Ebook: Cholera: the biography

Tells the story of cholera and cholera epidemics in Europe during the nineteenth century, the vaccine that helps to eradicate the disease, and the status of cholera in various parts of the world today. Cholera is a frightening disease. Victims are wracked by stomach cramps and suffer intense diarrhoea. Death can come within hours. Though now seeming a distant memory in Europe, which suffered several epidemics in the 19th century before John Snow identified the link with water, cholera is still a serious threat in many parts of the world, Zimbabwe is a recent example. Snow's discovery was one of the great breakthroughs of epidemiology and a wonderful story from the history of science. Later came the discovery of the culprit organism, Cholera vibrio, understanding of its life cycle, and the development of a vaccine. But the problem of cholera has not disappeared. This book tells the story of cholera, and looks at both the medical success in the West, and the different attitudes to the disease in countries in which it is prevalent as opposed to those in which it put in a temporary appearance. This account draws together the experiences from various countries, both those that were colonies and those that were not.;Home alone -- Cholera: the very idea -- Cholera finds itself -- Citizen cholera -- Cholera confuses -- Cholera goes into analysis, and dies -- Cholera's last laugh.