Alcohol, disease, war
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Description
Book Introduction
A tiny microorganism invisible to the eye
What changed the history of human food, medicine, and war?
What is the oldest living organism on Earth? Bacteria.
The oldest fossils of life discovered to date are of bacteria that existed approximately 3.6 billion years ago.
If we convert the 4.6 billion years of Earth's history into 24 hours, the first bacteria were born around 5 a.m., and until 9 p.m., it was a world of microorganisms only.
And about 30 seconds before midnight, Homo sapiens, the direct ancestors of modern humans, appeared.
Naturally, microorganisms have been with us since the birth of mankind, and have secretly occupied a large part of human history even before we were aware of their existence.
Humanity has experienced many changes, both big and small, due to microorganisms.
Our lives, culture, medicine, and war history might have been completely different without microbes.
Microbes have been our staunch allies, providing us with food and drink and life-saving antibiotics, but they have also been enemies, causing infectious diseases like COVID-19 and plunging humanity into fear and confusion.
Our lives are influenced by countless invisible microorganisms, yet we are often unaware of their existence.
Microorganisms are something we must never overlook.
Even now, and in the future, microorganisms will be infinitely useful, but equally threatening.
This book examines microorganisms in various stories from Korea and the East and West, from World War II to the Korean War, and from the Bible to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.
Let's experience a unique joy by looking at our relationship with microorganisms from a new perspective through the stories of microorganisms that have been present at every major and minor turning point in history.
What changed the history of human food, medicine, and war?
What is the oldest living organism on Earth? Bacteria.
The oldest fossils of life discovered to date are of bacteria that existed approximately 3.6 billion years ago.
If we convert the 4.6 billion years of Earth's history into 24 hours, the first bacteria were born around 5 a.m., and until 9 p.m., it was a world of microorganisms only.
And about 30 seconds before midnight, Homo sapiens, the direct ancestors of modern humans, appeared.
Naturally, microorganisms have been with us since the birth of mankind, and have secretly occupied a large part of human history even before we were aware of their existence.
Humanity has experienced many changes, both big and small, due to microorganisms.
Our lives, culture, medicine, and war history might have been completely different without microbes.
Microbes have been our staunch allies, providing us with food and drink and life-saving antibiotics, but they have also been enemies, causing infectious diseases like COVID-19 and plunging humanity into fear and confusion.
Our lives are influenced by countless invisible microorganisms, yet we are often unaware of their existence.
Microorganisms are something we must never overlook.
Even now, and in the future, microorganisms will be infinitely useful, but equally threatening.
This book examines microorganisms in various stories from Korea and the East and West, from World War II to the Korean War, and from the Bible to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.
Let's experience a unique joy by looking at our relationship with microorganisms from a new perspective through the stories of microorganisms that have been present at every major and minor turning point in history.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Prologue: Human History in the Microbial World
1.
Yeast, the most beloved microorganism in human history
A fantastic drink gifted by chance
Lifeforms discovered in wine
Prevent wine from spoiling
Multiple beers
The world's smallest micro-livestock
How a Latecomer Lager Became Number One
The birth of a new star yeast
2.
Spies who leaked information about infectious diseases: Staphylococcus aureus and cholera bacteria
The 200-Year-Old Debate Surrounding Meat Soup
The mystery of mortality rates in two wards
Doctor kicked out for recommending hand washing
A Doctor's Lonely Fight to Eliminate Puerperal Fever
Suspicious Deaths and a Late Spotlight
The doctor who pulled out the village's water pump handle
The Industrial Revolution Fueled Cholera Smuggling
The cholera vaccine gifted by summer vacation
A new infectious disease that shook Joseon
The Disease of Inequality
3.
From Biblical Plagues to Biological Weapons, Anthrax
The History of the Roman Bird-Beaked Doctor and Mask
A Country Doctor's Hobby That Led to a Nobel Prize
Anthrax in ancient literature from the East and the West
The Sad Origins of Anthrax in the Goryeo Dynasty
Anthrax bombs and white powder terror attacks
Misunderstandings and competition between two rival scientists
4.
