Explores the changing perceptions of epidemic disease from the 14th Century to the present day. By focusing on infectious illnesses such as plague, smallpox, cholera, influenza, and COVID-19, our examination considers various socio-cultural, medical, and governmental responses to epidemics (and pandemics). Particular attention is given to both change and continuity over time, posing (and seeking answers to) questions such as: how have explanations of and responses to epidemic disease changed over time; how have they remained the same; to what extent, and why?