Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease (Paperback)

~ American Museum of Natural History (Compiler), Rob Desalle (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Linked to an American Museum of Natural History traveling exhibit and to a PBS special, this gathering of essays and explanations looks at what we now know about bacteria, viruses, parasites and their remedies, and at how science and medicine came to the knowledge and methods they now use. Editor and curator DeSalle (The Science Behind Jurassic Park) corrals work from 25 contributors (among them former health and human services secretary Louis Sullivan) into six discrete segments, dealing respectively with "evolution, ecology and culture"; vectors and carriers; mechanisms of infection and resistance; "outbreaks," "epidemics" and public health policy "action." Each segment includes a summary, at least one case study focusing on a single disease or outbreak and at least one laudatory profile of an individual. Section two's case study, for example, shows how Dr. John Snow used a map of London to prove that contaminated water transmitted cholera. Section five ends with a box describing Dr. Anthony Fauci, the AIDS researcher who runs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Readers can learn elsewhere in the volume about vaccines and antibodies; about prions, the malformed, DNA-less proteins that probably cause BSE (mad cow disease); and about tuberculosis in New York. Large-type questions for further study, along with photographs, charts and numerous sidebars, accentuate the book's presentation as a teaching tool and as a stimulus to further research for medically and biologically inquisitive readers of almost any age. 60 photographs and 22 illustrations. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this first volume in a new science series, sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, DeSalle has collected a wealth of information about pathogens, methods of infection, the cultural implications of disease, and prevention and presented it in three ways: in brief essays written by scientific experts, profiles of renowned scientists, and case studies. Throughout, major emphasis is placed on the correlation between ecological changes and the spread of disease as well as on pathogens' ability to adapt rapidly to prevention and treatment methods. Supplementary illustrations, a lengthy glossary, and an annotated bibliography of books, videos, and web sites add to the value of this useful resource. Overall, this is a solid, reasonably priced introduction to a wide variety of issues, best suited to the general public. While faculty and graduate students may find the book lacking in depth, it is highly recommended for all undergraduate, high school, and public libraries.ATina Neville, Univ. of South Florida at St. Petersburg Lib.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The; 1 edition (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565845463
• ISBN-13: 978-1565845466
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #852,763 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I felt itchy as I read it, April 4, 2000

By	T.W.CURMI (Canary Islands) - See all my reviews

It's one of those books, you know, where the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Not for the hypachondriacs out there but definately informative. I enjoyed the author's unique and interesting style, together with the wide variety and illustrations of diseases. Even non-medical students could read this and come away feeling they could diagnose a case of cholera.