Review by Choice Review
In this book based on her doctoral dissertation, Benedict (history, Georgetown Univ.) writes about the epidemic of bubonic plague that began in 1894 in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunan, ravaged much of the region, and spread throughout much of Asia, exploding on the world scene as a global pandemic during the early part of the 19th century. Much of what has been available on the subject addresses the plague pandemic outside China, with limited information on the epidemic in China proper. This is the first report in English of its territorial spread, causes, and consequences within China. Based on original sources and a year of research in that nation, Benedict analyzes the historical, geographical, epidemiological, and social dimensions of the plague. She addresses the issues surrounding the origins of the disease in Yunan and the reasons for its spread along trade routes to the southeastern seaboard, and examines the changing social, medical, and religious responses to the epidemic over the 19th century; she concludes with a description of the role of the plague in the emergence of state medicine and institutions of public health early in the 20th century. A well-researched, well-organized, extensively annotated, comprehensive, and original contribution to the history of the bubonic plague, which will serve as a dependable resource on the subject. Graduate students through professionals. G. Eknoyan; Baylor College of Medicine
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
