Disease and History

This book is well written and provides decent information on a number of historical case studies where disease had an effect on history--and politics. Early on, the author notes the focus of this book: "The object. . .is to study the area in which doctor and historian inevitably meet, that of the impact of disease upon history. The first case study is "Disease in the ancient world." Some of the examples--the plague that decimated the Athenians during the Peloponnesian War; the series of plagues afflicting Rome. Another case study: "The Black Plague," as it ravaged Europe. Then, disease as it ravaged Napoleon's army. And so on. The case studies are literately written and certainly suggest the import role that disease can play in history. Some claims seem a bit of a stretch, such as plague destroying feudalism. Still and all, an interesting book, reminding us of the role of disease in human events.

Throughout history there have been all kinds of diseases roaming this planet and affecting people and their lives. Disease has played a very peculiar part in history. It has vanished whole towns or races. Disease has even turned into an option when trying to control or kill people. There's a reazon for biological weapons in our modern world. And up to a certain point we could think of some diseases as nature's own weapon against humanity. This book gives us a very interesting tour through diseases in history, and the role they have played in it all along. You can see how they spread, how people dealed with them, how they were puzzled by them, etc. It's not a subject that appeals every reader, but if you want to wander in the terrain of health and disease in history, this is a good book indeed.

This book is a good overview of disease and history, with a particular emphasis on psychosomatic disease. In this respect it is written in a slightly different style to others in the genre which I have read, such as "Plagues and Peoples", "Man and Microbes", and "Disease" (Ridley), which focus more on physical aspects of disease. It also presents perhaps more of the alternative views and arguments than some of the others, such as the debate around the origin of syphilis, the possibility that sweating sickness evolved into influenza, political ideologies and racism around the concept of disease, and the importance of geography and psychosomatic disease has on history in general, is more emphasised. Perhaps the crux of the books argument is summarised on page 191 "we may state that all disease is to a greater or lesser degree psychosomatic". Examples of disease and the psychological effect on individuals and history is detailed in stories such as: the suspicion that Ivan the Terrible suffered from cerebral syphilis (page 52), and also Henry the V111, Queen Victoria and haemiphilia-and the suggested links to the downfall of the Russian Monarchy, the influence of the Black Death on feudalism, and the rise of Christianity in the light of successive "incurable disease during the years which followed the life of Christ" (page 15). The history of the Napoleanic wars is argued to have been influenced as much by "General Typhus" as by "General Napoleon", and Napoleon is observed to suffer from several possible ailments-not described in former literature. Cholera and its influence on sanitary reform in the 1800s is discussed, malaria and yellow fever and the development of germ theory, the death of the poet Keats by TB, Middle age witch- hunts, dancing manias, Hitlers paranoia about diseased and "pure stock"-these are all discussed in the light of physical and psychosomatic disease, and the issues and political ideaologies that sometimes surrounds disease. Aids is ony briefly discussed towards the end. What I liked most about this book is the growing recognition of psychosomatic effects on people and history, and some alternative arguments to history and disease in this context. It is also interesting to note how the idea of "disease" itself has infleunced history, to the wrath of God to the inferiority by geography or immune system familiarity. One thing is certain about disease, whether disorder of the body, or disorder of the mind, physical or psychological or both -it has played a larger role in history than has formerly been given credit.

Disease & History traces the influence of disease on civilizations, armies, and leaders throughout history, providing an unusual focus on the social and political effects of diseases on societies. From the classical era's plagues to modern times, Disease & History provides an updated, revised second edition of medical history.

THIS BOOK IS VERY INFORMATIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN GIVEN AS A SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT. IT IS READABLE AND AT TIMES GETS VERY SPECIFIC, BUT THE AUTHOR GOES OFF AT A TANGENT ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN NO MORE INFORMATION COULD BE PRODUCED BY HIM. OVERALL IT IS A PLEASANT BOOK TO READ, I WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN HISTORY. I ESPECIALLY LIKED THE PIECE WHERE CAFFA (FEODOSIA)A CITY ON THE COAST OF CRIMEA, UKRANE IS GRANTED THE TITLE OF THE BEGINNING OF THE 'BLACK DEATH'--HEY WHO WOULD OF THUNK?...