Heavenly Flower: A Cultural History of the Plague

Author: Hopkins (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Smallpox, one of the most deadly infectious diseases, has claimed countless human lives over thousands of years, whether it was a prince or a poor child. What was the true cause of death for Pharaoh Ramses V of Egypt? Are there any secrets behind the succession of Kangxi? Did Emperor Marcus Aurelius of Rome die mostly due to smallpox? Abraham Lincoln almost failed to deliver his famous Gettysburg Address because of smallpox. Smallpox was the culprit behind the "Plague of Athens," which ultimately led to Athens' defeat by Sparta. Smallpox hastened the downfall of the Stuart dynasty in England. The early fate of Buddhism in Japan was closely tied to smallpox. Smallpox was an unwitting accomplice in the European colonization of North America. A smallpox chronicle is also a miniature history of a plague, a history of humanity's self-awareness and its relationship with nature.