Plague-Busters!: Medicine’s Battles with History’s Deadliest Diseases by Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal is probably my new favorite nonfiction read of 2023 (I know it is still only late April, but something tells me I won’t be reading too many more nonfictions and if I do, nothing will match up to this). Due in October 2023, I give this book a 4.5 as I need to see the final artwork. What I had in my reader copy, was mostly black and white, but there were a few pages that had some that had one color (red) to them.
Both humorous and educational this book for that aged ten and up crowd is a great introduction to science, the medical world, and general world history. The connection to today’s issues is mirrored from the past. We have similar to, to the same attitudes, and even our lack of understanding of the problem at hand is almost exactly the same (at least we do not rub human poo on plague blisters, or bath in animal blood. I think). Presenting facts in a manner we can relate to; this book works on many levels. And while you learn about the plague having “black puss boils” no part is gratuitous. Everything is tastefully given. The more serious situations do not go for the gross out.
The author says that it is easy to make fun of the remedies of yesterday, but many doctors were just doing the best they could. Except those who were not willing to think outside of their age-old boxes. We see how the changes happened even as recently as the 1980s, the fact things like rabies, and even cholera are still around, and how our understanding of “little worms in the microscopes” work, plus more. Around five epidemics are featured, and its chapter has illustrations and samplings of some Famous People Who Died from it.
Rate is a 4.5 as I want to see final product of illustrations.
