The Plague Of Plagues Smallpox - 2151 Words

The plague of plagues With the major strides in medicine that have come about in the last few decades, the notion of a plague seems to be becoming less of a possibility and more a thing of antiquity. Around the latter half of the 20th century, doctors thought that disease as a whole would be eradicated with the new vaccinations and antibiotics that were being produced. For the first time in history it seemed as if diseases were under control. It was not long before the arrogance of modern medicine found new epidemics that were not so easily cured. To this day the only disease to be eradicated is smallpox, which was announced in the 1980s. Decades after achieving the eradication of small pox in nature, new pathogens like SARs, AIDS/HIV,†¦show more content†¦During the initial infection, the infected are reported to experience a period of influenza-like symptoms, which are soon followed by an extended period of time without any visible anomalies. As the conditions of the infected person worsen, it causes more and more problems with the immune system. The complications plaguing the immune system makes it difficult for the immune system to effectively combat disease. This results in the infected person becoming more likely to get infections. HIV spreads primarily via sexual intercourse conducted without adequate protection. Other ways to contract the disease are: contaminated blood transfusions, hypodermic needles, and passing from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. The first documented case of HIV was in 1959. It is believed that HIV may have been spreading throughout the United States since 1966. Allegedly the spread of HIV and AIDS across the United States can be traced all the way back to an unnamed male who contracted the disease while in Haiti and brought it to the US. It did not take long for the disease to spread uncontrollably throughout the U.S, infamously throughout the homosexual community. In 1981, the initial cases of AIDS were a group of homosexual males with no recorded cases of impaired immunity who displayed symptoms of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, an uncommon infection that typically

Wit Macbeth Character Analysis - 756 Words

There is an old saying, â€Å"If men were God, the very air we breathe today would have been untouchable and so expensive that the common man can make no headway. (Chukwuemeka Oti). We see this saying manifest itself in the play – Wit, by Margaret Edson. Here, the characters act like demi gods, from Vivian, the lead protagonist, to the Chief Medical Oncologist Dr. Kelekian, and Dr. Jason, the Clinical Fellow, to the Laboratory Technicians. Each act as though the world rested on their shoulders. Wit is defined as intelligence, mental soundness, ingenuity, acumen, thinker, intellect. The play describes wit further as wry, shrewd, full of itself, intelligent, and dangerous. Throughout the play, most of the characters possess wit. The book centers†¦show more content†¦Her character is different from most in the play. She displays compassion, modesty, and care - - the exact opposite of wit. Her caring nature makes her ask Vivian a personal question. SUSIE. Okay. Anything else I can get for you? Some Jell-O or anything? VIVIAN. Thank you, no. SUSIE. You okay all by yourself here? VIVIAN. Yes. SUSIE. You’re not having a lot of visitors, are you? VIVIAN. None, to be precise. SUSIE. Yeah, I didn’t think so. Is there somebody you want me to call for you? VIVIAN. That won’t be necessary. Based on this dialogue, we can see the effect of Vivian’s unfriendly, impersonal, and individualistic character. For somebody going through a serious illness, she does not have any one to visit her. Susie’s altruist nature becomes the focus when Vivian abruptly checks herself into the hospital shivering. She tries to comfort her when Vivian worries about leaving the lights on in her house. Susie assures Vivian that someone will take care of the lights. Susie supports Vivian as she goes through the full dose treatments, even when Jason cannot see the suffering for himself. SUSIE. Jason – I think you need to talk to Kelekian about lowering the dose for the next cycle. It’s too much for her like this. Her humility and friendly attributes continue throughout, even when Vivian laughs at her for not knowing the meaning of soporific. Susie does not take offense but, rather laughs with Vivian. This companionship isShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s A Midsummer Night s Dream And Fool1401 Words   |  6 PagesShakespearean fool is a recurring character type in the works of William Shakespeare. While their individual personalities and functions differ from play to play, the reoccurrence of the Shakespearean fool suggests that fools serve as an important institution of the Shakespearean stage. But what is the role of the Shakespeare’s fools in his works? And how do particular characteristics about these fools help them achieve this purpose? 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Conquering My Fear free essay sample

Can this be happening again? The frustration radiates, and my coach knows how I am feeling. Practice lasts two hours, but I continue working on my dives. Tomorrow is the meet. I go home and lie in bed—and what is supposed to be the most relaxing time becomes stressful and unpleasant. Fears invade my thoughts. I try to visualize myself doing the dive but it cuts short. Why can’t I see it? No one can tell me the answer to that: not my coach, not a sports psychologist, nobody. This isn’t the first time I have dealt with this. For 12 years of my life, I did gymnastics. At age 10, I trained at the USA Gymnastics Olympic Training Center. My dream was to compete on the USA Olympic gymnastics team. But competition comes with pressure. And the year after competing in Junior Olympic Nationals, my body stopped doing several skills. We will write a custom essay sample on Conquering My Fear or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I wanted to do the skills, but I couldn’t. I talked with coaches, mentors, athletes, and even a sports psychologist. But my brain wasn’t allowing me to do it. And eventually I stopped enjoying gymnastics. After months of pain, tears and frustration, I ended my gymnastics career. And the decision to stop, short of reaching my Olympic goal, haunts me. What’s the difference with diving? That is the question that I am consistently asking myself. I arrive at the pool, put on my suit and start warming up. Warm-ups move quickly and then the youngest girl on the team starts sobbing. â€Å"I still have four more dives and none of them were good in practice yesterday,† she says. â€Å"Just relax and don’t worry about your practice yesterday. Start with a clean slate. Think positively.† I know how she feels. Warm-ups are over, and the tension builds. Trying to avoid my fears, I concentrate on my breathing—in through my nose, out through my mou th—in a method I have been taught. My competitiveness pushes me through. The seventh round approaches. My mind is lost. But I want it badly. So I gather the girls for a pep talk: â€Å"Only four more rounds. Go out there and finish strong. Make every dive count. I know you all can do it. You train for this. You know what to do. Let’s go out there and finish what we came here to do.† My teammates complete their dives and I do too. And I’ve learned my inner voice and confidence have been my answer all along. I no longer allow myself to give up like I did in gymnastics. Instead, I focus on my discipline, mental toughness, and positive attitude—because I know that’s what allows me to succeed in my academic and life goals.