Fear and frustration--the Liverpool cholera riots of 1832

Balancing the Freedom-Security Trade-Off During Crises and Disasters

During crises and disasters, such as hurricanes, terrorist threats, or pandemics, policymakers must often increase security at the cost of freedom. Psychological science, however, has shown that the restriction of freedom may have strong negative consequences for behavior and health. We suggest that psychology can inform policy both by elucidating some negative consequences of lost freedom (e.g., depression or behavioral reactance) and by revealing strategies to address them. We propose four interlocking principles that can help policymakers restore the freedom-security balance. Careful consideration of the psychology of freedom can help policymakers develop policies that most effectively promote public health, safety, and well-being when crises and disasters strike.

The Dubious Practice of Sensationalizing Anatomical Dissection (and Death) in the Humanities Literature

Past anatomical dissection practice has received recent attention in the humanities and social science literature, especially in a number of popular format books. In these works, past ethically dubious dissection practices (mostly from the 1700 to 1800s, though they had their origins much earlier on) are again revisited, including stealing the dead for dissection. There are extremely simple, yet very important, lessons to be had in these analyses, including: do not exploit the dead and treat the dead with dignity, respect, and reverence. In this paper, we highlight that these principles apply not just to anatomists but to all parties concerned with bodies for dissection, including journalists and authors from the humanities writing on anatomical dissection whether in the historical or modern-day context. Not too infrequently these same authors/publishers resort to sensationalist language in titles, text, and/or promotion blurbs in a bid to grab attention and sell books. These actions, yet again, exploit dissection subjects for commercial purposes. The use of insensitive and sensationalist language that is designed to shock, fails to set good precedent for young impressionable students and paints an entirely backward picture of modern-day anatomy for intending or existing donors and their families. We suggest that all who participate in anatomical endeavours should strive to do so with reverence toward the dead, including armchair journalists and humanities authors who, just like their hands-on anatomical colleagues, should employ dignified, sensitive, and respectful language that is not sensationalist.

Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) and cholera: the cause of World War II?

Here it is proposed that, by killing Prussian Major General Carl von Clausewitz before he could complete the work on his military text On War, cholera strongly influenced the nature of World War I (1914-18) and, by direct extension, contributed to the cause of World War II (1939-45).

Infectious diarrhea in history

Throughout history, infectious diarrhea has been associated with crowding, poor sanitation, and war. Although descriptions of infectious diarrhea exist in the earliest records of civilization, effective measures for prevention were not widely or consistently used until the modern era of active public health promotion. Advances in the understanding of etiologies and therapies have revolutionized prognosis; however, constant vigilance against lapses in public health is necessary to prevent outbreaks of disease.