A review by lisanne624
The End of Plagues: The Global Battle Against Infectious Disease by John Rhodes

4.0

The End of Plagues takes a fascinating look at the never-ending human effort to eradicate our most feared diseases, from smallpox to AIDS. Quite a lot of the book details the remarkable work of Dr. Edward Jenner, a pioneer in the field of inoculation. It was interesting to read how the "ancient Chinese" were already practicing inoculation in the form of introducing dried smallpox into the noses of infants as a way to protect them from later developing the disease. Other cultures practiced similar forms of protection, but in England in the mid 18th century, tales of milkmaids who recovered from the mild "cowpox" becoming immune to smallpox were dismissed as folklore. Thank goodness Jenner practiced in a rural area where he was able to observe that there was some truth to that old wives tale! Later chapters deal with the attempts to fight tuberculosis, polio, influenza and HIV, and how international medical communities have banded together in an attempt to defeat these and other contagious diseases. A very informative and fascinating read, especially for people like me who lack a scientific background!