mevillanu - BIOL 294H - Diseases in History

Columbia Union College

Honors program

Course outline for Biol/Hist 294H

Spring 2007

4 Credit Hours

Instructors: Drs. Melinda Ekkens-Villanueva Joan A. Francis

Contact Information:

Office: S 102 E Richards Hall 201 C

Phone: 301 891 4462 301 576 0110

Email mvillanu@cuc.edu jfrancis@cuc.edu

Classtime: Mon, Wed, Fri 9:05 – 10:00 Mon, Wed, Fri 9:05 – 10:00

Lab: Mon 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Office Hours: S102E RH 201C

Course Description:

This course will study the role played by epidemic disease at various times in the course of human history. Examples will be taken from ancient world societies, the fourteenth century Black Death, the Columbian Exchange and its effects on Native American people, as well as epidemics in modern times and the changes in medical practice and public health that have resulted. Both historical and literary sources will be discussed in class. In addition, the role of politics and science will be analyzed.

Textbooks: [Available at the College Bookstore. All are required]

Barry, John M. The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History Penguin ISBN 0 14 303448 0

Burton, Gwendolyn R. W. & Paul G. Englkirk Microbiology for the Health Sciences 8^th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins ISBN978 0 7817 7195 5

Fenn, Elizabeth Pox Americana: The Great Small Pox Epidemic 1775 -1782 Hill & Wang 20000 ISBN 08090 7821 X

Hays, J.N. The Burdens of Disease: Epidemics and Human Response in Western Rutgers University Press

Karlen, Arno. Man and Microbes: Disease and Plagues in History and Modern Times. New York; Touchstone, Simon & Schuster, 1995.

Additional information, handouts, and material from journals, newspapers, and magazines will be given in class. See list of recommended books and journals.

Objectives:

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

û Understand the perspective of environmental history.

û Explain how diseases have influenced changes in history and the relations between population and disease.

û Appreciate the impact of disease on gender

û Analyze the impact of the merging of disease pools, for example, the effect of the European disease on the Native Americans.

û Understand the role of changing government and ecosystems in the development and spread of diseases globally.

û Describe the correlation between imperialization and disease on colonized and colonizers.

û Demonstrate how medical and health practices and policies emerged as a result of plagues and diseases.

û Trace and assess the impact of one disease on population and public policy

Requirements:

Students are expected to:

û Attend classes and go on arranged field trips.

û Read the assigned material prior to the class period.

û Participate in class discussions. Each student is expected to critically analyze and comment on the ideas from the reading assignments, concepts presented by other students and from the lectures.

û Submit written assignments on time. Assignments will include articles from professional journals

û Select and collect articles relevant to Disease and History from the daily paper to share in class.

û Write a response to the books “Pox Americana” and “Complaints and Disorders”

û Take quizzes and tests as assigned

û Write a 10 – 15 page paper which traces the development and assesses the impact of ONE disease on a population, society, or public policy. TB, Influenza and Polio cannot be used. More information and instructions will be given in class.

Grade:

Attendance and Participation 10%

Laboratory 30%

Writing Assignments/book critiques 30%

Paper 15%

Tests 15%

A= 90, A- = 85, B+ = 80, B=75, B- = 70,

C+ = 65, C=60, C- = 55, D=50, F= Below 50

Consider the following:

“The impact of disease on history has been underestimated by historians; . . . disease (and the conquest of disease) has frequently changed the course of civilization” and impacted public policies.

Many intriguing questions are raised by this new approach to history: was malaria more catastrophic for the Roman Empire than the attacks of the Goths and the Vandals? Did the Black Death hasten the end of feudalism? Did syphilis turn the initially benevolent reign of Ivan the Terrible into the bloodthirsty tyranny? Did Queen Victoria, by transmitting hemophilia to the Romanov’s, contribute to the fall of the Russian monarchy in 1917?”

Regrade Policy:

Quizzes, exams, or lab reports may be returned for regarding only if the total points were incorrectly totaled, or if your answer can be documented by text materials. Answers which were misinterpreted due to sloppy handwriting, poor organization, or incorrect terminology will not be considered; be clear and concise the first time. A paper must be returned for a regrade within one week (7 days) of its return to you. It must be accompanied by a typed, concise, brief, summary or rebuttal with reference to your textual sources. Quizzes or exams written in pencil will not be considered for regarding.

