Medicine's Deadly Dust: A Surgeon's Wake-Up Call to Society [Hardcover]

Richard F. Edlich (Author), Julia A. Woods (Author), Mary Jude Cox (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The "deadly dust" here is the cornstarch used to make latex examination and surgical gloves easier to slip on. This substance causes two problems, the first caused by the cornstarch (and similar substances, such as talc, used in other times and places), the second by latex proteins from the gloves themselves, which are spread by the cornstarch particles and which are a potent allergen in some people. This is indeed an emerging medical issue, fueled by the adoption of "universal precautions" in the 1980s as protection against bloodborne infections such as HIV. Suddenly, everyone in a healthcare setting is wearing latex gloves, and many people develop sensitivity to the latex. This book, alas, takes an interesting and important problem and buries it in misdirection and turgid prose. The author's voice, meant to be authoritative (he is professor of plastic surgery at the University of Virginia), is at once hectoring and condescending. Those who agree with him are deified, those who disagree branded conspiratorial. Worse, the notes and documentation (especially for a physician who prides himself as a scientist) are so scanty as to raise immediate suspicions and make it impossible to verify his claim that cornstarch-borne latex allergy is a multibillion dollar health problem caused by greedy corporations. Not recommended.?Mark L. Shelton, Univ. of Massachuettes Medical Ctr., Worcester
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 236 pages
• Publisher: Vandamere Pr (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918339456
• ISBN-13: 978-0918339454
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,022,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good science but didn't read well, March 19, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medicine's Deadly Dust: A Surgeon's Wake-Up Call to Society (Hardcover)

I had a great interest in reading this book purely for information on latex allergy. The book in several chapters dealt with the science of the subject well and explained it so I could understand. Hwever, I did not think that it read well. It is laced with exclamation points and alarmist wording. The case studies enclosed were helpful to put a face on the science and understand his message.

4.0 out of 5 stars What MDs Don't Know, May 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Medicine's Deadly Dust: A Surgeon's Wake-Up Call to Society (Hardcover)

An allergy to latex kills. While the book is somewhat dated (1997), it accurately predicted precisely what would happen if this issue was not addressed. The issue was, indeed, ignored. I am highly allergic to latex, which pervades both the medical and consumer world. I have spent too much time educating physicians, nurses, and hospitals educating them on latex and its dangers. I am tired of having to do so. I must as my life depends upon it. I've decided to give a copy to my internist and my allergist. It turns out, I have been allergic to latex as early as 1983, but wasn't diagnosed until 1997. While it may seem alarmist, the cause requires it. Another problem is that it omits important information for patient populations. This may well be the result from the five years since its publication. Nonethless, it is an excellent resource to supplement research from publications in medical journals. If you are unfamiliar with medical terms, keep a medical dictionary (Tabor's or Dorland's) on hand.