Spores, Plagues, and History: The Story of Anthrax

I read Dr. Holmes' "Spores, Plagues and History" after having finished his two novels, "The Medusa Strain" and "Garden of Evil." Coming to "Spores" from two fiction pieces, I expected an informative, but probably academic treatment of the subject. To my surprise, I found the book to be highly readable and captivating. It held my interest more than I had expected. Dr. Holmes launches us into the subject and makes it relevant to today by looking at the anthrax breakouts in the US after 9/11. From this starting point, he traces the history of anthrax from early Greek times to the present, but takes in much more than just the medical side. He leads us through areas of military history, sociology, biological research and bio-weaponry. Most riveting are the disclosures of activities related to chemical and biological warfare in the 20th century - including activities undertaken by elements of the US government. I rate this book as riveting as the top-tier offerings of the science-based fiction writers of today. It should appeal most to readers with wide-ranging interests.

Medical epidemiologist Chris Holmes, M.D. presents Spores, Plagues, And History: The Story Of Anthrax, a straightforward accounting of this devastating disease and its effects on humanity throughout history. From "woolsorter's disease" during the Industrial Revolution, to modern-day biological weapons, and so much more, Holmes' extensively researched sources aptly traces a path in clear, no-nonsense terms that students of both World History and Medical History will greatly appreciate. A work of impeccable scholarship, Spores, Plagues, And History is very strongly recommended for academic library reference collections.

This great book about the history of anthrax covers a lot of ground in relatively few pages. The more I learn about the author, the more I realize this man knows what he is talking about. I feel calmer about anthrax after reading this book.The author is a native of Canada, Chris Holmes, and he received his M.D. from the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine and served in the Air Force during Vietnam. After stints in private practice and academia, he became a Navy physician and has studied extensively nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. He led the medical team aboard the USS Tripoli during the 1992 U.S. intervention in Somalia. Captain Holmes, MC, USN (Ret.) has been studying the history of medicine for over 35 years. He is the author of two books dealing with Anthrax. He is a physician, epidemiologist, an authority on disease and bio-warfare past and present, and is arguably the world's leading authority on the history of anthrax. Dr. Holmes has taught at medical schools, has published many scholarly articles, and is certified in submarine and diving medicine with the U.S. Navy, just to survey some of his extraordinary experience.His Op-Ed's have appeared in newspapers from San Diego to Tennessee, and he has been interviewed on radio talk-shows from San Francisco to Boston. Dr. Holmes has also appeared on Fox News with Mr. John Gibson, being interviewed about monkeypox and infectious diseases and on XETV in San Diego, being interviewed on Fox in the Morning about anthrax and bioterrorism.

ANTHRAX! SMALLPOX! PLAGUE! Until recently, most Americans were unfamiliar with these terms or assumed they were a part of history. The October, 2001 anthrax cases catapulted this condition into the headlines and the minds of many. What are the agents and the illnesses they cause? How worried should we be and what can we do to protect ourselves? With new infectious diseases emerging and old ones resurfacing, the challenge of early detection, containment and prevention is urgent.Dr. Chris Holmes has written a provocative, engrossing book that offers the general reader the answers to these questions. 'Spores, Plagues and History' follows the trail of anthrax from prebiblical times to the present. The reader gains an appreciation for the challenge early investigators faced in responding to clusters of illness when the cause was not known. 'Spores, Plagues and History' also provides a highly readable, authoritative perspective of the role other infectious agents have played in world history. Michele Ginsberg, Chief of Community Epidemiology HHSA, San Diego County, California