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The White Life
by Michael SteinA doctor as well as a novelist, Stein's strength is in the medical insights he brings to his writing.
The Whiteboard Daily Book of Cues: A Visual Guide to Efficient Movement for Coaches, Trainers and Athletes
by Karl EaglemanThere is no such thing as a &“golden cue&” that works for everyone 100% of the time. Therefore, the more cues a coach has in their toolbox, the more likely they will be able to effectively communicate with their athletes. Coaches use cues—short, easy-to-remember phrases—to help athletes perform movements correctly as well as to convey useful sports psychology perspectives. Athletes commonly hear movement cues like &“Crush the Can&” and &“Grip the Ground&” along with motivational cues like &“Consistency is King.&” A passionate coach, lifelong athlete, and advanced degree holder in kinesiology, Karl Eagleman, creator of the popular Whiteboard Daily Instagram, has put together a valuable resource for coaches, athletes, and anyone who wants to improve their own movement. The Whiteboard Daily Book of Cues contains a comprehensive collection of illustrations drawn on a whiteboard—a medium that virtually all coaches are familiar with. It boasts the largest list of cues ever compiled, covering Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, kettlebell exercises, and monostructural movements (running, rowing, jumping rope, etc.). Each illustration is hand drawn in a simple, stylized way to make the cues easy to retain and to utilize during training. No two athletes are the same; we all learn in our own unique ways. By providing hundreds of cues, this book will help coaches and athletes learn a new way to understand movement for themselves and/or to communicate safe, effective movement to others.
The Whole Body Cure
by Dr Corey KirshnerThe Whole Body Cure: the Simple Plan to Prevent and Reverse Disease, Eliminate Pain, and Lose Weight for Good.
The Whole Brain: The Microbiome Solution to Heal Depression, Anxiety, and Mental Fog without Prescription Drugs (Microbiome Medicine Library)
by Raphael KellmanFunctional medicine pioneer and author of The Microbiome Diet offers his groundbreaking, medication-free, scientifically based approach to healing depression, anxiety, and brain fog by focusing on your "whole brain"--the brain, the gut, the microbiome, and the thyroid.If you are one of the millions of people who feel that your brain just "isn't working right"--that you have brain fog, memory loss, depression, anxiety, or that your ability to maintain a balanced, happy mood has been lost long ago--take heart. The problem is not "in your head," it is in your microbiome (the trillions of health-promoting bacteria) and your gut--and there are proven natural solutions that can help you not only reduce symptoms but also improve your vitality, cognitive function, and zest for life.A pioneer in holistic and functional medicine, Dr. Raphael Kellman has spent the last two decades treating countless patients with complaints like these. Through years of research, he developed a groundbreaking approach to brain health that goes far beyond conventional understanding of the brain. The Whole Brain introduces you to the complete system that affects your mental health: not just your brain, but your gut, microbiome, and thyroid as well. You'll learn about the latest cutting-edge science, and will discover The Whole Brain Protocol. This powerful four-week plan advises you exactly what to eat and which supplements and probiotics to take, so that your brain functions at its deepest level, every day, all the time. Along with delicious, health-supporting recipes, meal plans, and other tips and strategies, The Whole Brain will help you make your own brain work better so that you can feel calm, energized, clear, sharp, and optimistic--without prescription medications.
