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Tuesday, November 1, 9-11pm
The first episode chronicles the groundbreaking work of
19th-century researchers who discovered that germs cause illness
and developed the first vaccines. The second episode chronicles the
fight against new resistant bugs and the search for "magic bullets"
- the wonder drugs that have become a mainstay of modern medicine.
Brad Pitt narrates.
"Disease Warriors"--Before there was an understanding of the cause
of disease, protectors of public health had only careful
surveillance and quarantine to fight epidemics. The first episode
chronicles the groundbreaking work of 19th-century researchers,
such as scientist Louis Pasteur, who discovered that germs cause
illness and developed the first vaccines. Despite the progress in
combating disease, the world still faces major challenges in
getting basic care to those who need it and in creating new ways to
combat modern nemeses such as AIDS.
"Rise of the Superbugs"--It's difficult to imagine a world without
medicines - yet before the 20th century, there weren't any. This
episode chronicles the fight against new resistant bugs and the
search for "magic bullets" - the wonder drugs that have become a
mainstay of modern medicine. From the development of the first drug
to treat syphilis to the discovery of penicillin and new classes of
antibiotics, this program recounts the stunning successes of
today's medicines while examining the growing dangers presented by
antibiotic-resistant strains of diseases such as tuberculosis.
