Mapping Epidemics: A Historical Atlas of Disease (Reference) [Paperback]

Brent H. Hoff (Author), Carter Smith (Author), Charles H. Calisher (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-More than 30 potentially deadly human illnesses are profiled in this volume. Ancient scourges such as leprosy, smallpox, and cholera are joined by more contemporary infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Both the alphabetical arrangement of articles by disease name and the extensively cross-referenced index enhance the ease of access. Each two-to-six page article includes a boxed compilation of basic facts and a map showing global distribution. Most present the causative agent, transmission systems, treatment, prevention, and control measures. The bulk of each article links the history of human experience with the illness, major outbreaks, and its modus operandi. The clear role that specific epidemics have played in changing the course of history is particularly intriguing. A useful glossary appears at the beginning of the text and includes photographs of bacterial and virus microbes and details significant differences between the two. Other photographs and illustrations are plentiful, full color, and varied in content from article to article. Anyone studying the history of human civilization or epidemiology will find this information-rich compilation fascinating and useful for reports.
Ann G. Brouse, Big Flats Branch Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

From Booklist

Organized alphabetically by disease, this fact-filled resource should prove an outstanding research tool. A brief introduction, which suggests the scope and impact of infectious diseases on the world population, is followed by a glossary of meaningful terms that appear in the main text. Thirty-two diseases (including AIDS, E. coli, Legionnaires', syphilis, and TB) are discussed, most within one double-page spread each. Attractive multicolored maps provide a clear, understandable overview of where and when the disease developed, and a fact box heads each discussion with information on global distribution, causative agent, transmission, symptoms, treatment, and prevention and control. A handy chronology spans history from 8500 B.C.E. to the introduction of the West Nile virus to North America in 1999. This may be condensed, but it's still impressive, offering a wealth of information expressed clearly enough for younger students and deeply enough for students doing higher-level research. Roger Leslie
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Children's Press(CT) (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 053116487X
• ISBN-13: 978-0531164877
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a Juvenile Book!, November 13, 2007

By 

John P. Rooney "John" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mapping Epidemics: A Historical Atlas of Disease (Reference) (Paperback)

"Mapping Epidemics" by Brent Hoff and Carter Smith III. Subtitled: "A Historical Atlas Of Disease". Franklin Watt, A Division Of Grolier, NY. 2000.

My wife and I went to Plymouth Public Library to pick out some books for "Grandma Barbara" to read to the children in our granddaughter's (Tabitha) first grade class. (Take a look at some of my more recent reviews for the books that were read.) While in the Children's Room, I noticed the book on display, "Mapping Epidemics"; the book had been catalogued as "Juvenile", J614.44.

I borrowed the book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book is a jewel. Although only 112 pages long, the book is a concise compendium of 32 different diseases that historically have caused epidemics or possibly could cause epidemics. There is a brief but comprehensive summary of each disease's history, the cause(s) of each disease and what modern medicine has done to prevent any outbreak of that particular disease. Ancient diseases are covered: plague, cholera and diphtheria. But the book is up-to-date, as the "Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome", which made headlines in 1993, is also described. Although Hantavirus is associated with the rodent population in Southwest USA, I was surprised to see that the book's maps show cases in New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. All the maps are interesting, showing, for example, diphtheria problems in the Ukraine (1995-1996), E. Coli outbreaks in the United States and Ebola Fever in Africa (1972-1997).

The front of the book begins with a glossary of "important terms", which will be appreciated by most readers, particularly if the reader's background is non-medical. Since my background is engineering, I was pleased to be able to flip back to the glossary to check out a term that was new to me or not clear from usage. At the other end of the book, there are four pages entitled "A Chronology Of Infectious Disease". The listing begins with the year 2700 BC (Before Christ), with "...Malaria-like symptoms" being described in a Chinese text. The last listing is for 1999 West Nile virus in metropolitan New York. Since I tend to write reviews on World War II personal memoirs, I was shocked to read, on page 34, that an unapproved vaccine (for yellow fever) caused thousands of cases of jaundice in U. S. forces during World War II.

I would recommend that the Department of Homeland Security place a copy of this slim volume on the desk of each and every one of their analysts, so that those Homeland Security analysts would consider infectious diseases as Weapons of Mass Destruction. The maps in this book show that diseases from anthrax to yellow fever can be as destructive as nuclear bombs. In 1918-1919, influenza killed more people, world-wide, than were killed in World War I. (See the map on page 45 to visualize how rapidly influenza spread in the United States from beginning on 14 September 1918 until influenza covered the entire continental U.S. on 5 October 1918.) This is definitely not just a juvenile book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nice little book, November 16, 2005

By 

Doc Dave "Doc Dave" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mapping Epidemics: A Historical Atlas of Disease (Reference) (Paperback)

This is a great book for browsing. I admit that I initially judged this book by it's page count and didn't think I'd get too much out of it. I found that it does contains quite a bit of information for its relatively small size however. The maps are great, as are the numerous illustrations. The descriptions of diseases are interesting and very easy to read. I do wish that the text was more comprehensive, but it still deserves this 5-star rating. The maps alone make this an excellent supplement to any reading on epidemiology or infectious diseases. I've found it also works very well as a coffee table book; good for perusal when TV or conversation is at a lull.