What is yellow fever? – History of medicine
Kids with yellow fever in Mississippi about 1870. See how all the people are white? The hospital wasn't letting black kids in, or hiring black women as nurses. Where did [...]
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09, 2017
7
09, 2017
What is typhus? History of diseases
A woman with typhus Nobody seems to have caught typhus before about 1450 AD, so the disease probably didn't exist until then. Typhus is an infection caused by tiny germs (bacteria) [...]
7
09, 2017
What is typhoid fever? History of diseases
Typhoid fever: A person with typhoid rash (Iran) Is it typhoid or typhus? Typhoid fever isn't the same thing as typhus at all. You catch typhus from being bit by lice that [...]
7
09, 2017
What is tuberculosis? History of diseases
A child with tuberculosis What is tuberculosis? Tuberculosis is a lung disease caused by germs. Today we can usually cure it with antibiotics. But in antiquity there was no cure. Many people died [...]
7
09, 2017
What was smallpox? History of disease
A baby with smallpox (from the CDC) - History of smallpox What was smallpox? Smallpox was a very serious disease caused by a virus. Many people died of it. Smallpox caused [...]
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09, 2017
Influenza – History of Medicine
History of influenza: Influenza comes from chickens: this is a clay hen whistle from Mohenjo Daro (ca. 2700 BC, now in Brooklyn Museum) What is influenza? Influenza is a virus that mostly [...]
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09, 2017
Ancient diseases and doctors – History of medicine
Greek doctor letting blood out of a patient because he believes in the four humors: history of medicine How did ancient doctors treat diseases? Ancient doctors tried to cure everyone who [...]
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05, 2017
What is Tay-Sachs disease? Lysosomes and cell biology
Krystie has Tay-Sachs disease Tay-Sachs is a disease where your lysosomes aren't working right. It's a disease you get in your DNA from your parents. Both your mother and your [...]
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05, 2017
How Anansi brought sickness into the world
Seated woman (Djenne, about 1200 AD) Anansi makes a deal So this is a story about how Anansi happened to bring sickness into the world. So one day Anansi went to the [...]
