Beware of the germ!!

I recently became acquainted with a new area of history which I have had no prior knowledge, the History of the Germ. I recently reviewed Nancy Tomes, "The Gospel of Germs: Men, Women and the Microbe in American Life" and was absolutely fascinated with how little I knew about germs and germ theory. I don't say this from simply a medical perspective but rather how influential the germ is in how we've been conditioned to think and the problems that arise as a result. Tomes begins by referring to a mother teaching her son to cover up before sneezing and washing his hands after using the bathroom. But does the mother know why? The relationship between our understanding of various germs has had an immense influence on our society. The author refers to one fascinating example of how in 1984 a young man contracted HIV by receiving an injection to treat a heart condition he had. This young man was completely shunned from his community and on one particular day someone shot a bullet through his living room window. This is how important it is that we perceive germs and germ theory properly. People are often completely misinformed and mis-educated on various topics and we become afraid of what we don't know. For Tomes, understanding how the Germ Theory developed allows us to deal with our present understanding of germs. She also shows us how it is vital to create our own Gospel of Germs. A new Gospel which will deal with new challenges and diseases that we face in society today. Our understanding of the Germ theory can be compared to those who perceived Galen and Harvey's works but perhaps in a less radical way. Regardless of which century we are talking about, the relationship between our social understanding of the body and our medical understanding of it has shaped culture.

Now before you go ahead and comment on my post, make sure you wipe down your keyboard.