Contagion

Perspectives from Pre-Modern Societies

Nonfiction, History
Cover of the book Contagion by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk ISBN: 9781351949248
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: July 5, 2017
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
ISBN: 9781351949248
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: July 5, 2017
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

Contagion - even today the word conjures up fear of disease and plague and has the power to terrify. The nine essays gathered here examine what pre-modern societies thought about the spread of disease and how it could be controlled: to what extent were concepts familiar to modern epidemiology present? What does the pre-modern terminology tell us about the conceptions of those times? How did medical thought relate to religious and social beliefs? The contributors reveal the complexity of ideas on these subjects, from antiquity through to the early modern world, from China to India, the Middle East, and Europe. Particular topics include attitudes to leprosy in the Old Testament and the medieval West, conceptions of smallpox etiology in China, witchcraft and sorcery as disease agents in ancient India, and the influence of classical Greek medical theory. An important conclusion is that non-medical perceptions are as crucial as medical ones in people’s beliefs about disease and the ways in which it can be combatted. Today we may not believe in the power of demons, but the idea that illness is retribution for sin retains great power, as was shown by the popular reaction to the spread of AIDS/HIV, and this is a lesson from the past that the medical profession would do well to heed.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Contagion - even today the word conjures up fear of disease and plague and has the power to terrify. The nine essays gathered here examine what pre-modern societies thought about the spread of disease and how it could be controlled: to what extent were concepts familiar to modern epidemiology present? What does the pre-modern terminology tell us about the conceptions of those times? How did medical thought relate to religious and social beliefs? The contributors reveal the complexity of ideas on these subjects, from antiquity through to the early modern world, from China to India, the Middle East, and Europe. Particular topics include attitudes to leprosy in the Old Testament and the medieval West, conceptions of smallpox etiology in China, witchcraft and sorcery as disease agents in ancient India, and the influence of classical Greek medical theory. An important conclusion is that non-medical perceptions are as crucial as medical ones in people’s beliefs about disease and the ways in which it can be combatted. Today we may not believe in the power of demons, but the idea that illness is retribution for sin retains great power, as was shown by the popular reaction to the spread of AIDS/HIV, and this is a lesson from the past that the medical profession would do well to heed.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book The Subversive Imagination by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Consumer Psychology in a Social Media World by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Economic Integration in the Americas by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book The Green Economy in the Gulf by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Memory Cultures by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book The Quito Papers and the New Urban Agenda by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book (Mis)Understanding Political Participation by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Augmentative Communication by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Women at Work by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book CIM Coursebook Marketing Fundamentals 07/08 by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Governing the Global Economy by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Practising Social Work Ethics Around the World by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book Digital Discussions by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book The World Economic Forum by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
Cover of the book International Relations and the First Great Debate by Lawrence I. Conrad, Dominik Wujastyk
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy