The Top Ten Diseases of All Time

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Professor Stacey Smith?, Professor (Full Professor, University of Ottawa) Professor Stacey Smith?, Professor (Full Professor, University of Ottawa)

The Top Ten Diseases of All Time

Professor Stacey Smith?, Professor (Full Professor, University of Ottawa), Professor Stacey Smith?, Professor (Full Professor, University of Ottawa)

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English

University of Ottawa Press
31 January 2024

Social & cultural history; History of medicine; Infectious & contagious diseases

Series: 101 Collection

Infectious diseases have been with us for millennia and continue to pose a threat, from the irritation of flu season to the potential extinction of our species.

We instinctively fear them and alter our behaviour as a result. The reason we bury bodies six feet deep is because that was the depth that stopped plague transmission from the dead in the Middle Ages. Many religious practices, such as avoiding certain meats, were established because of foodborne disease transmission.

In The Top Ten Diseases of All Time, Stacey Smith? presents the top ten deadliest diseases and their effects on society, providing a wealth of information about the trajectory and terrible impact of each disease, and humanity's reaction to these diseases throughout the millennia.

Did you know, for example, that:

-The medical symbol evolved from the worms wrapped around a stick, because that was the only way to remove Guinea worms from the body, so having a stick meant you were a doctor.

-Smallpox is the third-worst disease ever, yet it remains the only successfully eradicated human disease (but not for long!), thanks in part to a successful vaccine, in part to photographic recognition cards and in part due to helicopter-led forced vaccinations of whole villages in the former Yugoslavia. This brings up issues of individual rights versus public good that remain relevant today.

-Four diseases were targeted for eradication in the 20th century; the failure to do so led directly to the creation of the environmental movement.

-The inability of priests to explain how to stop the plague in the Middle Ages broke the back of the church as an all-powerful and all-knowing institution and led to colonialism and slavery.

The Top Ten Diseases of All Time offers a fascinating overview of the deadliest diseases to spread throughout the world, including HIV/AIDS, Spanish Flu, Measles, The Black Death, Smallpox and others.

By: Professor Stacey Smith? Professor (Full Professor University of Ottawa)
Series edited by: Professor Stacey Smith? Professor (Full Professor University of Ottawa)
Imprint: University of Ottawa Press
Country of Publication: Canada
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 127mm, Spine: 8mm
ISBN: 9780776640600
ISBN 10: 0776640607
Series: 101 Collection
Pages: 154
Publication Date: 31 January 2024
Recommended Age: From 14 years
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Table of Contents Preface Chapter 10: The Third Plague Chapter 9: Cocoliztli Chapter 8: HIV/AIDS Chapter 7: Justinianic Plague Chapter 6: Spanish Flu Chapter 5: Black Death Chapter 4: Measles Chapter 3: Smallpox Chapter 2: Tuberculosis Chapter 1: Well, that Would be Telling Lessons Learned and the Way Forward Further Reading About the Author

"Stacey Smith? is full professor at the University of Ottawa. No, the question mark is not a typo, but rather how Stacey Smith? distinguishes herself in a world of Google searches. Though the name is unique in itself, it is Stacey's research that truly marks her as a creative and innovative mathematical biologist. Professor Smith? is well known for her research in an imaginary field: zombies. ""By modelling zombies, we learn about the process of dealing with unfamiliar biology,"" says Stacey. Stacey further explores the topic in her book Braaaiiinnnsss: From Academics to Zombies, and in Mathematical Modelling of Zombies, both published at the University of Ottawa Press."

Reviews for The Top Ten Diseases of All Time

Stacey Smith? has long demonstrated a remarkable ability to teach and communicate concepts related to infectious diseases in a way that is scholarly rigorous but also captures the imagination of the general public. This book provides a wealth of information on plagues, their history, and their impact on human populations, and will be of great use to specialists, armchair epidemiologists, and everyone in between.--David Fisman, Professor of Epidemiology, The University of Toronto Stacey Smith? writes in an informal, yet informed, manner. She has cut through swaths of technical research to present its findings in an engaging read.--Mark Nelson, Professor of Engineering and Information Sciences, The University of Wollongong