Covers the history of twelve important diseases and addresses public health responses and societal upheavals.

• Chronicles the ways disease outbreaks shaped traditions and institutions of Western civilization.
• Explains the effects, causes, and outcomes from past epidemics.
• Describes a dozen diseases to show how disease control either was achieved or failed.
• Makes clear the interrelationship between diseases and history.
• Presents material in a compelling, clear, and jargon-free prose for a wide audience.
• Provides a picture of the best practices for dealing with disease outbreaks.