The Whole Life Prostate Book
by Gerald Secor Couzens H. CarterMEN TODAY face a growing health crisis. More than twenty million nationwide are affected by a prostate health issue, and more than two hundred thousand are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. Many of these problems are preventable because they are related to the chronic diseases of age associated with poor health choices. Dr. H. Ballentine Carter is a preeminent expert in the diagnosis and management of prostate disease, and he believes that it's never too late--or too early--to make important changes to improve and maintain overall prostate health. Dr. Carter provides men of all ages the one resource that details what needs to be done when in crisis, but more important, he supplies crucial advice about how to prevent a prostate crisis from ever occurring. Whether a man is in his twenties, thirties, or sixties, he is one day closer to being told he has a prostate problem. But positive lifestyle changes that incorporate diet, exercise, and health maintenance can significantly lower those odds. Dr. Carter shows you how in this comprehensive and authoritative guide, The Whole Life Prostate Book. With wisdom gleaned from his many years in the field, Dr. Carter cuts through the overwhelming amount of information--and misinformation--on the topic, arming men with the knowledge they need to make the best decisions about prevention, testing, and treatment. In clear language, he explains how to read test results and outlines the management options available for lower urinary tract symptoms; inflammation of the prostate; and management strategies for prostate cancer, including no immediate treatment--an approach pioneered by Dr. Carter himself that's designed to preserve quality of life. Filled with simple and nutritious recipes, easy-to-follow workout routines, and a straightforward approach to demystifying the complex medical jargon of prostate disease, The Whole Life Prostate Book is an empowering manual for maintaining optimal health throughout a man's life.
The Whole Tooth: Stories from The Singing Dentist guaranteed to make your smile better
by Dr Milad ShadroohGet ready to be entertained and educated by Dr Milad Shadrooh, the UK's most celebrated dentist and YouTube sensation.Milad will have you alternately astounded and rolling with laughter as he drills down into the grisly details, touching on everything from the fascinating history of dentistry to the surprising secrets of life as a dentist. He confronts the fear that people associate with dental treatment and dispels the myths, while giving tips on how to create the perfect smile.So sit back, put on your safety goggles and prepare for the best trip to the dentist you've ever had.
The Whole Tooth: Stories from The Singing Dentist guaranteed to make your smile better
by Dr Milad ShadroohGet ready to be entertained and educated by Dr Milad Shadrooh, the UK's most celebrated dentist and YouTube sensation.Milad will have you alternately astounded and rolling with laughter as he drills down into the grisly details, touching on everything from the fascinating history of dentistry to the surprising secrets of life as a dentist. He confronts the fear that people associate with dental treatment and dispels the myths, while giving tips on how to create the perfect smile.So sit back, put on your safety goggles and prepare for the best trip to the dentist you've ever had.
The Whole-Body Microbiome: How to Harness Microbes—Inside and Out—for Lifelong Health
by B. Brett Finlay Jessica M. FinlayFrom a microbiologist and gerontologist, &“scientifically accurate consumer health information on the microbiome&’s relationship to adult health and aging.&” —Library Journal Science has allowed us to prolong and improve life in astonishing ways, often by fending off germs and other invisible foes. But there&’s no &“immunity&” to the inevitable signs of aging . . . or is there? In The Whole-Body Microbiome, the father-daughter team of Dr. Brett Finlay, a microbiologist, and Dr. Jessica Finlay, a specialist on aging, offers a different—and truly revolutionary—take on the quest for the fountain of youth. While much has been written about bacteria in the gut, exciting new research shows that there are millions of microbes both inside our bodies—supporting our brain, teeth, heart, lungs, bones, immune system, and more—and on our bodies, coming from the air we breathe and the things we touch all day long: cell phones and kitchen sponges, pets and doorknobs, and even other humans. These microbial &“lifelong companions&” have an immense impact on our daily health—and, as groundbreaking research is showing, they have the potential to help prevent and reverse the most common age-related diseases. This eye-opening new take on the significance of the microbiome offers empowering knowledge, counters common myths, and provides simple, effective daily tips to help you and your microbes live long—and prosper. &“[An] excitedly optimistic and research-grounded look at the microbiome&’s implications for the health of the aging body . . . make[s] a strong case for the microbiome as an exciting new frontier in health research, with myriad possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Wholistic Healing Guide to Cannabis: Understanding the Endocannabinoid System, Addressing Specific Ailments and Conditions, and Making Cannabis-Based Remedies
by Tammi SweetTammi Sweet combines her expertise in herbal medicine and neurobiology in this in-depth guide to understanding the science behind the effectiveness of cannabis medicine. In addition to exploring the chemistry of the whole cannabis plant, she explains the physiology of the human body&’s endocannabinoid system and why and how it is affected by ingesting cannabis. Based on research and her own clinical experience, Sweet provides technique instructions for the best medicinal cannabis preparations and specific dosage recommendations for using these remedies to address a wide range of conditions, including stress, chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, and more. This volume offers a wealth of valuable information to healthcare professionals, practitioners of the healing arts, dispensary workers, and medical cannabis users who want to understand the science of cannabis and its effects on the whole body.
