanding of the scientific foundation and clinical application of today's complete range of laboratory tests. Get optimal test results with guidance on error detection, correction, and prevention as well as cost-effective test selection. Reference the information you need quickly and easily thanks to a full-color layout, many new color illustrations and visual aids, and an organization by organ system. Master all the latest approaches in clinical laboratory medicine with new and updated coverage of: the chemical basis for analyte assays and common interferences; lipids and dyslipoproteinemia; markers in the blood for cardiac injury evaluation and related stroke disorders; coagulation testing for antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin and clopidogrel; biochemical markers of bone metabolism; clinical enzymology; hematology and transfusion medicine; medical microbiology; body fluid analysis; and many other rapidly evolving frontiers in the field. Effectively monitor the pace of drug clearing in patients undergoing pharmacogenomic treatments with a new chapter on this groundbreaking new area. Apply the latest best practices in clinical laboratory management with special chapters on organization, work flow, quality control, interpretation of results, informatics, financial management, and establishing a molecular diagnostics laboratory. Confidently prepare for the upcoming recertification exams for clinical pathologists set to begin in 2016.

Focusing on the years between the identification of bacteria and the production of antibiotic medicine, Wall presents a study into how bacteriology has affected both clinical practice and public knowledge.