Armies of Pestilence:The Impact of Disease on History

Posted by freedomforall 9 years, 5 months ago to Books
18 comments | Share | Flag

Perhaps a relevant book today- from Amazon description
by R. S. Bray (Author)

Infectious diseases put an end to the Golden Age of Athens, wrecked Justinian the Great's dream of restoring the Roman Empire to its former glory, and played the major role in virtually eliminating the Indians from North America. Yet, historians have minimized the role of infectious diseases---partly because they lack scientific knowledge of the diseases themselves. The result has been a distorted view of the past. Armies of Pestilence---the work of the distinguished biologist R.S. Bray, who here proves himself also an able historian---goes far toward correcting this view. Dr. Bray surveys the principal epidemics in all countries from biblical times almost to the present, in each case discussing the origins of the outbreak, the symptoms, the mortality rate, and the social and economic effects. Where the disease cannot be certainly identified---as in the case of the plague in Athens---he reviews the best scholarly opinions and weighs them judiciously. Bray gives special attention tot he infamous Yersina Pestis, the organism that caused both the plague of Justinian and the Black Death. He also includes multiple chapters on malaria, smallpox, typhus, cholera, and influenza. One of his themes is the role of war in spreading diseases that have often killed more people than the battles themselves. With AIDS devastating Africa today, and the threat of old infectious diseases returning in mutated form, Armies of Pestilence---one of the most revelatory works of history ever published---is surely one of the timeliest as well.
SOURCE URL: http://www.amazon.com/Armies-Pestilence-Impact-Disease-History/dp/B000X1TI3G/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412784536&sr=1-1&keywords=armies+of+pestilence


Add Comment

FORMATTING HELP

All Comments Hide marked as read Mark all as read

  • Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 5 months ago
    In all the wars leading up to the current era, the deaths from diseases or complications of battle usually outdid the actual battle deaths 3-1. The single biggest factor in preventing disease was the breakthrough by doctors to begin washing their hands before treating patients.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by Temlakos 9 years, 5 months ago
    This goes to another subject Rand never treated in life: the ethics, and politics, of infectious disease, and how preventing the spread of infectious disease falls into the State's police powers--if it does.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
    • Posted by ewv 9 years, 5 months ago
      Ayn Rand favored the use of quarantines for infectious diseases. It is not "another subject" she "never treated". It is not, however, the central issue of philosophy. She was primarily concerned with choices in normal life, not emergencies. Morality deals with your life, not a serious of emergencies.
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
    • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 5 months ago
      The #1 job of our government is to protect its citizens. As far as protecting us from an influx of pestilence, this is not happening at the Mexican border. Not to mention a disease called ISIS.
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
      • Posted by Temlakos 9 years, 5 months ago
        You raise two separate issues in that last post--and the second has a direct, written, and incontrovertible application. The Constitution (Article Four) says: "The United States shall guarantee to every State a republican form of government, and protect the States against invasions." Which this (de facto) President is not doing.

        I say "de facto" because Obama's father was a British colonial subject, and that's enough to disqualify him.
        Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
    • Posted by khalling 9 years, 5 months ago
      this is the second time this week you've raised a question I wanted to know the answer to. I was moved to go submit that question to "Questions" with YB. Let's see if he picks it up for a podcast.
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by johnpe1 9 years, 5 months ago
    Dr. Bray received a 1-star review on Amazon for
    asserting that malnutrition does not cause increased
    susceptibility to disease ... and, having once been
    diagnosed as malnourished, I would tend to agree
    that this is a salient point. low Mg was the biggie.

    still, this area of study is horribly lacking these days,
    it appears, and with ebola wrecking the world, we
    should surely pay attention!!! -- j

    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by JCLanier 9 years, 5 months ago
    You are absolutely right Blarman-
    And the second factor was the discovery of Penicillin which saved many a life and many a limb.
    If anyone really wants to get an idea about how tragic a situation a pestilence can create try reading -The Plague by Camus. Incredible!
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by $ puzzlelady 9 years, 5 months ago
    It is, indeed, a sobering thought that for all our vaunted intelligence, science and medical advances, humans can be wiped out by mere microorganisms. Some microbes have become our symbiotic friends, as in our digestive and immune systems. Others opportunistically invade, propagate and devastate. Of course, killing all the hosts is self-defeating for the organisms, too. The human survivors then pass on their increased resistance and develop better vaccines and antibiotics, until the bugs mutate and start the cycle all over again. Oh, to be on the top of the food chain!

    In the physical realm we have some glimmering of how these deadly organisms affect human survival. Now imagine certain ideas and beliefs (memes) as parallel infestations in the mental realm. They, too, grow to malignant extremes that require the physical destruction of the hosts. We need conceptual antibiotics as well. Sadly, we are suffering from a plague of unreason today.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by Retired24-navy 9 years, 5 months ago
    Everyone has been wondering just what Obama will do to totally distroy America. It looks like a combination of ebola to kill and disable the people and ISIS will walk in through open borders and blowup anything it wants and use dirty bombs at will, while Obama laughs it up.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by wiggys 9 years, 5 months ago
    i may be wrong but it seems the B0 is taking every opportunity that arises to allow damage to the USA.
    we are in for a more traumatic two years than the last 6.
    the level of violence between blacks and whom ever will increase, disease will increase, and the world problems will increase all in my opinion because our nation chose to put in the oval office a man who we have seen hates what the USA has stood for for over 200 years. his legacy will not be very good since his only accomplishment has been an attempt to destroy the USA.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  

FORMATTING HELP

  • Comment hidden. Undo