The Why of Things: Causality in Science, Medicine, and Life
by Peter RabinsWhy was there a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant? Why do some people get cancer and not others? Why is global warming happening? Why does one person get depressed in the face of life's vicissitudes while another finds resilience? Questions like these—questions of causality—form the basis of modern scientific inquiry, posing profound intellectual and methodological challenges for researchers in the physical, natural, biomedical, and social sciences. In this groundbreaking book, noted psychiatrist and author Peter Rabins offers a conceptual framework for analyzing daunting questions of causality. Navigating a lively intellectual voyage between the shoals of strict reductionism and relativism, Rabins maps a three-facet model of causality and applies it to a variety of questions in science, medicine, economics, and more. Throughout this book, Rabins situates his argument within relevant scientific contexts, such as quantum mechanics, cybernetics, chaos theory, and epigenetics. A renowned communicator of complex concepts and scientific ideas, Rabins helps readers stretch their minds beyond the realm of popular literary tipping points, blinks, and freakonomic explanations of the world.
The Whys of a Scientific Life (Global Science Education)
by John R. HelliwellThe first in the Focus Series on Global Science Education, The Whys of a Scientific Life examines why scientists do what they do. Working from a diverse background in scientific research, including academic departments of physics and chemistry, as well as the scientific civil service, the author describes the choices scientists make. Fundamentally, a scientist asks questions based on curiosity. In addition, the environment is very important. By influencing their elected governments, society itself shapes the scientific research that is undertaken by scientists. This book follows on naturally from the author’s last book, Skills for a Scientific Life, which is a how-to guide for scientists and those that aspire to engage in science as a career. Key Features: User friendly and concise, this text dissects the whys of science and discovery The author has outstanding experience in mentoring science students and staff, and also in outreach activities for the public and students of all ages including schools The final chapter emphasises the joys of the scientist in research
The Wife He's Been Waiting For
by Dianne DrakeDr. Michael Sloan's brilliant surgical career ended after he was badly injured. Sheer strength and determination got him through, but scars run deep. Now, as a ship's doctor, he can avoid emotional entanglements. Until a beautiful passenger falls into his arms. . . . Dr. Sarah Collins has taken time out to travel the world and rebuild her shattered confidence. The attraction between her and the gorgeous doctor is instant. And as Michael shows Sarah she still has the ability to heal, Sarah makes Michael believe he is, most definitely, a man worth loving.
The Wild Mandrake: A Memoir
by Jason JobinOn the cusp of adulthood, a young writer’s life is stalled as he faces cancer that keeps coming back.Doctors used to tell him he was cured. That was a long time ago. Ever since he first left home at age nineteen, writer Jason Jobin has had cancer. Every five years, like clockwork, it relapses, and yet he always pulls through, surrounded by friends and family but isolated by illness. Chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation — these persist, but they aren’t the milestones of his life. They can’t be, he won’t let them be.From helicoptering into the Yukon backcountry to teaching in an elite writing program, Jason strives to enter adulthood with some normalcy, but his is the life of “a special case.” And he does live. He lives working at a deli for minimum wage as his students come down the hill to shop and ask what he’s doing there. He lives measuring out nausea pills and benzos while his roommates drink and smoke and party. He lives lying to girlfriends about past diagnoses because what can you say? What do you build on rubble? He lives high and low and in between. Again he is sick, again he is cured. It’s miraculous. A great gift. But never enough.Told in short glimpses, this story redefines what it means to survive. Jobin brings together the illuminated moments of loss and joy as he navigates chronic illness and builds from it something new and wildly unexpected.
