title: The plague and its place in history.
abstract: An outline is presented of the various pan-epidemics of a disease which has been in the past one of mankind's greatest scourges--the plague. Its pathogenesis, spread and effect on the course of history from biblical times until the seventeenth century is traced with a detailed review of the origins of the Black Death. The opinion is forwarded that plague has had a greater impact on the course of human history than any war or any other single disease.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D010930:Plague / Q000266:history* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000266:history / Q000635:transmission; D012377:Rodentia