Includes bibliographical references (pages 255-256) and index.

Part I. Worldwide plagues -- The disease medicine never cured (tuberculosis) -- Captains of the men of death (bacterial pneumonia) -- They stacked caskets in the halls (influenza) -- The man in the iron lung (polio) -- Products of parasitic beings (fungal infections) -- Some like it hot (legionnaires' disease) -- The virus with no name (SARS, MERS) -- Part II. Killer air -- Suffocating work (occupational diseases) -- Code red (fires and disasters) -- Cleopatra reincarnate (overdoses and toxins) -- Smoking beagles (tobacco smoking) -- Dad, and the werewolf (lung cancer) -- The lethal brown cloud (atmospheric pollution) -- Part III. Vulnerable breathing -- Panting for air (asthma) -- Lungs that do not collapse (COPD) -- The great masquerader (pulmonary blood clots) -- Cells like elongated crescents (genetic breathing disorders) -- The pump and the bellows (the heart and the lungs) -- To die to sleep (sleep disordered breathing) -- The first breaths (newborn respiratory distress) -- Part IV. Breathing defends -- Around the world on oxygen (respiratory care) -- Thank you for my life (ventilators) -- Part V. Breathing adapts -- I wouldn't want that for myself (ethical dilemmas) -- A science of uncertainty (closing).