[.ca] Man and Microbes: Disease and Plagues in History and ... (ISBN 0684822709)

From Amazon.com:
Whereas many popular books on microbes focus on contemporary pathogens and emerging epidemics, Arno Karlen's Man and Microbes provides a historical look at the coevolution of humans and microorganisms. Karlen speculates that infections are integral to the process of life itself, that the mitochondria in every animal cell, for instance, are likely descendants of infectious agents. He then traces the development of man from primitive hunter-gatherer to urban dweller to world traveler, pointedly analyzing how socio-ecological changes have contributed to the changing incidence of disease. With amazing detail, Karlen describes the origins of historical plagues (smallpox, cholera, influenza, polio, and others) as well as the emergence of scourges such as hemorrhagic fever (Ebola and its cousins), Lyme disease, Legionnaires' disease, and even the deep mysteries of retroviruses such as HIV.

Very good overview of the history of infectious diseases:
After "Plagues and peoples", a classical book by William McNeill that first appeared in 1975, I read this book, which was first published in 1995. The contents are more or less the same, but Arno Karlen has a more modern style of writing, making this book more readable. Even though the last chapters give at times a somewhat alarmist view of what we are heading for, the author gives a very good overview of the history of infectious diseases and also the "epidemic of epidemics" as he calls it which is happening right now: from AIDS to SARS and from West Nile virus to the return with a vengeance of tuberculosis. Due to the enormous population pressure, human mobility and the ever increasing demands we make on our environment, new diseases and their rapid spread are only a breath away. When one reads this book, it also becomes obvious how fast both the diseases and the medical science that has to fight them are developing: SARS was (of course) nowhere in sight in 1995 and the origin of prion diseases like mad cows' disease (which we now know is caused by the alteration of a protein that is always present in the brain) was still very uncertain at time. This book still is a very smooth read and definitely worth your time if you are interested in infectious diseases and their history.

A good read on an important topic, but lacking in detail:
The author presents a convincing series of anecdotes to support his hypothesis that many infectious diseases result from environmental and cultural changes. This postulate is very topical given the recent experience with SARS. It is an enjoyable read, most suitable for a lay person looking for a general overview of infectious diseases in human history. On the other hand, the covereage of individual diseases is very shallow. Those interested in an in depth analysis of the history of a given disease should look elsewhere.

A Microbe Primer!:
This book briefly sketches plagues and infectious diseases, from ancient times and of earliest recorded writings, to the present day (1995). Some terrible times for humanity are included in this book, such as when 5000 people a day were dying in Rome around A.D. 251-266 from perhaps measles or smallpox plague, to present day AIDS. Arno Karlen writes in a style very easy to read. The science in this book seems to be excellent, you can learn a lot about how diseases are spread, from animals and insects to us, and between people, and how diseases mutate over time and people adapt to them so they are sometimes less virulent later than when first encountered. Also covered is how diseases are spread thru behavior and when man alters his environment, two examples being cities and agriculture. Many diseases are covered in this volume, if you are interested in reading more about any individual disease there are books on just about any one of them to learn more.

A Fascinating and Frightening History of Disease:
Arno Karlen's "Man and Microbes" is an informative and well-written account of the history of disease that is accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike. It is well-researched and it is written in the natural style of a storyteller. Karlen covers a wide span of time, starting off about five million years ago when our ancestors descended from the trees to the ground and finishing in the 1990s. He looks at a range of diseases, including the Mystery Disase of Pudoc, influenza, Lyme Disease, and AIDS, and looks at them through the themes of change (changes in environment, technology, interaction/behavior, lifestyle) and adaptation (human adaptation to disease and vice versa). Karlen ends the book on a hopeful note, and reminds the reader that while history shows so many instances of disease it also shows many instances of humans adapting to and dealing with disease. I was a little initimidated about reading this book, since I have a pathetic knowledge of science. However, I found the book very readable and I can honestly say that I have a greater appreciation for science and for the human ability to survive after having read the book. A must-read!

