Diseases in history

Kevin Cunningham

Called plague or the Black Death, the deadly illness caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria is one of the deadliest and most feared diseases in human history. Notorious for wiping out more than a third of Europe's population during the Middle Ages, plague had been tormenting human civilization for centuries, dating back to occurrences in the Byzantine Empire. Carried by fleas living on rats, plague was spread throughout the world by trading and war. No place was untouched. In the time before even the most educated people knew about germs and bacteria, doctors were almost completely helpless to treat the afflicted. Still, even with modern medicine, plague has not been eradicated. Occurrences are still reported, and plague was used in terrifying chemical weapons tests during World War II. This book examines the disease's effects as it moves through history shedding a light on civilization's fragility and humanity's reaction-sometimes brave, sometimes cowardly-in the face of tragedy and fear. Book jacket.