Geology and Health: Closing the Gap (Hardcover)

by H. Catherine W. Skinner (Editor), Antony R. Berger (Editor) "In staking the ground for any new field of science, its distinct character needs to be established..." (more)
Key Phrases: medical geology, moose disease, metal biology, New York, Lake Superior, New Orleans (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Given the human occupation of our planet, now and in the near future, we must quantify all the factors that influence human health and quality of life. Congratulations to all involved in producing this classic on an urgent topic. . . . I would hope that this book will be used in all educational programs involving earth sciences, medical sciences, social sciences and engineering."--Professor William S. Fyfe, American Journal of Science
"More than a simple compilation of articles, this reference text reads quite well ... it prompts the reader to consider the broad impact of geological parameters with health issues that may be encountered. ... a useful addition to the library of the practicing industrial hygienist."--Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
"I recommend this book to all geoscientists and health professionals. This is a valuable book for both under- and post-graduate environmental geology and environmental health courses."--Professor A.B. Kampunzu, Episodes
"This book is a fascinating read...Altogether, Geology and Health is an inspiration and encouragement for earth scientists and medical researchers to work together toward understanding and ameliorating natural hazards to health in the geological environment."--Pat E. Rasmussen, Geoscience Canada


Product Description
Geology and Health is an integration of papers from geo-bio-chemical scientists on health issues of concern to humankind worldwide, demonstrating how the health and well-being of populations now and in the future can benefit through coordinated scientific efforts. International examples on dusts, coal, arsenic, fluorine, lead, mercury, and water borne chemicals, that lead to health effects are documented and explored. They were selected to illustrate how hazards and potential hazards may be from natural materials and processes and how anthropomorphic changes may have contributed to disease and debilitation instead of solutions. Introductory essays by the editors highlight some of the progress toward scientific integration that could be applied to other geographic sites and research efforts. A global purview and integration of earth and health sciences expertise could benefit the future of populations from many countries. Effective solutions to combat present and future hazards will arise when the full scope of human interactions with the total environment is appreciated by the wide range of people in positions to make important and probably expensive decisions. A case to illustrate the point of necessary crossover between Geology and Health was the drilling of shallow tube wells in Bangladesh to provide non-contaminated ground water. This ""good"" solution unfortunately mobilized arsenic from rocks into the aquifer and created an unforeseen or 'silent' hazard: arsenic. Geologists produce maps of earth materials and are concerned with natural processes in the environment with long time-frame horizons. The health effects encountered through changing the water source might have been avoided if the hydrological characteristics of the Bangladesh delta had been known and any chemical hazards had been investigated and documented. A recurrence of this type of oversight should be avoidable when responsible parties, often government officials, appreciate the necessity of such integrated efforts. The book extols the virtues of cooperation between the earth, life and health sciences, as the most practical approach to better public health worldwide.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (March 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195162048
• ISBN-13: 978-0195162042
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #524,187 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #29 in

  Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Administration & Medicine Economics > Public Health > Environmental

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The New Field of Geomedicine, March 25, 2003

By	Robert G. Coleman (Atherton, CA United States) - See all my reviews

The Editors of 'Geology and Health' have produced a collection of papers that will be of great interest to medical specialists, biologists, and geologists. Interdisciplinary studies on natural hazzards such as arsenic in groundwater and geochemical concentrations of toxic heavy metals in soils are required to understand the origins and pathways of some diseases.This new interest in geomedicine has been stimulated by EPA regulations and by advanced laboratory intstruments that produce extremely accurate chemical data on toxic concentrations in water, soil, and air. This will be an excellent textbook to stimulate university students to explore a vast domain between public health and earth sciences.