"In the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him":
So the author of revelation saw the lethal side of cities (quoted on page 48), or as Mr Arno Karlen better describes-"as farmers and villagers began crowding into cities, this immunologically virgin mass offered a feast to germs lurking in domesticated animals, wastes, filth, and scavengers" (page 48). This book provides a reasonable overview of germs and social history. Mr Karlen traces the development of agriculture and cities to the development of 'crowd diseases', jumping ship from previous group species such as horses, pigs, ducks, rats, etc, or mutating from previously benign forms, or appearing and diappearing from nowhere, leaving little trace. As far as other species influence goes-that old friend the dog is suggested to have contributed no less than 65 diseases to homo sapien (page 39), with 45 from cattle, and 35 fom horses. The reader will find discussion on the likely origins and developments of eg measles (possibly from distemper in dogs, although Diamond in the book "Guns Germs and Steel" suggests cattle), smallpox (dogs or cattle), influenza (pigs and ducks), common cold (horses?), scarlet fever, typhus, bubonic plague (fleas), syphilis, gonorrhea, cholera (lives in water), AIDS (probably chimps), malaria (mosquito), tuberculosis, leprosy, legionaires disease, and a host of others. Various historical calamities are described such as: - Athens which lost 1 in 3 people in 430 BC, (unknown- possibly measles, typhoid, scarlet fever, smallpox), and which ended the so-called 'golden age' of Greece. -AD 164-180+ Roman empire-4-7 million deaths, (probably smallpox), -540 AD+ bubonic plague-halving Europes population over the next 150 years, -200 BC to 200 AD smallpox and measles ravaged China and Japan (many other times also), -several waves-657-1551 AD-"sweating sickness" (appears to have gone extinct), -AD 125- 1 million deaths in north Africa alone (?measles) -AD 79 Rome-Anthrax, or possibly malaria -later 20 century-present-AIDS, -millions and climbing, -1348-1352 AD bubonic plague, with several waves- 25 million plus in Europe, more in the east, -1800s- several waves-cholera and yellow fever in Europe, -1492-1800s+-Americas estimated 90 million deaths of indigenous populations, -1918, influenza-around 40 million. -many others. Older calamities are often less well documented in eg Africa, India, China, etc. 20th century examples are many, often small, and often a 'new' disease-eg page 6 lists a partial list of around 20 'new' diseases in latter 20 century outbreaks, including ebola and legionaires. Readers will be interested to read of the social changes which were influenced by many of these outbreaks, such as the tragic conquest of the Europeans into the Americas, and the decline of the Roman Empire-partly due to successive ravages of various plagues. As the empire expanded it brought back numerous germs, something which was forgotten by the time partly immune explorers brought them again to other lands in the second millenium AD. Modern examples and resurgences are also discussed such as Lyme disease, mad cow disease, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, legionaires, etc. Most diseases tend to decline over time as a population becomes immune, (eg Syphilis, since about 1492) but a few seem to go the other way-eg polio and tuberculosis-ie they increase in severity. Modern examples which make medical specialists nervous in the modern age are also described, such as hantaviruses, ebola, TB, hepatitus, AIDS -especially of mutation, and malaria, but there are a host of others. The thing I find fascinating, and sad about this book, is the complexity of the immune system, and how these diseases originate and proliferate. Many have jumped from other species, some have always been with us- but ocassionally mutate into a virulent form. Some have always been around in water or elsewhere, and mutute/evolve occassionally -like Legionaires disease. It is an ever-present war, and one which has greatly influenced history. The book provides a stark analysis of human history and the ruthlessness of life with germs, but despite the general negativity of this book, one must also appreciate how far we have come, and in how many ways we succeed against these diseases, and continue to succeed. New diseases are inevitable, but Ridley suggests in the book "Disease" that the future may well be in DNA vaccines. One can only hope. One disapppointment is the lack of deeper medical explanation on eg how diseases function, and why some are more effective than others, and various aspects of the immune system etc. There is a distinct lack of deeper medical analysis, for those like myself who want a deeper medical investigation. Recommended for those who are interested in how sickness has affected history, but not so much *why* we get sick, in any great detail.