Academic Integrity:

It is assumed that your work is your own. Class discussions and laboratory projects are joint efforts, but each write-up must be your own interpretation and analysis; this will aid you in establishing collaborative efforts, while learning to interpret and defend your own work. Be sure to give credit where credit is due: science builds on the work of others, so be clear with references and citations. PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. For further details, please see the CUC policy on academic integrity, as stated in the 2006-2007 College Bulletin, pp. 54-57.

Attendance:

Attendance at all classes and lab sessions is required. Please be prompt, as important announcements are generally given at the beginning of lecture/lab. Late-comers will not be allowed to take exams or quizzes.

Due to limited resources and space, make-up labs will not be allowed. Make-up exams and quizzes will only be allowed if the absence is unavoidable and documented. If an exam is missed, it must be rescheduled immediately upon return to class, and is generally expected to be taken within 24 hours of your return. Notification before the missed exam is requested.

PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONES RINGERS DURING CLASS TIME.

Please note: During exams and quizzes, ALL cell phones and beepers must be COMPLETELY OFF, and stored in backpacks, bags, purses, etc. In case of emergency, cell phones may be left with the instructor.

Late Work Policy:

Assignments are due on time, regardless of whether or not you are present in class/lab. Written assignments will lose 15% of the total point value for each week overdue.

Changes in Course Policy:

It is possible that certain changes in these polices may become necessary. Any changes will be announced in class, and will become part of, and supersede, the course policies described here.

Paper:

One major written paper will be required. The topic of the paper should be some issue that is relevant to diseases in history and MUST be approved by the professor in advance. Specific requirements will be presented in class, and will follow the tentative schedule outlined below. The final paper is due no later than APRIL 16, 2007, and is worth 15% of the final grade. After the due date for the final draft, late papers will lose ten (10) percentage points PER CALENDAR DAY from the total grade of the paper. All final drafts must be submitted in hard copy, and via Turnitin.com. The final draft of the paper will not be graded until the originality report from Turnitin.com is received.

Paper Schedule:

Proposal...................................................................................................... February 21, 2007

Outline........................................................................................................ February 28, 2007

Rough Draft......................................................................................................... April 4, 2007

Final Draft.......................................................................................................... April 16, 2007

Class Schedule

[This schedule is meant as a guide; the teachers reserve the right to make changes to this schedule, and will inform the students as soon as changes are decided on. It is your responsibility to obtain the changes if you are absent from class.]

Dates and time for writing assignments will be given in class.

Week & Date

Topic for Class

Assignment for Next Class period

WEEK 1

Tues Jan 9

Introductions

· Types of History: Environmental and Biological History.

· Ways disease effect environment, economy and population.

· Illness; Disease, sickness

· The Textbooks;

· Syllabus for the course

Bird Flu; SARS; AIDS; MAD COW disease, how have they affected life and society in the 21^st century?

Karlen Chap 1

Burton Chap 1 (pp. 1-7, 12)

Burton Chap 3

“Where do emerging pathogens come from?” Microbe (handout)

Garrett “The Coming Plague”

Chap 11

LAB

Video: “And the Band Played On”

Wed Jan 10

Biological Classification &

Cell Structure

Hays Introduction

Karlen Chap 2

Burton Chap 4 & 5

Fri Jan 12

Diversity of Microorganisms: Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic Microbes

Karlen Chap 3 & 4

Hays Chap 1

Garrett “The Coming Plague” Chap 9

Biblical diseases and cures

Leviticus ch 11-19

French Chap 1 & 2 (on reserve)

Week 2

Mon Jan 15

Martin Luther King Jr Holiday

No Class No lab

Wed Jan 17

Unit 1: Disease in Ancient Times

· Prehistoric humanity and diseases

· Karlen’s Approach Causes of Disease in the Agricultural Revolution

· Disease in early cities

· Biblical diseases and cures

Karlen Chap 5

Hays Chap 2

Burton Chap 10 (pp. 161-163; 167-172)