Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to Modern Viruses

This is a captivating story about how epidemic diseases have influenced the development of our civilization, social structure, the course of history, and our perceptions of beauty and ugliness, life and death, our own capabilities and their limits. It is hard to believe, but today the primary language of communication in North America could very well have been French, rather than English, if the yellow fever virus had not intervened at some point. Modern cities would look quite different had the cholera vibrio not played a direct role in their redesign, and if the tuberculosis bacillus had not been in charge of interior decor. And likely, there would be many more peoples, languages, and cultures in the world today if measles and mumps had not departed from the shores of Europe along with the explorers of the Age of Discovery. But the main point is — right now, somewhere, pathogens capable of changing the image of the future we envision are forming, beyond recognition. Frank Snowden invites readers to look at the extensive legacy left to us by infectious diseases and to soberly assess the extent of our society's responsibility for past and upcoming epidemic disasters.