Portland Public Library

Get well soon, history's worst plagues and the heroes who fought them, Jennifer Wright

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-318)

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

Get well soon

bibliography

959372466

Jennifer Wright

history's worst plagues and the heroes who fought them

"A humorous book about history's worst plagues from the Antonine Plague, to leprosy, to polio and the heroes who fought them In 1518, in a small town in France, Frau Troffea began dancing and didn't stop. She danced herself to her death six days later, and soon thirty-four more villagers joined her. Then more. In a month more than 400 people had died from the mysterious dancing plague. In late-nineteenth-century England an eccentric gentleman founded the No Nose Club in his gracious townhome a social club for those who had lost their noses, and other body parts, to the plague of syphilis for which there was then no cure. And in turn-of-the-century New York, an Irish cook caused two lethal outbreaks of typhoid fever, a case that transformed her into the notorious Typhoid Mary and led to historic medical breakthroughs. Throughout time, humans have been terrified and fascinated by the plagues they've suffered from. Get Well Soon delivers the gruesome, morbid details of some of the worst plagues in human history, as well as stories of the heroic figures who fought to ease their suffering. With her signature mix of in-depth research and upbeat storytelling, and not a little dark humor, Jennifer Wright explores history's most gripping and deadly outbreaks."--, Provided by publisher

Elect sane, calm leaders : Antonine plague -- Frogs don't save lives, reading history books does : bubonic plague -- Try being nice instead of burning people as witches : dancing plague -- Spread the word that vaccines are the best : smallpox -- STD shaming leads to STD spreading : syphilis -- Never glamorize ill health : tuberculosis -- If you want to demonstrate conventional wisdom is wrong, be ready to prove your theory thoroughly : cholera -- Know that one good person can make a difference, and that you can be that person : leprosy -- If you are diseased, don't deliberately infect other people : typhoid -- Censorship kills : Spanish flu -- Keep track of medical advances, because they are happening faster than ever : encephalitis lethargica -- Don't listen to fast-talking charlatans with few medical credentials : lobotomies -- Understand that when communities, leaders, and scientists work together, we can save the world : polio -- Learn from the past : epilogue

History's worst plagues and the heroes who fought them