Syphilis, a secret and sinister ambush lurking throughout history
Charles VIII, the kind king who was kind to syphilis
The many names of diseases considered divine punishment
A sinister germ that pretends not to know and hits you in the back of the head
The never-ending origins debate
From Tree Sap to Salvarsan: A History of Syphilis Treatment
5.
World War I microbes: typhus and influenza viruses
Attack of the invisible enemy
Microorganisms that boarded US warships without permission
Virus Detective's 1918 Influenza Tracker
Descendants of the 1918 influenza and the pandemic
6.
Penicillium, the lucky fungus that saved countless lives
Antibiotics given to those with runny noses and mold
To obtain 0.1g of purified penicillin
A rare bacteria found at the fruit display
The Public Interest and Capitalism Conflict Surrounding Penicillin
If there had been no penicillin
The limitations of penicillin, a panacea
7.
Tuberculosis, the most common infectious disease in human history
A mysterious disease that has plagued humanity for thousands of years
The amazing power of a lidded dish and amulets
The secret of tuberculosis bacteria that rendered penicillin ineffective
Killing bacteria with bacteria?
Enemies created by indiscriminate use of antibiotics
The debut of a germ-eating virus
Memories of the Buddha and the Benevolent Influence of Tuberculosis Bacteria
8.
Hantavirus: A Warning to Human-Centrism
The Korean War and the Emergence of New Infectious Diseases
A virus named after the Hantangang River
A virus that came to be called an anonymous virus
The Uncomfortable Link Between Climate Change and Infectious Diseases
English sweating sickness blooming with blood-stained roses
The illusion that humans are the masters of the Earth
9.
Typhoid, the microbe that changed the fate of Greek civilization and imperialism
The Invisible Ambush in the Peloponnesian War
The Plague of Athens Uncovered Using Cutting-Edge Biotechnology
Are all typhus cases the same?
The First Typhoid Vaccine Debate
Imperialism Protected by Typhoid Vaccine
Why an American's name is preceded by typhoid
10.
Clostridium, the two-faced microbial family
Tetanus, a disease that has been with mankind since its birth
The European economic crisis and sausage addiction
A toxin transformed from a terrifying biological weapon into a medicine
The germ that saved Britain and helped establish Israel
Establishing a poop bank to save patients with incurable diseases
Epilogue: Microorganisms, the Future Humanity's Greatest Helpers
+ References
+ Image source
1.
Yeast, the most beloved microorganism in human history
A fantastic drink gifted by chance
Lifeforms discovered in wine
Prevent wine from spoiling
Multiple beers
The world's smallest micro-livestock
How a Latecomer Lager Became Number One
The birth of a new star yeast
2.
Spies who leaked information about infectious diseases: Staphylococcus aureus and cholera bacteria
The 200-Year-Old Debate Surrounding Meat Soup
The mystery of mortality rates in two wards
Doctor kicked out for recommending hand washing
A Doctor's Lonely Fight to Eliminate Puerperal Fever
Suspicious Deaths and a Late Spotlight
The doctor who pulled out the village's water pump handle
The Industrial Revolution Fueled Cholera Smuggling
The cholera vaccine gifted by summer vacation
A new infectious disease that shook Joseon
The Disease of Inequality
3.
From Biblical Plagues to Biological Weapons, Anthrax
The History of the Roman Bird-Beaked Doctor and Mask
A Country Doctor's Hobby That Led to a Nobel Prize
Anthrax in ancient literature from the East and the West
The Sad Origins of Anthrax in the Goryeo Dynasty
Anthrax bombs and white powder terror attacks
Misunderstandings and competition between two rival scientists
4.
