In his introductory lecture for this Open Yale Course, History professor Frank Snowden proposes a thesis: "Infectious diseases are too important to leave solely to the doctors." As the professor explains, while he does not expect students to share his thesis, this course offers an opportunity to explore the topic. Over the course of 26 video-recorded lectures (available via the sessions tab), Snowden covers several great epidemics, including the plague, smallpox, tuberculosis, and AIDS. In other lectures, Snowden addresses important chapters of global medical history including the nineteenth-century Sanitary Movement and the horrific Tuskegee Experiment, which took place between 1932 and 1972. In the syllabus section, visitors will also find a complete list of books used in this course.