Microbial History: The Dangerous Killer

Author: Ziegelman
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: "The Dangerous Killer" is a book that explores infectious diseases and their pathogens. It is divided into eleven chapters, covering a wide range of fields. From Chapter 3, it delves into the history of diseases, tracing the evolution of human efforts to prevent and treat diseases from the birth of microorganisms, from witchcraft and elixirs to miraculous drugs. Chapters 4 to 5 focus on diseases caused by bacteria, with the first of these chapters dedicated entirely to tuberculosis, one of the greatest killers in human history. Chapters 6 to 8 examine viruses, discussing newly emerging, unimaginable, and fatal hemorrhagic fevers and long-standing diseases that have never been seen before in the 20th century. Chapter 10 introduces AIDS, a terrifying demon caused by a virus, which is now prevalent in all countries and truly threatens the survival of humanity. Chapter 11 covers bioterrorism, perhaps the most terrible demon, because this danger does not come from bacteria or viruses but from the human spirit, from its boundless evil capabilities—the cruelty of humans to one another. "The Dangerous Killer" is first and foremost a book that serves as a warning, and second, it also showcases the best and worst aspects of the human spirit. It is a story about medicine, a story that progresses from blind superstition to cutting-edge science.