Wordsworth Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence

Humanity has always been vulnerable to & fearful of infectious disease. This is the first & most comprehensive book available on plague & pestilence. The detailed entries give concise descriptions of nearly 700 epidemics, together with when & where a particular epidemic began, how & why it happened, who it affected, how it spread & ran its course, & its outcome & significance. Provides answers to questions such as: Where did the Black Death originate? How many kinds of plague were there? How widespread was polio? The book may be read as a history & geography of world diseases. Includes a timetable & geographical appendix.