Heimler’s History Lecture: Spread of Disease in the 20th Century

Overview

Focus on the spread of disease in the 20th century.
Examines diseases from three perspectives:
1. Diseases associated with poverty.
2. Global epidemics.
3. Diseases associated with longer lifespans.

General Characteristics:
- Poor housing conditions, contaminated water, limited healthcare access.
- Higher incidence in impoverished populations.
Examples:
- Malaria:
  - Carried by mosquitoes, prevalent in tropical regions (e.g., Africa).
  - No vaccine; prevention with pesticide-treated mosquito nets.
- Tuberculosis (TB):
  - Airborne disease, spreads through coughing/sneezing.
  - Common in crowded living conditions typical of urban poverty.
- Cholera:
  - Bacterial disease from contaminated water.
  - Causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration; 95,000 deaths annually.

Globalization Impact:
- Spread of diseases facilitated by global travel and trade.
Examples:
- Spanish Flu (1918):
  - Spread by soldiers returning from WWI.
  - Infected 1/5 of the world’s population; 20-50 million deaths.
- HIV/AIDS (1980s):
  - Spread through bodily fluids.
  - 25 million deaths by late 20th/early 21st century.
  - New treatments available that maintain immune system function.
- Ebola:
  - High mortality rate (~50%).
  - Major outbreaks: Congo (1976), West Africa (2014, 11,000 deaths).
- Coronavirus (COVID-19):
  - Spread globally, impacting social and economic structures.

Alzheimer’s Disease:
- Form of dementia affecting the elderly.
- Leads to memory loss and eventually death.
Heart Disease:
- Increased incidence due to longer life and poor eating habits.
- Leading cause of death globally (18 million deaths annually).