The Wild and the Toxic: American Environmentalism and the Politics of Health
by Jennifer ThomsonHealth figures centrally in late twentieth-century environmental activism. There are many competing claims about the health of ecosystems, the health of the planet, and the health of humans, yet there is little agreement among the likes of D.C. lobbyists, grassroots organizers, eco-anarchist collectives, and science-based advocacy organizations about whose health matters most, or what health even means. In this book, Jennifer Thomson untangles the complex web of political, social, and intellectual developments that gave rise to the multiplicity of claims and concerns about environmental health. Thomson traces four strands of activism from the 1970s to the present: the environmental lobby, environmental justice groups, radical environmentalism and bioregionalism, and climate justice activism. By focusing on health, environmentalists were empowered to intervene in the rise of neoliberalism, the erosion of the regulatory state, and the decimation of mass-based progressive politics. Yet, as this book reveals, an individualist definition of health ultimately won out over more communal understandings. Considering this turn from collective solidarity toward individual health helps explain the near paralysis of collective action in the face of planetary disaster.
The Wiley Handbook of Healthcare Treatment Engagement: Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice
by Andrew Hadler Stephen Sutton Lars OsterbergAgainst a global backdrop of problematic adherence to medical treatment, this volume addresses and provides practical solutions to the simple question: “Why don’t patients take treatments that could save their lives?” The Wiley handbook of Healthcare Treatment Engagement offers a guide to the theory, research and clinical practice of promoting patient engagement in healthcare treatment at individual, organizational and systems levels. The concept of treatment engagement, as explained within the text, promotes a broader view than the related concept of treatment adherence. Treatment engagement encompasses more readily the lifestyle factors which may impact healthcare outcomes as much as medication-taking, as well as practical, economic and cultural factors which may determine access to treatment. Over a span of 32 chapters, an international panel of expert authors address this far-reaching and fascinating field, describing a broad range of evidence-based approaches which stand to improve clinical services and treatment outcomes, as well as the experience of users of healthcare service and practitioners alike. This comprehensive volume adopts an interdisciplinary approach to offer an understanding of the factors governing our healthcare systems and the motivations and behaviors of patients, clinicians and organizations. Presented in a user-friendly format for quick reference, the text first supports the reader’s understanding by exploring background topics such as the considerable impact of sub-optimal treatment adherence on healthcare outcomes, before describing practical clinical approaches to promote engagement in treatment, including chapters referring to specific patient populations. The text recognizes the support which may be required throughout the depth of each healthcare organization to promote patient engagement, and in the final section of the book, describes approaches to inform the development of healthcare services with which patients will be more likely to seek to engage. This important book: Provides a comprehensive summary of practical approaches developed across a wide range of clinical settings, integrating research findings and clinical literature from a variety of disciplines Introduces and compliments existing approaches to improve communication in healthcare settings and promote patient choice in planning treatment Presents a range of proven clinical solutions that will appeal to those seeking to improve outcomes on a budget Written for health professionals from all disciplines of clinical practice, as well as service planners and policy makers, The Wiley Handbook of Healthcare Treatment Engagement is a comprehensive guide for individual practitioners and organizations alike.
