In 2014, the world faces a global crisis as the Ebola epidemic threatens to spread from Western Africa across the planet. Even before recorded history began, disease has plagued human civilisations, claiming more lives than natural disasters and warfare combined. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Sean Martin's A Short History of Disease chronicles the historical and geographical evolution of infectious and non-infectious diseases, from their prehistoric origins to the present day, offering a comprehensive, accessible guide to ailments.