Could a few fleas really change the world? In the early 1300s, the world was on the brink of change. New trade routes in Europe and Asia brought people in contact with different cultures and ideas, while war and rebellions threatened to disrupt the lives of millions. Most people lived in crowded cities or as serfs tied to the lands of their overlords. Conditions were filthy, as most people drank water from the same sources they used for washing and...

Describes the evolution of medical knowledge from the earliest practices in ancient Egypt, India, and China to the latest technology and the genetic revolution.

E. coli bacteria are found in healthy bodies, but some forms can cause illness, paralysis, and even death. This book traces the history of this mutating menace, reviews efforts to contain outbreaks when they occur, and where medical science is in efforts to find treatments. There is a timeline on the discovery, treatment, and outbreaks of E. coli, and sidebars on a young dancer who was paralyzed by bacteria in her burger, and the dangers of kiddie...

Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, who called himself Paracelsus, stands at the cusp of medieval and modern times. A contemporary of Luther, an enemy of the medical establishment, a scourge of the universities, an alchemist, an army surgeon, and a radical theologian, he attracted myths even before he died. His fantastic journeys across Europe and beyond were said to be made on a magical white horse, and he was rumored to carry...

Takes readers through the process of investigating human remains found at colonial-era sites to reveal causes of death, match remains with the names on the historical records, and determine the skeletons' gender, age at death, nationality, and even economic standing.