The Wiley Handbook on the Aging Mind and Brain
by Steven Anderson Bernd Fritzsch Matthew RizzoA thought-provoking treatise on understanding and treating the aging mind and brain This handbook recognizes the critical issues surrounding mind and brain health by tackling overarching and pragmatic needs so as to better understand these multifaceted issues. This includes summarizing and synthesizing critical evidence, approaches, and strategies from multidisciplinary research—all of which have advanced our understanding of the neural substrates of attention, perception, memory, language, decision-making, motor behavior, social cognition, emotion, and other mental functions. Written by a plethora of health experts from around the world, The Wiley Handbook on the Aging Mind and Brain offers in-depth contributions in 7 sections: Introduction; Methods of Assessment; Brain Functions and Behavior across the Lifespan; Cognition, Behavior and Disease; Optimizing Brain Function in Health and Disease; Forensics, Competence, Legal, Ethics and Policy Issues; and Conclusion and New Directions. Geared toward improving the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of many brain-based disorders that occur in older adults and that cause disability and death Seeks to advance the care of patients who have perceptual, cognitive, language, memory, emotional, and many other behavioral symptoms associated with these disorders Addresses principles and practice relevant to challenges posed by the US National Academy of Sciences and National Institute of Aging (NIA) Presents materials at a scientific level that is appropriate for a wide variety of providers The Wiley Handbook on the Aging Mind and Brain is an important text for neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, physiatrists, geriatricians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other primary caregivers who care for patients in routine and specialty practices as well as students, interns, residents, and fellows.
The Willowbrook Wars: Bringing the Mentally Disabled into the Community
by David J. RothmanThe Willowbrook Wars is a dramatic and illuminating account of the effort to close down a scandal-ridden institution and return its 5,400 handicapped residents to communities in New York. The wars began in 1972 with Geraldo Rivera's televised raid on the Willowbrook State School. They continued for three years in a federal courtroom, with civil libertarian lawyers persuading a conservative and conscience-stricken judge to expand the rights of the disabled, and they culminated in a 1975 consent decree, with the state of New York pledging to accomplish the unprecedented assignment in six years.From 1975 to 1982, David and Sheila Rothman observed this remarkable chapter in American reform of mental disabilities care. Would the state live up to its agreement without "dumping" residents into other nightmarish institutions? Would the lawyers prove as interested in meeting client needs as in securing client rights? Could a tradition-bound bureaucracy create a new network of community services? And finally, would a governor and a legislature tolerate such outside intervention, and if so, for how long? In answering these questions,The Willowbrook Wars takes us behind the scenes to clarify the role of the judiciary, the fate of the underprivileged, and the potential for social justice. In their new afterword, the authors bring the story up to date, describing the results of the closing of the institution in 1987 from the experiences of integrating the former residents into communities to the legal battles between the state of New York and advocates for the mentally handicapped.
The Wills Eye Manual: Office and Emergency Room Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease
by Kalla Gervasio Travis PeckA best-selling source of compact, authoritative guidance on the treatment of ocular disorders in a variety of settings, The Wills Eye Manual, 8th Edition, is the comprehensive, high-yield reference of choice for both trainees and seasoned practitioners. It provides highly illustrated information on more than 200 ophthalmic conditions along with proven clinical recommendations from initial diagnosis through extended treatment. The consistent, bulleted outline format makes it ideal for portability and quick reference.
The Wills Eye Strabismus Surgery Handbook
by Leonard Nelson Alex LevinAlthough residents and pediatric ophthalmology fellows examine patients in the clinic, they may not be involved in surgery on the same patients and even less often get to follow the progress of these patients postoperatively. The Wills Eye Strabismus Surgery Handbook is designed to address this challenge in residency and fellowship education as a manual focused on developing surgical plans for strabismus patients. Drs. Leonard B. Nelson and Alex V. Levin and their contributors have organized The Wills Eye Strabismus Surgery Handbookto allow for the reader to take notes regarding their own diagnosis and treatment plan for each case that is presented. This workbook style and its practical, easy-to-read format make this resource useful for written and oral board preparation, and as a handy reference guide for use long after exams are over. Each chapter presents an introduction into the decision-making process for a specific strabismus condition, followed by the surgical plans selected by three expert Wills Eye Strabismus Center strabismologists with regard to their approach to the presented case. Summary remarks by the chapter editor briefly review the basic concepts in developing a diagnosis and treatment plan while bringing together the varied opinions offered by the strabismologists in order to put them in context.Topics covered include: Strabismus surgery decision making Esotropia Exotropia Dissociated vertical deviation Cranial nerve palsies Strabismus syndromes Strabismus in systemic disease Reoperations Nystagmus Other complex strabismus cases The Wills Eye Strabismus Surgery Handbook is an essential resource for residents and pediatric ophthalmology fellows, as well as other ophthalmologists, looking to develop their surgical planning skills. It is a helpful field guide for any ophthalmologists who does strabismus and who is looking for a handy addition to their reference shelf.