Syphilis, a secret and sinister ambush lurking throughout history
Charles VIII, the kind king who was kind to syphilis
The many names of diseases considered divine punishment
A sinister germ that pretends not to know and hits you in the back of the head
The never-ending origins debate
From Tree Sap to Salvarsan: A History of Syphilis Treatment
5.
World War I microbes: typhus and influenza viruses
Attack of the invisible enemy
Microorganisms that boarded US warships without permission
Virus Detective's 1918 Influenza Tracker
Descendants of the 1918 influenza and the pandemic
6.
Penicillium, the lucky fungus that saved countless lives
Antibiotics given to those with runny noses and mold
To obtain 0.1g of purified penicillin
A rare bacteria found at the fruit display
The Public Interest and Capitalism Conflict Surrounding Penicillin
If there had been no penicillin
The limitations of penicillin, a panacea
7.
Tuberculosis, the most common infectious disease in human history
A mysterious disease that has plagued humanity for thousands of years
The amazing power of a lidded dish and amulets
The secret of tuberculosis bacteria that rendered penicillin ineffective
Killing bacteria with bacteria?
Enemies created by indiscriminate use of antibiotics
The debut of a germ-eating virus
Memories of the Buddha and the Benevolent Influence of Tuberculosis Bacteria
8.
Hantavirus: A Warning to Human-Centrism
The Korean War and the Emergence of New Infectious Diseases
A virus named after the Hantangang River
A virus that came to be called an anonymous virus
The Uncomfortable Link Between Climate Change and Infectious Diseases
English sweating sickness blooming with blood-stained roses
The illusion that humans are the masters of the Earth
9.
Typhoid, the microbe that changed the fate of Greek civilization and imperialism
The Invisible Ambush in the Peloponnesian War
The Plague of Athens Uncovered Using Cutting-Edge Biotechnology
Are all typhus cases the same?
The First Typhoid Vaccine Debate
Imperialism Protected by Typhoid Vaccine
Why an American's name is preceded by typhoid
10.
Clostridium, the two-faced microbial family
Tetanus, a disease that has been with mankind since its birth
The European economic crisis and sausage addiction
A toxin transformed from a terrifying biological weapon into a medicine
The germ that saved Britain and helped establish Israel
Establishing a poop bank to save patients with incurable diseases
Epilogue: Microorganisms, the Future Humanity's Greatest Helpers
+ References
+ Image source
Detailed image
Into the book
Although the existence of yeast was still unknown, the taste buds of the Bavarians sensed the hidden truth.
Beer brewed in summer and beer brewed in winter tasted noticeably different.
Beers brewed in the summer were ales, which were fermented with yeast that ferments at high temperatures, while beers brewed in the winter were lagers, which were fermented with yeast that ferments at low temperatures.
Winter beer has a clean taste, a refreshing aftertaste (often expressed with an exclamation of “Wow~” in advertisements), and it doesn’t spoil easily in the winter, so it can be stored and enjoyed for a long time.
So finally, in 1553, the Bavarian monarch issued a decree prohibiting beer brewing during the summer (April 23–September 29).
Now in Bavaria, cold-sensitive ale yeasts have lost their place, and cold-loving lager yeasts have become fish in water.
The advent of refrigerators in the 19th century made lager brewing possible year-round.
Riding on these privileges, lager quickly spread throughout the world.
--- p.37
The terrorism didn't stop there.
While the entire world, not to mention the United States, was reeling from the shock of terrorism, the fear of an invisible terrorism came upon us.
Immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, mail containing "white powder" was delivered to key figures in the U.S. government.
This resulted in twenty-two people contracting anthrax and five deaths.
Fortunately, the anthrax attacks did not spread further, but the world was made to realize the importance of being vigilant against bioterrorism and preventing it.
The white powder delivered by mail after the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York was anthrax endospores.
Anthrax was mass-cultivated and maliciously subjected to harsh conditions to produce endospores, which were then manufactured into a white powder.
