Phantom Plague

How Tuberculosis Shaped History

De: Vidya Krishnan

Narrado por: Sneha Mathan

The definitive social history of tuberculosis, from its origins as a haunting mystery to its modern reemergence that now threatens populations around the world.

It killed novelist George Orwell, Eleanor Roosevelt, and millions of others – rich and poor. Desmond Tutu, Amitabh Bachchan, and Nelson Mandela survived it, just. For centuries, tuberculosis has ravaged cities and plagued the human body.

In Phantom Plague, Vidya Krishnan, traces the history of tuberculosis from the slums of 19th-century New York to modern Mumbai. In a narrative spanning century, Krishnan shows how superstition and folk-remedies, made way for scientific understanding of TB, such that it was controlled and cured in the West.

The cure was never available to black and brown nations. And the tuberculosis bacillus showed a remarkable ability to adapt – so that at the very moment it could have been extinguished as a threat to humanity, it found a way back, aided by authoritarian government, toxic kindness of philanthropists, science denialism and medical apartheid.

Krishnan’s original reporting paints a granular portrait of the post-antibiotic era as a new, aggressive, drug resistant strain of TB takes over. Phantom Plague is an urgent, riveting and fascinating narrative that deftly exposes the weakest links in our battle against this ancient foe.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“At a time when the world is paralyzed by a virus that mutates and resists modern medical interventions, Vidya Krishnan’s sobering account of the return of tuberculosis is timely. As she notes, the world is vastly different from lab conditions, and distinctions of wealth, race, class, caste, and inequities and imbalances of power and accountability clash, delaying interventions, denying access, and destroying lives. With lucidity and passion, wisdom and compassion, expertise and curiosity, she demystifies the science, revealing how human frailties and arrogance are letting the disease prevail. That the sickness is not physical, but goes beyond that, suggests how difficult the path ahead is going to be.”

—Salil Tripathi, author of Offence: The Hindu Case

“In Phantom Plague, journalist Vidya Krishnan has written an engaging and informative account of the history of TB and other infectious diseases and their impact on humanity. Anyone with an interest in how microbes and politics contribute to inequality and sickness should read this book.”—Johnjoe McFadden, professor of molecular genetics, University of Surrey

“A penetrating social history of a virulent disease… A timely, significant analysis of the dire consequences of public health failures.”—Kirkus, Starred review

“Shot through with tragic and inspiring stories of patients and doctors who have battled against the disease, this is a bracing look at what might be the next public health catastrophe.”—Publishers Weekly

Thoughtful and Insightful

This was more than just a book on tuberculosis, but also a treatise on the socioeconomic structures of the global health system that allows diseases like tuberculosis to continue to thrive. The subjects that were discussed were clearly very well researched and presented in an easily digestible way, interposing statistics of disease with more personal stories of those afflicted with the disease. Very well done, and highly recommended.

A disturbing story of greed over treatment

The author gives an excellent history of TB. She decribes how difficult and even impossible it is to get treatment in India, a hotbed of TB. I do not remember any mention of the BCG vaccine or how well or poorly it works. I know it is commonly used in India, but I don't know if it is easy to get or if infants are vaccinated before they can become infected. This is another battle of big pharma wanting to make a profit and preventing the poor from getting needed treatment due to exorbitant prices. There was no mention about whether or not there is current research for new drugs to combat the multi-drug resistan(MDR-TB) and the Extensively drug resistant (XDR-TB). The book is from the patients' point of view which is good, and she makes several patients come to life for the reader. She does speak for some doctors who try tobtreat patients, but are limited by the hierarchy and system in India. Part of the problem is the medical system in India and how it fails the patients. Interesting read.

comprehensive

From myths to germ theory, to ill-conceived housing in developments to patton law and fighting to keep TB seen as a world crisis, I found the breakdown very interesting. It unfolded like a documentary. With a balance of treatment barriers and political policies it was an easy listen.

A must read for all Healthcare Providers and Politicians making HC policies

This is a broad fascinating history from the beginning of fears, germ theory, political, and economical influences, not just of TB but health evolution and challenges still relevant in 2025

More things change, more they stay the same

Given society's recent experience with the novel coronavirus pandemic, this book is a timely review of the intersection of contagious disease (namely tuberculosis) and medical history. The parallels between the response of society more than a century past to that highly infectious disease and today are eerie and timely. Krishnan does a marvelous job weaving these story elements together and making them relevant to the experiences nearly every human has had over the past several years. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the development of science, medicine, infectious disease, or is just looking to better understand the failings of today's society in dealing with Sars-Cov2. Even with my interest in these things, I was eager to learn of the fight to stem public expectoration (spitting positively forbidden) and the struggle health departments had in changing public behavior to limit the spread of disease. The blame placed on women for having too long of skirts for the spread of disease when it was men doing the spitting reveals that nothing has really changed with respect to victim shaming...that these fights are intergenerational...that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Excellent

An important book for everyone. Big pharma, big tech, and global governments and their effect on healthcare.

More than expected

I was inspired to purchase book by an interview with the author. As the book progressed I was taken into more political strife than I had anticipated. That being said the book was informative and worth reading.

A riveting eye-opener

I didn’t know I was even interested in tuberculosis when I stumbled across this book. How little I knew. The societal history was fascinating the impact heartbreaking and the problem still unsolved, yet not for lack of efficacious medicine.

Everyone should listen or read this book

Abundance of knowledge. Material well presented in an easy format. So happy I stumbled on this book

Amazing!!

Great information and the narrator was awesome, thank you for the history and medical lessons