The Empress and the English Doctor : : how Catherine the Great Defied a Deadly Virus
Book - 2022 947.063 Wa, Adult Book / Nonfiction / History / Europe / Russia 2 On Shelf No requests on this item
Sign in to request
Locations
Call Number: 947.063 Wa, Adult Book / Nonfiction / History / Europe / Russia
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Westgate Branch
| Location & Checkout Length | Call Number | Checkout Length | Item Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout |
947.063 Wa | 4-week checkout | On Shelf |
|
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout |
Adult Book / Nonfiction / History / Europe / Russia | 4-week checkout | On Shelf |
A killer disease ... an all-powerful Empress ... an extraordinary encounter ... the astonishing true story. No disease sparked as much dread in the eighteenth century as smallpox. It killed children all across Europe with ruthless efficiency and those lucky enough to survive were disfigured with the tell-tale pitted scars. But a method offered hope in preventing serious infection: inoculation, the practice of inserting smallpox pustules into an open wound. Those inoculated were protected from death. Only one problem remained: convincing people to take the treatment. A pamphleteering war raged in Europe about the risks and benefits of inoculation, and public resistance ran high. Catherine the Great broke the deadlock by requesting that a young Essex doctor, Thomas Dimsdale, inoculate her. Lucy Ward expertly unveils how this extraordinary situation came about - and how it kickstarted a trend of inoculations all over Europe. This is a fascinating history of Enlightenment ideals, political intrigue, and the human quest to cure disease.
REVIEWS & SUMMARIES
Booklist ReviewPublishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Table of Contents
Author Notes
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
No community reviews. Write one below!
PUBLISHED
London : Oneworld Publications, 2022.
Year Published: 2022
Description: xiii, 333 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
Language: English
Format: Book
ISBN/STANDARD NUMBER
0861542452
9780861542451
SUBJECTS
Catherine -- II, -- Empress of Russia, -- 1729-1796.
Dimsdale, Thomas, -- 1712-1800.
Smallpox -- Russia -- History -- 18th century.
Smallpox -- History -- Russia -- 18th century.
Russia -- History -- Catherine II, 1762-1796.