James Cross Giblin, When Plague Strikes: the Black Death, Smallpox, and Aids, woodcuts by David Frampton (Harper Collins, New York, 1995). 212 pp. ISBN 0-06-025854-3.This clearly written, informative, and interesting account of three of the major plagues which have befallen humanity is written by a veteran author of children's books. Among these can be counted The Truth About Unicorns and Let Threre Be Light, a book about windows.
Although this book obviously is meant to appeal to the young reader, let us say grades 6-12, it can be read with profit by university students and adults. It is acurate and interesting and highlights the most important features of the three diseases -- their history, epidemiology, and effects.
A prologue describes the plague of Athens and its devastations. The cause is still unknown, since the diseases itself has not yet been identified. Recent attempts to link it to the Ebola virus - not discussed in this book -- do not seem to have a very solid foundation.
A long section following details what is known about the origin of the Black Death, describes the symptoms and signs of the disease and recounts the horrors of the ravages caused by this scourge in the mid-fourteenth century. The plague in Italy, France, England, and Germany is all described. The flagellants. The murder of Jews, who were thought to be responsible. A good chapter near the end of this section recounts the effects of the plague on medieval society. It is widely credited for putting an end to feudalism and with weakening both the church and medicine as then practiced.
The second part of this book deals with smallpox, which has apparently been identified in ancient Egyptian mummies. It was a recognized scourge for centuries, if not millenia. This book is particularly good in its account of the inocculations of smallpox which became popular in Europe, especially after its sponsorship by Lady Mary Mirtley Montagu. With all its dangers (and there were many), this was an effective method of suppressing the disease, at least until it was supplanted by the much more effective and less dangerous Jenner vaccine which used cowpox ratherr than the smallpox virus itself. This story is well told. The section ends with a detailed account of the fight -- a successful one -- for the extermination of smallpox. There is no more smallpox in the world.
The third, equally meritorious section deals with the appearance of the latest of the three scourges detailed -- AIDS. Here, again, the accounting is accurate, the data clearly presented, and the reporting first-rate -- from the death of Dr. Grethe Rask, a Danish surgeon working in Zaire and dying in 1977 from a mysterious wasting illness which we now recognize as, probably, AIDS, to the troubled history of the disease, especially in its early years in the U.S. Anyone who has seen or read And the Band Played On will be familiar with the data herein presented. It may be a twice-told tale, but it is well told. Particularly well explained are the controversies about AIDS' being a gay men's disease, the refusal to undertake testing of bllod supplies until some two years after the need became evident to investigators and the ignorant cruelty with which victims of the disease were treated. Particularly harrowing is the tale of Ryan White, a hemophiliac, who was subjected to unspeakable abuse, taunts, and insults by ignorant classmates and adults, who denied him access to an education. It is a particularly disturbing recital but one that should be read by all young people.
Some mention is made of AIDS in Africa and other countries, but perhaps not enough. It is highly probable that AIDS originated in Africa, it is where by far the largest number of infected people live (in the millions), and it is a continent whose life expectancy was nearing 70 years in the pre-AIDS era and is now around 40.
The book is topical, lively, well-written, and acurate. Extensive source notes and bibliography round out the book and add to its value.
- Irma S. Jarcho
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