While some may disagree, humans are not infallible. They are prone to action, or in some cases inaction, that leads to illnesses being spread but eventually opposed. Throughout several sources like research on imperial expansion in world history, a chemical element project in nursing, and research conducted on elements in chemistry, it is clearly discernible that while humans contribute to the spread of diseases through conflict between indigenous and invading peoples and a lack of knowledge regarding the toxicity of an element, society compensates by countering the spread of diseases through quarantine and newfound awareness that fosters restrictive laws. War between native peoples and invaders or even just two kingdoms fighting has led …show more content…
One such event was when the Mongol’s were laying siege to a town. In the article, “Black Death in Asia | Bubonic plague”, the author writes, “An Italian lawyer, Gabriele de Mussis, recorded what happened next: "The whole army was affected by a disease which overran the Tartars [Mongols] and killed thousands upon thousands every day….[the Mongol leader]ordered corpses to be placed in catapults and lobbed into the city in hopes that the intolerable stench would kill everyone inside." Some citizens of the city that was under siege, Kaffa, became infected, and they fled to Genoa. At the time that they reached Genoa in 1347, Genoa was a bustling trade city. Consequently, the bubonic plague went on to spread throughout Europe among Genoa’s Mediterranean trade routes and ravaged Europe. The Mongol’s attack on the city infected it’s citizens and led to it being spread in Europe. Another event was in the late 1700s when the British were fighting with the Native Americans. In the article, “Colonial Germ Warfare”, the author cites the journal entry of a trader (William Trent) who partook in an interaction with Native Americans that had come to convince the English to surrender. He writes, “Instead, when the Indians were …show more content…
One instance, learned in a chemistry project, is in the story of lead in paint. In the article “The History of the Use of Lead Based Paint”, the author says, “When white lead pigments were used in paints, currently reported risks to children were unknown and unknowable.” This led to the widespread use of lead in paint. Lead is very toxic but sweet, and as a result children ate the paint chips and experienced brain disorders that affected learning and behavior. Another such case discussed in an elements of nursing project is mercury, and how it was used in the process of making hats. In the article, “Mercury: A Unity College Student-Faculty Project”, the author writes, “The hatters would breathe in fumes of this highly toxic metal during this process. Being exposed to the mercury vapor caused many health and physiological issues which are connected with the Mad Hatter’s disease.” Apparently nobody recognized that mercury was the source of their illnesses because it went on for nearly two centuries. It started in the 17th century, within France, and spread to England and the U.S., and it wasn’t until 1898 did France pass a law banning mercury. Similarly, although to a lesser extent, lead was prominent in paint for dozens of years until it was banned in 1978. In both the cases of lead and mercury, the absence of