Why millions died before the war on infectious diseases / George H. Scherr.
| Author/creator | Scherr, George H. |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | Lanham : University Press of America, Inc., [2012] |
| Description | xii, 165 pages : illustrations, portrait ; 23 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Historical -- Francesco Redi -- Lazzaro Spallanzani -- Edward Jenner and the concept of vaccination -- Renaissance of Italian research -- Agostino Bassi -- Robert Koch -- Elie Metchnikoff -- Louis Pasteur -- Charles Chamberland -- Bassi -- Coda. |
| Abstract | Why Millions Died reviews the painfully slow development of research by isolated investigators who believed that diseases could be caused by infectious organisms. The brutally contentious and vivid arguments that raged between the proponents of the germ theory of disease and those who condemned it from both the scientific community and the pulpits delayed the implementation of vaccines and antimicrobial agents. Such delays resulted in millions of deaths until the professional communities and the general public began to believe that certain health measures could protect against infection and reduce the enormous death tolls from disease. Preeminent among these workers was an Italian scientist, Agostino Bassi, who articulated the germ theory of disease following twenty years of research. Approximately thirty years later, Pasteur repeated Bassi's research in order to gain prestige as the savior of the germ theory of disease. Pasteur was also discovered to have committed fraud in claiming he had developed a vaccine for anthrax - only to be exposed by the brilliant German microbiologist, Robert Koch. -- Source other than Library of Congress. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 155-164) and index. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 2011927068 |
| ISBN | 9780761855552 (pbk. ; alk. paper) |
| ISBN | 0761855556 (pbk. ; alk. paper) |
| ISBN | 9780761855569 (eISBN) |
| ISBN | 0761855564 (eISBN) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |