Recent epidemics like Ebola and the Zika virus worried health officials and ordinary citizens alike. But they paled in comparison to some historical outbreaks like the bubonic plague and the Spanish flu. Outbreaks of disease fascinate and scare us, but more importantly, inform us about how to cope with the next fast-spreading contagion that comes along. This week on “Take Care,” the author of a new book explores the history-making epidemics and what can be learned from them. Beth Skwarecki is a