Malaria: Poverty, Race, and Public Health in the United States

By: Margaret Humphreys

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Synopsis: From a prominent medical historian, “a fascinating story of the spread of malaria through the USA following its introduction in the seventeenth century” (Nature Medicine).Margaret Humphreys presents the first book-length account of the parasitic, insect-borne disease that has infected millions and influenced settlement patterns, economic development, and the quality of life at every level of American society, especially in the south and during its peak in the nineteenth century.Humphreys approaches malaria from three perspectives: the parasite’s biological history, the medical response to it, and the patient’s experience of the disease. It addresses numerous questions including how the parasite thrives and eventually becomes vulnerable, how professionals came to know about the parasite and learned how to fight it, and how people view the disease and came to the point where they could understand and support the struggle against it.In addition Malaria: Poverty, Race, and Public Health in the United States argues that malaria control was central to the evolution of local and federal intervention in public health, and demonstrates the complex interaction between poverty, race, and geography in determining the fate of malaria.“A masterpiece . . . recommended reading for anyone involved in or interested in health care.”?Southern Medical Journal“The lack of jargon makes the book accessible to a wide audience.”?Journal of the History of Medicine