Zinsser was a working scientist and a distinguished professor of bacteriology at the time that he wrote rats, lice, and history. When rats, lice and history appeared in 1935, hans zinsser was a highly regarded harvard biologist who had never written about historical events. First published in 1934 and still in print, this book combines science, history, biography, literature, and other fields into an elegant but grim package of broad erudition and darker humor. Author hans zinsser provides a spirited and illuminating account of the nature of infectious diseases, examining how they afflicted the ancient world and how epidemic diseases influenced political and. Rats, lice and history is a 1935 book written by biologist hans zinsser on the subject of typhus, a disease on which he performed significant research. Sholdt, holloway and fronks book 1979, the epidemiology of human. This book is devoted to a discussion of the biology read more.
Being a study in biography, which, after twelve preliminary chapters indispensable for the preparation of the lay reader, deals with the life history of typhus fever. Zinsser begins by pointing out that the louse was the. Although he had published under a pseudonym, virtually all of his previous writings had dealt with infections and immunity and had appeared either in medical and scientific journals or in book format. Mcneill also read hans zinssers rats, lice and history, published in 1935. Rodent book club rats, lice and history by hans zissner. Hans zinsser has created an eccentric view of history, rambling about rats, typhus, the roman empire, lice, and everything. When rats, lice and history appeared in 1935, hans zinsser was a highly regarded harvard biologist who had never written about historical. Published 1963 by little, brown for the atlantic monthly press in boston. Rats, lice and history kindle edition by grimshaw, allen. Zinsser begins by pointing out that the louse was the constant companion of human beings.
Lice are obligate parasites, living externally on warmblooded hosts which include every species of bird and mammal, except for monotremes, pangolins, and bats. Under certain conditionsto wash or to change clothing lice proliferated. Hans zinsser 18781940, author of rats, lice and history. As hans zissner, author of the seminal work rats, lice, and history, noted. A chronicle of pestilence and plagues 9781884822476 by zinsser, hans and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
Apr 21, 2019 zinsser begins by pointing out that the louse was the constant companion of human beings. Rodent book club rats, lice and history by hans zissner, 1935 i picked it up looking for a historical piece focusing on rats, but was equally delighted to discover that the book is better described by its alternative title. Both works offer clean drafts of political and poetic history dipped from the running stream of consciousnessto use holmesphrase, later made famous by william james. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read rats, lice and history.
This popular and unusual book by hans zinsser, a brilliant physician and researcher, takes an unusual look at history by. The british medical journal i had the fun of editing hanss book rats, lice and history, that unique account of what infectious diseases had. Jan 01, 2007 when rats, lice and history appeared in 1935, hans zinsser was a highly regarded harvard biologist who had never written about historical events. Jan 12, 2020 rodent book club rats, lice and history by hans zissner, 1935 i picked it up looking for a historical piece focusing on rats, but was equally delighted to discover that the book is better described by its alternative title. The classic chronicle of the impact disease and plagues hav. Rats, lice and history social science classics series by. Mar 15, 2007 buy rats, lice and history by zizsser, hans isbn. The classic chronicle of the impact disease and plagues have had on history and society over the past halfmillennium. Full version rats, lice and history for kindle video. Rats, lice, and zinsser volume 11, number 3march 2005. It is fascinating to realize that rats and lice have been mans constant companion everywhere and forever.
Rats, lice and history wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Under certain conditionsto wash or to change clothinglice proliferated. Historian william mcneill warned in 1976 that a mutated flu. Zinsser frames the book as a biography of the infectious disease, tracing its path through history. Opinions of tristam shandy, zinssers book gives a pica.
Rats, lice and history by hans zinsser, 9781412806725, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Although he had published under a pseudonym, virtually all of his previous writings had dealt with infections and immunity and had appeared either in medical and scientific journals or. Full ebook rats, lice and history for kindle video. Like many of my colleagues in academic medicine, i caught my first whiff of science from popular books about men and microbes.
Historian william mcneill warned in 1976 that a mutated. They more often mop up after the barrage of epidemics. One would read this for its wit, alone, but the subject matter is fascinating. Hans zinsser first published over half a century ago, rats, lice and history still has the power both to shock and to entertain. Being a study in biography, which, after twelve preliminary chapters indispensable for the preparation of the lay reader, deals with. A chronicle of pestilence and plagues 9781884822476 by zinsser, hans and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at. Jan 27, 2020 rats, lice and history is a 1935 book written by biologist hans zinsser on the subject of typhus, a disease on which he performed significant research. Oct 31, 2007 when rats, lice and history appeared in 1935, hans zinsser was a highly regarded harvard biologist who had never written about historical events. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This popular and unusual book by hans zinsser, a brilliant physician. Zinssers grumpily discursive, masterfully written, and ultimately profound biography of typhus fever ever going completely out of print.
This 1935 book will still be read, with pleasure, a. Rats, lice and history edition 1 by hans zinsser 9781412806725. Rats, lice and history ebook by hans zizsser rakuten kobo. Rats, lice and history social science classics series. Rats, lice and history is still in print, but its playing to a. Rats, lice and history by hans zinsser librarything. Feb 16, 2020 when rats, lice and history appeared in 1935, hans zinsser was a highly regarded harvard biologist who had never written about historical events. An important theme of the book is the according to zinsser, underappreciated effect infectious diseases such as typhus had on the course of. I liked the book because because i learned so much this book is a classic microbiology textbook among other. Rats, lice, and history quotes showing 18 of 8 swords, lances, arrows, machine guns, and even high explosives have had far less power over the fates of nations than the typhus louse, the plague flea, and the yellowfever mosquito.
Rats, lice and history being a study in biography, which, after twelve chapters indispensable for the preparation of the lay reader, deals with the life history of typhus fever by hans zinsser. The classic account of infectious disease and human history. Being a study in biography, which, after twelve preliminary chapters indispensable for the preparation of the lay. Despite the unwieldy subtitle being a study in biography, which, after twelve preliminary chapters indispensable for the preparation of the lay reader, deals with the life history of typhus fever, rats, lice and history became an international critical and commercial success. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Rats as carriers of disease history, lice as carriers of disease history publisher. You cant read it in one sitting, because youll have to keep taking breaks to calm down from the experience. This book was written many years before the decoding of the genome, but it is a wellwritten study in epidemiology that is even entertaining. Read rats, lice and history by hans zizsser available from rakuten kobo. Rats in science and medicine download ebook pdf, epub.
Reading hans zinssers classic study rats, lice and history drives home the. Zinssers grumpily discursive, masterfully written, and ultimately profound biography of. The title of this book is rats, lice and history social science classics series and it was written by hans zinsser, gerald n. This book is devoted to a discussion of the biology of typhus and history of typhus fever in human affairs. It tells the tragic story of the struggle between humanity and its humble but. The typhus pathogen was transmitted by rat fleas to human beings, who then transmitted it to other humans and in some strains from human to human. Rats, lice and history by hans zizsser, paperback barnes. Zinsser was a microbiologist at harvard university and his book as the title indicates focused on epidemics of. Full ebook rats, lice and history for kindle video dailymotion. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. The copy of rats, lice, and history that i own was published in 1963, and this was the 33rd time it had been reissued since first appearing in 1934. Disease, rats, lice, bacillus, the plague, typhus virus, hans zinsser, epidemiology, flea borne, pestilence.
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