ANTHROP 2U03 Lecture : War and Plagues
9 Jan 2012
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Document Summary
Epidemic typhus fever and napoleon"s russian campaign (1812) Bubonic plague and the vietnam war (1964-73) Effects of war-related epidemics depend on the social context in which they occur. Bosnia & herzegovina 1993 vs zaire 1997. Epidemics dominated military campaigns since ancient times. Create conditions that engender disease among troops. 60% english soldiers died from diseases per annum. Disease, not combat, was wiping them out. Campaign should have been a success he had technology, plenty of people, Typhus epidemic (known as camp fever) etc. Hot, dry summer > lack of water, contaminated wells. Food scarcity from supply line problems > hunger. Characterized by sudden fever, headaches, chills and rash. Disease of filth; occurred in crowded fetid places. Known as prison fever, ship fever, jail fever. Nicolle (1909) worked out that typhus is transmitted by a vector: human body louse. Typhus: any of several forms of infectious disease caused by rickettsia. Long association with humans and other mammals, birds also.
