About this ebook
This Element is an excerpt from Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today (9780137019960) by David P. Clark. Available in print and digital formats.
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Fungal diseases and historical catastrophe: the Irish Potato Famine and beyond.
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During the Middle Ages, fungal infections took a steady, continual toll rather than appearing occasionally in virulent epidemics. They rarely caused specific catastrophes but provided the backdrop to daily life--and death. Nonetheless, fungal diseases have sometimes caused historical catastrophes by destroying crops. The best-known case is the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-50....
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About the author
David P. Clark is Professor in the Microbiology Department at Southern Illinois University. He has published 70+ articles in scientific journals and is author of several college textbooks, including Brock Biology of Microorganisms, now in its 12th edition; Molecular Biology Made Simple and Fun, now in its 3rd edition; Molecular Biology: Understanding the Genetic Revolution; and Biotechnology: Applying the Genetic Revolution. Clark earned his Ph.D. from Bristol University in 1977. His research has focused on antibiotic resistance and the genetics and regulation of bacterial fermentation.
