It is 1979, and a young man lying on the ground shivering from septic shock is taken to an emergency room, where doctors discover a rare microbe previously assumed harmless. In the ensuing months, the same disease reappears in other victims, all from the Mission District of San Francisco. The epidemic explodes out of control, taking the lives of countless young men, and overwhelming University Hospital microbiologist Lynn Lucas and her colleagues. Fear grips the city and accusations replace reason, while Lynn and other scientists attempt to determine the source of the lethal outbreak. In an effort to piece together the intricate medical puzzle, Lynn researches past cases and interviews current patients, soon realizing the disease is already widespread. She perseveres despite witnessing obvious prejudices toward the victims, and she confronts the divided hospital staff and her own splintered family, who must overcome their own fears to band together to combat the threat. Based in part on real events, this compelling tale shares a glimpse into the early days of the San Francisco AIDS epidemic as young physicians and scientists risk everything to battle one of the most complex diseases in the history of medicine.

It is 1979, and a young man lying on the ground shivering from septic shock is taken to an emergency room, where doctors discover a rare microbe previously assumed harmless. In the ensuing months, the same disease reappears in other victims, all from the Mission District of San Francisco. The epidemic explodes out of control, taking the lives of countless young men, and overwhelming University Hospital microbiologist Lynn Lucas and her colleagues. Fear grips the city and accusations replace reason, while Lynn and other scientists attempt to determine the source of the lethal outbreak. In an effort to piece together the intricate medical puzzle, Lynn researches past cases and interviews current patients, soon realizing the disease is already widespread. She perseveres despite witnessing obvious prejudices toward the victims, and she confronts the divided hospital staff and her own splintered family, who must overcome their own fears to band together to combat the threat. Based in part on real events, this compelling tale shares a glimpse into the early days of the San Francisco AIDS epidemic as young physicians and scientists risk everything to battle one of the most complex diseases in the history of medicine.

Breathe... if you dare. English countryside, 1958. The idyllic village of Olney St. Mary has stood in its peaceful location for over 900 years. Until one day, when two teenage boys are struck by a mysterious illness. The newly arrived Doctor Hilary Newton suspects a common flu to be the cause of their malady. Before long, the doctor and residents of Olney St. Mary are plunged into a nightmare, as the disease ravages the local population. Despite the doctors employing the latest medicine available, the death toll keeps rising. Someone in the village knows the reason behind the pestilence that has struck at the heart of the village, but can the medics learn the truth before it's too late, or will they join the growing list of names that appear on the death roll in Olney St. Mary?

Breathe, if you dare. English countryside, 1958. The idyllic village of Olney St. Mary has stood in its peaceful location for over 900 years. Until one day, when two teenage boys are struck by a mysterious illness. The newly arrived Doctor Hilary Newton suspects a common flu to be the cause of their malady. Before long, the doctor and residents of Olney St. Mary are plunged into a nightmare, as the disease ravages the local population. Despite the doctors employing the latest medicine available, the death toll keeps rising. Someone in the village knows the reason behind the pestilence that has struck at the heart of the village, but can the medics learn the truth before it's too late, or will they join the growing list of names that appear on the death roll in Olney St. Mary?

Physician Girolamo Mercuriale pronounced in On Pestilence that plague was characterized by its lethal nature and the rapidity with which it spread. His work appears here for the first time in English, with an introduction that places the work within the context of the history of medicine, and our own responses to epidemic disease.

Chronicles the history and mystery of several centuries of plague including bioweapons programs initiated by the former Soviet Union.

Breathe. . . if you dare. English countryside, 1958. The idyllic village of Olney St. Mary has stood in its peaceful location for over 900 years. Until one day, when two teenage boys are struck by a mysterious illness. The newly arrived Doctor Hilary Newton suspects a common flu to be the cause of their malady. Before long, the doctor and residents of Olney St. Mary are plunged into a nightmare, as the disease ravages the local population. Despite the doctors employing the latest medicine available, the death toll keeps rising. Someone in the village knows the reason behind the pestilence that has struck at the heart of the village, but can the medics learn the truth before it's too late, or will they join the growing list of names that appear on the death roll in Olney St. Mary? This is the large print edition of Pestilence, with a larger font / typeface for easier reading.