The Wilms' Tumor (WT1) Gene
by Nicholas HastieThis volume provides a thorough overview of the Wilms Tumour Gene (WT1). The book begins with three review chapters that cover the involvement of WT1 in pediatric cancer, kidney disease, and tissue development and homeostasis. The next few chapters discuss cell marking and lineage tracing, epicardial cell methodology, colony forming assays for bone marrow stem cells, angiogenesis assays and zebrafish tools. The next group of chapters explores the latest tools in genomics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. They discuss dissecting transcription factor function in cell free systems, ChiP seq, proteomics, RNA interactome, and multiphoton imaging of lipids, measuring the binding constants of protein-nucleic acid interactions, and bioinformatics approaches for analyzing Next Generation Sequence data. The final chapter discusses protocols for clinical trials for immune therapy using anti-WT1 peptides. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology" series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and thorough, "The Wilms Tumour (WT1) Gene: Methods and Protocols" is a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in the diverse methodologies used in WT1 research. "
The Wine-Dark Sea Within: A Turbulent History of Blood
by Dr. Dhun SethnaA revisionist history of medicine, in which blood plays the starring role Inspired by Homer&’s description of the ebb and flow of the &“wine dark sea,&” the ancient Greeks conceived a back-and-forth movement of blood. That false notion, perpetuated by the influential Roman physician Galen, prevailed for fifteen hundred years until William Harvey proved that blood circulates: the heart pumps blood in one direction through the arteries and it returns through the veins. Harvey&’s discovery revolutionized the life sciences by making possible an entirely new quantitative understanding of the cardiovascular system, a way of thinking on which many of our lifesaving medical interventions today depend. In The Wine-Dark Sea Within, cardiologist Dhun Sethna argues that Harvey&’s revelation inaugurated modern medicine and paved the way for groundbreaking advances from intravenous therapy, cardiac imaging, and stent insertions to bypass surgery, dialysis, and heart-lung machines. Weaving together three thousand years of global history, following bitter feuds and epic alliances, tragic failures and extraordinary advancements, this is a provocative history by a fresh voice in popular science.
The Winter Station
by Jody ShieldsAn aristocratic Russian doctor races to contain a deadly plague in an outpost city in Manchuria - before it spreads to the rest of the world. 1910: people are mysteriously dying at an alarming rate in the Russian-ruled city of Kharbin, a major railway outpost in Northern China. Strangely, some of the dead bodies vanish before they can be identified.During a dangerously cold winter in a city gripped by fear, the Baron, a wealthy Russian aristocrat and the city's medical commissioner, is determined to stop this mysterious plague. Battling local customs, an occupying army, and a brutal epidemic with no name, the Baron is torn between duty and compassion, between Western medical science and respect for Chinese tradition. His allies include a French doctor, a black marketeer, and a charismatic Chinese dwarf. His greatest refuge is the intimacy he shares with his young Chinese wife - but she has secrets of her own.Based on a true story that has been lost to history, set during the last days of imperial Russia, THE WINTER STATION is a richly textured and brilliant novel about mortality, fear and love.