This is completely unrelated to the intention of the bacteria, which is simply to make spores for survival.
It was an act that made the human species name, sapiens, meaning wise, pale in comparison.
--- p.98
In 1928, after another six years of hardship, Fleming was visited by a lucky mold.
A culture dish containing Staphylococcus aureus was contaminated with blue mold, but there were no bacteria nearby.
For reference, in microbiology, when microbial culture is pure, contamination occurs when other microorganisms enter and grow outside.
Fleming had an intuition that this mold secreted a substance that killed bacteria.
First, the blue mold was isolated and examined, and it was found to belong to the 'Penicillium' family.
Penicillium comes from the Latin word 'penicillus', meaning paintbrush.
When you look at this fungus under a microscope, you can see that the asexual spores stick to it like brooms.
About 20% of fungi reproduce asexually, and it is estimated that Penicillium is a case where a mutation occurred in the asexual form and changed it to an asexual form.
Soon after, Fleming discovered that the substance extracted from this blue mold was effective against a variety of pathogens, including pneumonia and gonorrhea, and named it 'penicillin' and published the results of his experiments in an academic journal the following year.
--- p.157
They went a step further, publishing a paper in 2013 arguing that the Plague of Athens was started by bioterrorism perpetrated by Sparta.
The authors of the paper linked the sudden outbreak of the plague in Athens to Thucydides' account of a Peloponnesian League member poisoning a reservoir in Piraeus, a port city near Athens.
The Peloponnesian League was a military alliance of the Peloponnese peninsula's poleis, led by Sparta.
According to Thucydides, the plague originated in Ethiopia and traveled through Egypt and Libya to Greece, first appearing in Piraeus.
Thucydides said that there were no wells or streams in Piraeus.
This suggests that the environment is highly vulnerable to water source contamination.
Beer brewed in summer and beer brewed in winter tasted noticeably different.
Beers brewed in the summer were ales, which were fermented with yeast that ferments at high temperatures, while beers brewed in the winter were lagers, which were fermented with yeast that ferments at low temperatures.
Winter beer has a clean taste, a refreshing aftertaste (often expressed with an exclamation of “Wow~” in advertisements), and it doesn’t spoil easily in the winter, so it can be stored and enjoyed for a long time.
So finally, in 1553, the Bavarian monarch issued a decree prohibiting beer brewing during the summer (April 23–September 29).
Now in Bavaria, cold-sensitive ale yeasts have lost their place, and cold-loving lager yeasts have become fish in water.
The advent of refrigerators in the 19th century made lager brewing possible year-round.
Riding on these privileges, lager quickly spread throughout the world.
--- p.37
The terrorism didn't stop there.
While the entire world, not to mention the United States, was reeling from the shock of terrorism, the fear of an invisible terrorism came upon us.
Immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, mail containing "white powder" was delivered to key figures in the U.S. government.
This resulted in twenty-two people contracting anthrax and five deaths.
Fortunately, the anthrax attacks did not spread further, but the world was made to realize the importance of being vigilant against bioterrorism and preventing it.
The white powder delivered by mail after the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York was anthrax endospores.
Anthrax was mass-cultivated and maliciously subjected to harsh conditions to produce endospores, which were then manufactured into a white powder.
This is completely unrelated to the intention of the bacteria, which is simply to make spores for survival.
It was an act that made the human species name, sapiens, meaning wise, pale in comparison.
--- p.98
In 1928, after another six years of hardship, Fleming was visited by a lucky mold.
A culture dish containing Staphylococcus aureus was contaminated with blue mold, but there were no bacteria nearby.
For reference, in microbiology, when microbial culture is pure, contamination occurs when other microorganisms enter and grow outside.
Fleming had an intuition that this mold secreted a substance that killed bacteria.
First, the blue mold was isolated and examined, and it was found to belong to the 'Penicillium' family.
