Biographical essays on 56 remarkable individuals in the medical field are included in this book. Many of these figures are not well known outside of their own country, calling, or specialized field; some are famous, some infamous, but most were dedicated to a more egalitarian system of health care delivery. They are significant because of their ideas, diagnostic or therapeutic methods, writings, the institutions that they founded, and the impetus they imparted to their students. By integrating biographies of doctors, nurses, and practitioners of different time periods and different cultures, this book addresses the kinds of questions currently of interest to scholars and students. Profiles of individuals from different cultures and time periods provide a valuable perspective on changing patterns of health and disease and differences in medical philosophy.

Each profile focuses on one person's life and career, and the relationship of that individual's work to the universal quest for health and healing. Each profile's author has provided a bibliography and included, wherever possible, a guide to the archival materials available, works written by and about the individual, and recent scholarship concerning related topics to help readers find further information on subjects that pique their interest.

In keeping with the goal of this series, "A History of Infectious Diseases and the Microbial World" provides a broad introductory overview of the history of major infectious diseases, including their impact on different populations, the recognition of specific causative agents, and the development of methods used to prevent, control, and treat them. By stressing the major themes in the history of disease, this book allows readers to relate modern concerns to historical materials. It places modern developments concerning infectious diseases within their historical context, illuminating the relationships between patterns of disease and social, cultural, political, and economic factors. Upon completing this volume, readers will be prepared to answer contemporary questions concerning the threat of newly-emerging infectious diseases, potentially devastating pandemics, and the threat of bioterrorism.

"A History of Infectious Diseases and the Microbial World" offers readers answers to specific questions, as well as the challenge of a narrative that will stimulate their curiosity and encourage them to ask questions about the theory, practice, and assumptions of modern medicine. One will gain a precise understanding of the nature of different kinds of pathogens, the unique mechanisms behind disease transmission, and the means used to control, prevent, and treat infectious disease. Although only a few of these deadly illnesses can be addressed in detail, those that are discussed include: malaria, leprosy, bubonic plague, tuberculosis, syphilis, diphtheria, cholera, yellow fever, poliomyelitis, HIV/AIDS, and influenza.

Designed for survey courses in the field A History of Medicine presents a wide-ranging overview for those seeking a solid grounding in the medical history of Western and non-Western cultures. Invaluable to instructors promoting the history of medicine in pre-professional training, and stressing major themes in the history of medicine, this third edition continues to stimulate further exploration of the events, methodologies, and theories that have shaped medical practices in decades past and continue to do so today.

A clear and concise survey of the major themes and theories embedded in the history of life science, this book covers the development and significance of scientific methodologies, the relationship between science and society, and the diverse ideologies and current paradigms affecting the evolution and progression of biological studies. The author discusses cell theory, embryology, physiology, microbiology, evolution, genetics, and molecular biology; the Human Genome Project; and genomics and proteomics. Covering the philosophies of ancient civilizations to modern advances in genomics and molecular biology, the book is a unique and comprehensive resource.

Designed for survey courses in the field A History of Medicine presents a wide-ranging overview for those seeking a solid grounding in the medical history of Western and non-Western cultures. Invaluable to instructors promoting the history of medicine in pre-professional training, and stressing major themes in the history of medicine, this third edition continues to stimulate further exploration of the events, methodologies, and theories that have shaped medical practices in decades past and continue to do so today.