Inoculation

Hippocrates' "Of the Epidemics" is a collection of case studies and observations on various diseases prevalent in ancient Greece. It provides insights into the understanding of disease at the time, including descriptions of symptoms, progression, and outcomes. The work is significant for its detailed clinical observations and its emphasis on the importance of careful observation and detailed record-keeping in medical practice. It also reflects the holistic approach to medicine that characterized Hippocratic thought, considering environmental factors and lifestyle in the context of health and disease. The book's enduring legacy lies in its contribution to the development of clinical medicine and its emphasis on the ethical responsibility of physicians.

In this gripping narrative history, Laura Spinney recounts the story of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which infected a third of the world's population and caused between 50 and 100 million deaths. The book explores how the virus traveled globally, exposing human vulnerability and driving innovation in medicine, religion, and the arts. It also examines the pandemic's significant social and political impacts, including its role in pushing India to independence, South Africa to apartheid, and Switzerland to the brink of civil war. Spinney draws on research in history, virology, epidemiology, psychology, and economics to masterfully recount this little-known catastrophe that forever changed humanity.