History of Medicine

(4 Credits)

Studies the impact of disease at critical points in American history. Considers the great epidemics that devastated our nation, as well as scientific breakthroughs in epidemiology, antiseptic practice, vaccines, and antibiotics that tamed the scourge of cholera, polio, typhoid fever, and influenza. Examines how the battle against disease revolutionized philanthropy and medical research in the United States, as well as the consequences and cultural impact of disease upon different segments of the American population. Ends with current diseases yet to be fully understood or conquered, such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and Zika.