Spores, Plagues and History: The Story of Anthrax
Spores, Plagues and History: The Story of Anthrax
Overview
As the author points out in the preface of this entertaining text, histories are usually about big things, about wars and momentous events. But this book is about a microbe: anthrax. Dr. Holmes has presented to us an educational and entertaining account of the earliest knowldege of this microbe and how it came to be used as a weapon. With this book, Dr. Holmes traces the known history of anthrax from Moses to Saddam Husseim. He shows us how it has caused problems for millenia and tracks its beginnings as a weapon. He caps the past with frightening accounts of the very recent uses of anthrax, even leaving us with several unknowns about where we will go next. . . In an effective, unique style, Dr. Holmes blends rigourous historical facts with speculative fiction -- but he always makes it plain when he diverges to a fictional account. . .Dr. Holmes uses this technique effectively more than once in this book -- including accounts of recent trials into weaponization of anthrax. Two very memorable chapters from Spores are the chapters about the lives and work of Drs. Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur, including a brief discussion of the animosity that existed between the two. Reading about how these two giants advanced the fields of bacteriology, epidemiology, and medicine in general is both enlightening and entertaining. The final sections of the book discuss at length the last few generations of anthrax science, including discussions of the infamous Japanese experiments in Manchuria during WW II, and the later obtaining of those secrets by America, Russia, and China. The discussions on what followed, with experimentation and the secrecy surrounding this in each of these countries, is frankly terrifying. Overall, Spores, Plagues and History is a highly entertaining and educational read, and one that every person connected with terrorism and medicine can benefit from reading. --Journal of Emergency Medicine, V.30, Issue 1, January, 2006, p. 127Spores, Plagues and History contains a mix of topics: the medical identification and treatment of anthrax, the history of the recent anthrax bioterror attack in the United States, the history of presumed anthrax use as a weapon of terror, and the influence of anthrax through history. These subjects are coupled with a discussion of past biowarfare programs, primarily of Japan, the United states, and Russia. The book is an enjoyable and overall informative read. . . Dr. Holmes does a service by bringing this book out at this time. His many examples of the use of terror, from the ninth century BC to th present, help to focus a clear description of the intended hazard to life of such biologic weapons. --Bull. Hist. Med., 2005, 79:382-3.Medical epidemiologist Chris Holmes, M.D. presents Spores, Plagues and History: The Story of Anthrax, a straightforward accounting of this devastating disease and its effects on humanity throughout history. From 'woolsorter's disease' during the Industrial Revolution, to modern-day biological weapons, and so much more, Holmes' extensively researched sources aptly trace a path in clear, no-nonsense terms that students of both World History and Medical History will greatly appreciate. A work of impecable scholarship, Spores Plagues And History is very strongly recommended for academic library reference collections. --Midwest Book Review, January 17, 2004.Description
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
Shipping & Delivery
Shipping Fees
- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
Shipping Cost
We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Overview
As the author points out in the preface of this entertaining text, histories are usually about big things, about wars and momentous events. But this book is about a microbe: anthrax. Dr. Holmes has presented to us an educational and entertaining account of the earliest knowldege of this microbe and how it came to be used as a weapon. With this book, Dr. Holmes traces the known history of anthrax from Moses to Saddam Husseim. He shows us how it has caused problems for millenia and tracks its beginnings as a weapon. He caps the past with frightening accounts of the very recent uses of anthrax, even leaving us with several unknowns about where we will go next. . . In an effective, unique style, Dr. Holmes blends rigourous historical facts with speculative fiction -- but he always makes it plain when he diverges to a fictional account. . .Dr. Holmes uses this technique effectively more than once in this book -- including accounts of recent trials into weaponization of anthrax. Two very memorable chapters from Spores are the chapters about the lives and work of Drs. Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur, including a brief discussion of the animosity that existed between the two. Reading about how these two giants advanced the fields of bacteriology, epidemiology, and medicine in general is both enlightening and entertaining. The final sections of the book discuss at length the last few generations of anthrax science, including discussions of the infamous Japanese experiments in Manchuria during WW II, and the later obtaining of those secrets by America, Russia, and China. The discussions on what followed, with experimentation and the secrecy surrounding this in each of these countries, is frankly terrifying. Overall, Spores, Plagues and History is a highly entertaining and educational read, and one that every person connected with terrorism and medicine can benefit from reading. --Journal of Emergency Medicine, V.30, Issue 1, January, 2006, p. 127Spores, Plagues and History contains a mix of topics: the medical identification and treatment of anthrax, the history of the recent anthrax bioterror attack in the United States, the history of presumed anthrax use as a weapon of terror, and the influence of anthrax through history. These subjects are coupled with a discussion of past biowarfare programs, primarily of Japan, the United states, and Russia. The book is an enjoyable and overall informative read. . . Dr. Holmes does a service by bringing this book out at this time. His many examples of the use of terror, from the ninth century BC to th present, help to focus a clear description of the intended hazard to life of such biologic weapons. --Bull. Hist. Med., 2005, 79:382-3.Medical epidemiologist Chris Holmes, M.D. presents Spores, Plagues and History: The Story of Anthrax, a straightforward accounting of this devastating disease and its effects on humanity throughout history. From 'woolsorter's disease' during the Industrial Revolution, to modern-day biological weapons, and so much more, Holmes' extensively researched sources aptly trace a path in clear, no-nonsense terms that students of both World History and Medical History will greatly appreciate. A work of impecable scholarship, Spores Plagues And History is very strongly recommended for academic library reference collections. --Midwest Book Review, January 17, 2004.Description
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
Shipping & Delivery
Shipping Fees
- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
Shipping Cost
We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Oops!
Sorry, it looks like some products are not available in selected quantity.
