A Short History of Disease

A concise and accessible history of infectious and non-infectious diseases, complete with the most up-to-date research on 2014’s Ebola outbreak

Using an interdisciplinary approach, this survey chronicles the historical and geographical evolution of infectious and non-infectious diseases, from their prehistoric origins to the present day, offering a comprehensive, accessible guide to ailments and the medical methods used to combat them. Even before recorded history began, disease plagued human civilizations, claiming more lives than natural disasters and warfare combined. The ongoing battle with new and resurgent diseases has challenged physicians, scientists, and historians in their struggle to identify causes, antidotes, and preventative measures to combat these epidemics. Analyzing case studies including the Black Death, Spanish Flu, cholera, leprosy, syphilis, cancer, and Ebola, this book systematically maps the development of trends and the latest research on disease into a concise and enlightening timeline. Offering a fascinating and compelling insight into a popular area of social history, this easy-to-read introduction will tell you all you need to know about disease and the ongoing quest to protect human health.

Sean Martin is a writer, poet, and filmmaker. He is the author of Alchemy and Alchemists, Andrei Tarkovsky, The Cathars, The Gnostics, The Knights Templar, and New Waves in Cinema. His films include Lanterna Magicka: Bill Douglas & the Secret History of Cinema and Folie à Deux.