Viruses Plagues and History Author:Michael B. A. Oldstone In this book, Oldstone focuses on several of the most famous viruses humanity has battled,. He begins with some we have effectively defeated, such as smallpox, polio, measles, and yellow fever, then describes the fascinating viruses that have captured headlines in more recent years: Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, Hantavirus, mad cow diseas... more »e, and, of course, AIDS. He goes on to tell of the many scientists watching and waiting even now for the next great plague, monitoring influenza strains to see whether the deadly variant from 1918a viral strain that killed over 20 million people in1918-1919will make a comeback. Viruses have wiped out cities, brought down dynasties, and helped destroy civilizations. But, as Michael Oldstone reveals, scientific research has given us the power to tame many of these viruses as well.« less