Penicillium comes from the Latin word 'penicillus', meaning paintbrush.
When you look at this fungus under a microscope, you can see that the asexual spores stick to it like brooms.
About 20% of fungi reproduce asexually, and it is estimated that Penicillium is a case where a mutation occurred in the asexual form and changed it to an asexual form.
Soon after, Fleming discovered that the substance extracted from this blue mold was effective against a variety of pathogens, including pneumonia and gonorrhea, and named it 'penicillin' and published the results of his experiments in an academic journal the following year.
--- p.157
They went a step further, publishing a paper in 2013 arguing that the Plague of Athens was started by bioterrorism perpetrated by Sparta.
The authors of the paper linked the sudden outbreak of the plague in Athens to Thucydides' account of a Peloponnesian League member poisoning a reservoir in Piraeus, a port city near Athens.
The Peloponnesian League was a military alliance of the Peloponnese peninsula's poleis, led by Sparta.
According to Thucydides, the plague originated in Ethiopia and traveled through Egypt and Libya to Greece, first appearing in Piraeus.
Thucydides said that there were no wells or streams in Piraeus.
This suggests that the environment is highly vulnerable to water source contamination.
--- p.235
Publisher's Review
A Different World History Seen Through Microscopic Microorganisms
A tiny microorganism invisible to the eye.
Throughout history, there have been countless instances where beings so small that we could not even recognize them have changed the lives of mankind.
And we are feeling that incredible power even now.
Wearing a mask has become as commonplace as wearing clothes, and human movement, including international travel, has come to a halt.
The alcohol we love, the disease that took countless lives, the medicine that cured that disease, the war that changed the world's hegemony.
At the heart of it all was an invisible designer: microbes.
Microorganisms have given humans great joy and comfort.
A glass of wine that helps you shake off the worries of the day is a gift from microorganisms.
If wild yeast had not sneaked into the barley porridge the Natufians saved during the transition from hunter-gatherer to settled farming, it might have taken much longer for humans to learn the taste of alcohol and brew it.
Microorganisms have also had a major influence on art.
If Schubert had not contracted syphilis, he might have completed the 'Unfinished Symphony' and composed many more wonderful pieces.
But some argue that the pain created even more beautiful works of art.
Microorganisms have given humans terrible diseases, but they have also given us great medicines to overcome them.
If the blue mold Penicillium had not accidentally flown into Fleming's laboratory, penicillin, which saved countless lives, would not have existed.
But this antibiotic also saved the lives of the wicked equally, changing history once again.
Hitler's life was in danger due to Operation Valkyrie.
Had penicillin not existed, World War II would have ended very differently with Hitler's death.
There are countless other instances where microbes have changed the world's power map.
If the 1918 influenza had not hitched a ride on American warships participating in World War I, the European Allies might not have won, and if a third of the Athenian army had not fallen victim to typhoid in the Peloponnesian War, Sparta might not have won the war.
If that were the case, the Greek civilization that changed the world's civilization would have been very different from what we know.
Microorganisms have moved world history, sometimes becoming humanity's greatest helpers, and sometimes becoming its most fearsome enemies.
World history viewed through the lens of microorganisms will appear new and mysterious.
A history of war, harmony, and coexistence between humans and microbes
There is a saying that the history of mankind is a history of war, as humans fought and fought again to satisfy their endless desires.
In the harsh environment and sanitary conditions of war, microorganisms always found a way to thrive, and sometimes even had a major impact on the outcome of the war.
It was not until the late 19th century that humanity finally realized the influence of such microorganisms and began a war against them.
In those days, microorganisms approached us as pathogens before they became living things.
Microorganisms were not beings that could coexist with humans, but rather were demonic beings that sought to take our lives and were targets of eradication.
Microbiology has developed through the war against microorganisms.
This war is still ongoing, and unfortunately, it will continue as long as humanity exists.
But it would be foolish to view microbes only as our enemies.
