Product Description 
From the Black Death that ravaged Europe in the 14th century to the influenza pandemic following World War I and the novel strain of coronavirus that made "social distancing" the new normal, wide-scale disease outbreaks have played an important role throughout human history. In addition to the toll they take on human lives, epidemics have spurred medical innovations, toppled governments, crippled economies, and led to cultural revolutions.\nEpidemics and Pandemics: From Ancient Plagues to Modern-Day Threats provides readers with a holistic view of the terrifying―and fascinating―topic of epidemics and pandemics. In Volume 1, readers will discover what an epidemic is, how it emerges and spreads, what diseases are most likely to become epidemics, and how disease outbreaks are tracked, prevented, and combatted. They will learn about the impacts of such modern factors as global air travel and antibiotic resistance, as well as the roles played by public health agencies and the media. Volume 2 offers detailed case studies that explore the course and lasting significance of individual epidemics and pandemics throughout history. 
 About the Author 
Joseph P. Byrne holds a doctorate in medieval and early modern European history from Indiana University. He has taught in the honors program and history department at Belmont University since 1988.\nJo N. Hays is professor emeritus of history at Loyola University. He received his PhD in history and the history of science from the University of Chicago.

Epidemics and Pandemics: From Ancient Plagues to Modern-Day Threats [2 volumes]

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Byrne, Joseph P.

Hays, Jo N.

Diseases & Physical Ailments

Greenwood

Balancing current and historical issues, this volume of essays covers the most significant worldwide epidemics from the Black Death to AIDS.
Great pandemics have resulted in significant death tolls and major social disruption. Other "virgin soil" epidemics have struck down large percentages of populations that had no previous contact with newly introduced microbes. Written by a specialist in the history of science and medicine, the essays in this volume discuss pandemics and epidemics affecting Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, covering diseases in ancient times to the present. Each entry combines biological and social information to form a picture of the significance of epidemics that have shaped world history.
The essays cover the areas of major pandemics, virgin soil epidemics, disruptive shocks, and epidemics of symbolic interest. Included are facts about what an epidemic was, where and when it occurred, how contemporaries reacted, and the unresolved historical issues remaining. This fascinating material is written at a level suitable for scholars and the general public.
 • Each of the 50 essays includes a bibliography for further reading on each subject and is cross-referenced to help the reader put the material into context
• Glossary defines terms such as pandemic, germ theory, and virgin soil epidemic
• Visuals such as an illustration of a 17th-century costume worn to ward off the plague and a photo of a panicked father carrying a polio-stricken daughter dramatize the effect of epidemics
• Maps illustrate the spread of major pandemics, such as influenza in 1918
• Sidebars feature source documents, such as an eyewitness account of the death of composer Frédéric Chopin or clergyman Cotton Mather's description of smallpox inoculation in 1721

Epidemics and Pandemics: Their Impacts on Human History

Reference

ABC-CLIO

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Hays, Jo N.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Hays, Jo N.