The Wisdom of Nurses: Stories of Grit From the Front Lines
by Amie Archibald-Varley Sara FungFrom the hosts of the hit podcast The Gritty Nurse, stories of the challenges, heartbreak and humour of life on the front lineOne of the enduring lessons of the pandemic has been the pivotal role that nursing plays in health care—vital work that isn’t widely understood or, sadly, appreciated. Sara Fung and Amie Archibald-Varley started the wildly popular The Gritty Nurse podcast to give voice to nurses all over the world, including more than 400,000 nurses in Canada. The authors have quickly become sought-after speakers and advocates for nurses and are called on regularly by the media to talk about a wide range of issues around the profession. In their first book, they take you to the front line of nursing to show the compassion, selflessness and dedication of professionals who not only give it all for their patients, but get up and do it over and over again.
The Wisdom of Plagues: Lessons from 25 Years of Covering Pandemics
by Donald G. McNeil Jr.Award-winning New York Times reporter Donald G. McNeil, Jr. reflects on twenty-five years of covering pandemics—how governments react to them, how the media covers them, how they are exploited, and what we can do to prepare for the next one—in this &“fascinating, ferocious fusillade against humanity&’s two deadliest enemies: disease and itself&” (The Economist).For millions of Americans, Donald G. McNeil, Jr. was a comforting voice when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. He was a regular reporter on The New York Times&’s popular podcast The Daily and told listeners early on to prepare for the worst. He&’d covered public health for twenty-five years and quickly realized that an obscure virus in Wuhan, China, was destined to grow into a global pandemic rivaling the 1918 Spanish flu. Because of his clear advice, a generation of Times readers knew the risk was real but that they might be spared by taking the right precautions. Because of his prescient work, The New York Times won the 2021 Pulitzer Gold Medal for Public Service. The Wisdom of Plagues is &“must-reading for preparing us better for the next unavoidable epidemic&” (Peter Piot, MD, co-discoverer of Ebola) as McNeil shares his account of what he learned over a quarter-century of reporting in over sixty counties. Many science reporters understand the basics of diseases—from how a virus works to what goes into making a vaccine. But very few understand the psychology of how small outbreaks turn into pandemics, why people refuse to believe they&’re at risk, or why they reject protective measures like quarantine or vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic was the story McNeil had trained his whole life to cover. His expertise and breadth of sources let him make many accurate predictions in 2020 about the course that a deadly new virus would take and how different countries would respond. By the time McNeil wrote his last New York Times stories, he had not lost his compassion—but he had grown far more stone-hearted about how governments should react. He had witnessed enough disasters and read enough history to realize that while every epidemic is different, failure was the one constant. Small case-clusters ballooned into catastrophe because weak leaders became mired in denial. Citizens refused to make even minor sacrifices for the common good. They were encouraged in that by money-hungry entrepreneurs and power-hungry populists. Science was ignored, obvious truths were denied, and the innocent too often died. In The Wisdom of Plagues, &“one of the most enlightening books on public health&” (Lena Wen, MD), McNeil offers tough, prescriptive advice on what we can do to improve global health and be better prepared for the inevitable next pandemic.
The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS
by Elizabeth PisaniA flame-throwing epidemiologist talks about sex, drugs, and the mistakes (dismal), ideologies (vicious), and hopes (realistic) of international AIDS prevention. When people ask Elizabeth Pisani what she does for a living, she says, "sex and drugs." As an epidemiologist researching AIDS, she's been involved with international efforts to halt the disease for fourteen years. With swashbuckling wit and fierce honesty, she dishes on herself and her colleagues as they try to prod reluctant governments to fund HIV prevention for the people who need it most--drug injectors, gay men, sex workers, and johns.Pisani chats with flamboyant Indonesian transsexuals about their boob jobs and watches Chinese streetwalkers turn away clients because their SUVs aren't nice enough. With verve and clarity, she shows the general reader how her profession really works; how easy it is to draw wrong conclusions from "objective" data; and, shockingly, how much money is spent so very badly. "Exhibit A": the 45 billion taxpayer dollars the Bush administration is committing to international AIDS programs.