In fact, only a small number of microorganisms cause disease, while the majority of microorganisms play a key role in sustaining our lives.
If microorganisms disappeared, we would no longer have clean water to drink and would soon be buried in the piles of garbage we throw away.
Throughout history, microorganisms have constantly provided food, medicine, and resources to humans, offering a helping hand.
We should not only focus on the war against microbes, but also take a closer look at these often overlooked anecdotes.
In it, we must look back on the inseparable relationship between humans and microorganisms and find ways to coexist.
Because we can't live a single day without microorganisms.
A tiny microorganism invisible to the eye.
Throughout history, there have been countless instances where beings so small that we could not even recognize them have changed the lives of mankind.
And we are feeling that incredible power even now.
Wearing a mask has become as commonplace as wearing clothes, and human movement, including international travel, has come to a halt.
The alcohol we love, the disease that took countless lives, the medicine that cured that disease, the war that changed the world's hegemony.
At the heart of it all was an invisible designer: microbes.
Microorganisms have given humans great joy and comfort.
A glass of wine that helps you shake off the worries of the day is a gift from microorganisms.
If wild yeast had not sneaked into the barley porridge the Natufians saved during the transition from hunter-gatherer to settled farming, it might have taken much longer for humans to learn the taste of alcohol and brew it.
Microorganisms have also had a major influence on art.
If Schubert had not contracted syphilis, he might have completed the 'Unfinished Symphony' and composed many more wonderful pieces.
But some argue that the pain created even more beautiful works of art.
Microorganisms have given humans terrible diseases, but they have also given us great medicines to overcome them.
If the blue mold Penicillium had not accidentally flown into Fleming's laboratory, penicillin, which saved countless lives, would not have existed.
But this antibiotic also saved the lives of the wicked equally, changing history once again.
Hitler's life was in danger due to Operation Valkyrie.
Had penicillin not existed, World War II would have ended very differently with Hitler's death.
There are countless other instances where microbes have changed the world's power map.
If the 1918 influenza had not hitched a ride on American warships participating in World War I, the European Allies might not have won, and if a third of the Athenian army had not fallen victim to typhoid in the Peloponnesian War, Sparta might not have won the war.
If that were the case, the Greek civilization that changed the world's civilization would have been very different from what we know.
Microorganisms have moved world history, sometimes becoming humanity's greatest helpers, and sometimes becoming its most fearsome enemies.
World history viewed through the lens of microorganisms will appear new and mysterious.
A history of war, harmony, and coexistence between humans and microbes
There is a saying that the history of mankind is a history of war, as humans fought and fought again to satisfy their endless desires.
In the harsh environment and sanitary conditions of war, microorganisms always found a way to thrive, and sometimes even had a major impact on the outcome of the war.
It was not until the late 19th century that humanity finally realized the influence of such microorganisms and began a war against them.
In those days, microorganisms approached us as pathogens before they became living things.
Microorganisms were not beings that could coexist with humans, but rather were demonic beings that sought to take our lives and were targets of eradication.
Microbiology has developed through the war against microorganisms.
This war is still ongoing, and unfortunately, it will continue as long as humanity exists.
But it would be foolish to view microbes only as our enemies.
In fact, only a small number of microorganisms cause disease, while the majority of microorganisms play a key role in sustaining our lives.
If microorganisms disappeared, we would no longer have clean water to drink and would soon be buried in the piles of garbage we throw away.
Throughout history, microorganisms have constantly provided food, medicine, and resources to humans, offering a helping hand.
We should not only focus on the war against microbes, but also take a closer look at these often overlooked anecdotes.
In it, we must look back on the inseparable relationship between humans and microorganisms and find ways to coexist.
Because we can't live a single day without microorganisms.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Publication date: October 20, 2021
- Page count, weight, size: 288 pages | 454g | 142*215*20mm
- ISBN13: 9791159098758
- ISBN10: 1159098751
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