Diseases, Epidemics and Plagues in Human History 0000-CHEZ-OG

The invitation to participate in the course is addressed to people interested in the history of the most famous diseases that humanity struggled from ancient times to modern times. The main purpose of the lectures will be presentation of pandemics and epidemics in a historical context, as well as against the background of paintings, sculptures, literary and film works. The students will become familiar with the most famous rulers, politicians, artists, writers and actors who struggled with the title ailments. There will also be shown an impact of diseases on the development, demography and urban planning of selected cities (Paris, London, Vienna, New York, Venice). Much emphasis will also be placed on the importance of infectious diseases in Polish-Italian relations. The lectures will include the history of Poland and Warsaw through the prism of the history of diseases and epidemics. The most important drugs, vaccines and their inventors will be presented too. The lecturer will indicate diseases’ symptoms and treatment methods both in the past and today.
The course will consist of 15 classes. Each lecture will last 90 minutes.

Basic topics:
1. Introductory lecture
2. Plaque
3. Smallpox
4. Syphilis
5. Leprosy
6. Tuberculosis
7. Malaria
8. Yellow Fever
9. Cholera
10. Influenza
11. Typhus
12. AIDS
13. Ebola
14. SARS-CoV-1 i MERS
15. COVID-19

Type of course

general courses
elective courses

Mode

Classroom and field classes

Prerequisites (description)

Lectures are directed to all years and all faculties of the University of Warsaw

Course coordinators

Adam Tyszkiewicz

Learning outcomes

After completing the course the student:
- has basic knowledge about the most famous diseases from ancient times to the 21st century,
- can describe the symptoms and main methods of treatment of the title diseases,
- knows the profiles of famous doctors and researchers who contributed to preventing the development of epidemics,
- understands disease prevention methods, both historical and contemporary,
- knows, how to identify the most important works of art and literature as well as film images related to the topic of the course,
- recognizes the importance of diseases, epidemics in the history of humanity, Poland and Warsaw,
- knows examples of the influence of infectious diseases on cultural and scientific relations between Poland and Italy,
- recognizes the relationship between important historical moments and the impact of diseases on society,
- can assign epidemic outbreak areas,
- knows how to characterize the history of selected cities in an epidemiological context

Assessment criteria

Completion of classes will take place on the basis of the controlled presence. In addition, during the last meeting a short test will close questions.

Bibliography

1. T. Brzeziński, Historia medycyny, Warszawa 1995.
2. Z. Gajda, Do historii medycyny wprowadzenie, Kraków 2011.
3. W. Szumowski, Historia medycyny, Warszawa 1961.
4. M. Łyskanowski, Medycyna i lekarze dawnej Warszawy, Warszawa 1976.
5. G. Paul, 50 faktów z historii medycyny, Warszawa 2016.
6. J. Aberth, Spektakle masowej śmierci: plagi, zarazy, epidemie, Warszawa 2012.
7. J. Brown, Grypa: sto lat walki, Kraków 2019.
8. A. Karpiński, W walce z niewidzialnym wrogiem, Warszawa 2000.
9. K. Polek, Ł. Sroka (red.), Epidemie w dziejach Europy, Kraków 2016.
10. Sz. Wrzesiński. Epidemie w dawnej Polsce, Zakrzewo 2011.
11. Christopher Duncan, Susan Scott, Czarna śmierć: epidemie w Europie od starożytności do czasów współczesnych, Warszawa 2008.
12. J. Ruffié, Jean Ch. Soumia, Historia epidemii: od dżumy do AIDS, Warszawa 1996.
13. A. Nitsch-Osuch, A. Tyszkiewicz (red.), Od dżumy do COVID-19. Choroby, epidemie i pandemie w medycynie i humanistyce, Warszawa 2022.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 0000-CHEZ-OG in USOSweb