The Fever of 1721: The Epidemic That Revolutionized Medicine and American Politics
Author:
Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medical Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medical Books
Book Type: Hardcover
This wasn't the easiest read for me. The author needs to provide background to the events he covers in 1721, and thus begins in 1716. This isn't one of my favorite periods in American history. And I wasn't all that interested in the politics of the governor vs the council vs the assembly of Massachusetts.
what did make it interesting as I progressed through the books was the development of smallpox inoculation and the controversy over it. This, plus the emergence of both James and Benjamin Franklin and their fight for freedom of the press---mostly by James, was a fascinating bit of early American history.
I have an intense interest in how disease affected history, but I was unaware smallpox killed 1/10 of all humans who ever lived, and 300 million just in the 20th century, or 135,000 American during the Revolutionary War period? Far more than died in that war itself.
Plus, while I knew of inoculation beginnings in Turkey and other areas, I was pleasantly surprised to find an American doctor at the forefront of it American and later in Europe. This was before Jenner began inoculation with cow pox.
However, I wouldn't recommend this book to the casual reader. You definitely have to be interested in the subject matter to wade through some of the subject matter---especially the politics.
After reading the book I also wondered why we never name boys "Zabdiel" anymore? Especially, since he was a great American. :-)
what did make it interesting as I progressed through the books was the development of smallpox inoculation and the controversy over it. This, plus the emergence of both James and Benjamin Franklin and their fight for freedom of the press---mostly by James, was a fascinating bit of early American history.
I have an intense interest in how disease affected history, but I was unaware smallpox killed 1/10 of all humans who ever lived, and 300 million just in the 20th century, or 135,000 American during the Revolutionary War period? Far more than died in that war itself.
Plus, while I knew of inoculation beginnings in Turkey and other areas, I was pleasantly surprised to find an American doctor at the forefront of it American and later in Europe. This was before Jenner began inoculation with cow pox.
However, I wouldn't recommend this book to the casual reader. You definitely have to be interested in the subject matter to wade through some of the subject matter---especially the politics.
After reading the book I also wondered why we never name boys "Zabdiel" anymore? Especially, since he was a great American. :-)
