Humanity's Burden
A Global History of Malaria

This book provides a panoramic overview of the history of malaria from Paleolithic times up to the present.

James L. A. Webb, Jr (Author)

9780521670128, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 29 December 2008

250 pages, 2 b/w illus. 8 maps
22.6 x 15 x 1.8 cm, 0.34 kg

'Humanity's Burden is testimony of a twofold success. The work offers a historico-epidemiological synthesis devoid of unnecessary technical language on a serious pathology of utmost importance in the world today. Epidemiologists, economists, anthropologists and students can draw on it with considerable benefit. It is also a very convincing essay on global history, both from inside (explaining the persistence of the virulence of the infection by studying the connections between different local epidemiologies) and from outside (integrating the advances in the social and natural science). The book is enriched by an abundant bibliography.' Medical History

Humanity's Burden provides a panoramic overview of the history of malaria. It traces the long arc of malaria out of tropical Africa into Eurasia, its transfer to the Americas during the early years of the Columbian exchange, and its retraction from the middle latitudes into the tropics since the late nineteenth century. Adopting a broadly comparative approach to historical patterns and processes, it synthesizes research findings from the natural and social sciences and weaves these understandings into a narrative that reaches from the earliest evidence of malaria infections in tropical Africa up to the present. Written in a style that is easily accessible to non-specialists, it considers the significance of genetic mutations, diet, lifestyle, migration, warfare, palliative and curative treatment, and efforts to interrupt transmission on the global distribution of malaria.

1. Early tropical Africa
2. Into Eurasia
3. Into the Americas
4. Bitter medicines
5. Toward global public health
6. Africa redux.

Subject Areas: History of medicine [MBX], General & world history [HBG]