This chapter considers the ritual laws in the latter part of Exodus and throughout much of Leviticus and Numbers, which cover sacrificial activities, consecration of and rules for priests, permitted/forbidden foods, matters of purity, religious festivals, types of sins, the handling and disposal of blood, and vows and donations to the cult of Yahweh.

To turn the general ideas of the previous chapter into specifics, this chapter takes a fanciful look at the hidden symphony to see what happens in Usain Bolt’s stress response system during his ten-second sprint as the world’s fastest human. He is one of the master conductors of the stress response system, with his speed as proof of his prowess. An appreciation of the orchestration required to mount this everyday miracle provides the background for understanding the way persistent and severe stressors disturb this process. The anatomy of six major organs in the stress response system is described and depicted.

This chapter collects the tips on what we as individuals can do to better manage toxic stress and to reduce the contributions of stress to acute and chronic illnesses. Because toxic stress is such a common problem and a potent contributor to our most costly conditions all around the world, but still poorly understood, we should elevate toxic stress to a top public health priority to guide our efforts to find the most effective ways to prevent and treat stress-related conditions.

This chapter presents a new, annotated translation of the Circumnavigation of the Erythraian Sea (commonly known by the Latin title Periplus maris Erythraei or PME). Erroneously attributed to Arrian (see Chapter 27 of this volume), it was probably written in the 1st century AD, a generation or two before he was active, by a Greek-speaker from Egypt. The chapter introduction shows how the work is unlike any other that we have, in being a detailed overview of regions east of Egypt from the point of view of an experienced trader (possibly the Sosandros named by Markianos in Chapter 34), though also drawing upon a variety of written sources of disparate character. Consequently, we are presented with a combination of navigational information, useful to those commissioning or planning trade voyages, with enlivening facts such as marvels (paradoxa) that signify to the reader that its author is an educated man. He had perhaps been recruited to write a handbook for merchants, at a time when Roman naval presence in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean was increasing. Most famously, the work contains a plethora of information about specific commodities traded in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, exports from particular ports, and where those goods originated. A detailed map shows many of the ports mentioned in the text, while another clarifies the relationship between the prevailing winds of the Indian Ocean and the maritime itineraries described.

The suicides of important kings are recorded in the Bible, and the chapter starts with an overview of the history of suicide. It then covers suicide verdicts, international suicide rates and methods, then the epidemiology of suicide is reviewed. This includes the effect of marital status, the elderly and the young, mental illness, the emotions of hopelessness and shame, as well as suicide in major mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and alcoholism. Economic influences such as poverty, occupation and unemployment, as well as worldwide financial crashes are covered. Can anything reduce the rates? Does religion help prevent suicide? Does suicide prevention and risk assessment help, or is this still just ’a work in progress’? Self harm has reached almost epidemic numbers in most parts of the world. The aetiology and why this should be is covered as well as what the later risk of completed suicides is.

A key aspect of preparing to offer appropriate medical care during a mass gathering is anticipating the number and severity of patient contacts, as well as the number of patients who require transport to an outside hospital. Planning for appropriate medical support is not only critical to providing care to attendees of the event but also to minimize the strain on the surrounding region. The inherent variability between events and circumstances that are unknowable prior to the event makes estimations difficult; however, several prediction models have been developed to provide estimates for the number of medical resources that an event is likely to require. This chapter first discusses the typical number of patient presentations, the required level of care, and hospital transports reported for most mass gatherings. It then provides an overview of the most important factors that influence patient volumes. Four of the most commonly used prediction models are presented and the uses and limitations are discussed. Elements of an event that may lead to significant underestimation then are explored separately. Finally, the risk of critical illness occurring at mass gathering events is considered.

This chapter details the epidemiology, route of spread, prevalence, incubation period and at-risk groups relating to HHV-6, HHV-7 and HHV-8. It gives information on symptoms, laboratory diagnosis, treatment, prophylaxis and infection control.