Enjoyed this fascinating scientific information filled book about American Lobsters. A comprehensive microhistory book about one of the expensive crusEnjoyed this fascinating scientific information filled book about American Lobsters. A comprehensive microhistory book about one of the expensive crustaceans. ...more
If you think the movie “Outbreak” is gripping, then you should read this book. Book is ten times more engrossing than the movie. I think the movie is If you think the movie “Outbreak” is gripping, then you should read this book. Book is ten times more engrossing than the movie. I think the movie is influenced by this book. A non-fiction book about Ebola virus that reads like a fiction. I really liked the story telling writing style of the author.
Book covers the search for origin of Ebola virus in central Africa where there were multiple outbreaks (Around 35!) . It also talks about the horrible effects of the infection and US Army and CDC’s effort to understand and classify this Level 4 hot vector. Ebola has six variants. Marburg, Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan and Ebola Renton. The last one is named after the outbreak in a primate facility in Virgina, USA back in 1989. Two more variants were identified since this book was published.
Second half of the book covers extensively the Ebola outbreak in USA back in 1989 and the key players from USAMRIID and CDC who helped investigate, identify the strain/transmission mode and contain the outbreak. Since this book was written there was another outbreak of Ebola around 2014 in USA. The threat of another outbreak in any country lurks in the background always and what is bad about this virus is the mortality rate (90%) and the lack of vaccination and treatment antiviral medicine. The only option is to isolation of the infected subjects and sterilize the infected zone.
I highly recommend this micro-history book about Ebola for anybody interested in global outbreaks and history of virulent infectious agents. ...more
Being an avid fisherman myself, who has done my fair share of fishing in lakes, rivers, surfs, and deep seas of North America, I was naturally drawn tBeing an avid fisherman myself, who has done my fair share of fishing in lakes, rivers, surfs, and deep seas of North America, I was naturally drawn to this book when I saw it in hoopla. I have caught quite a few fish species using different tackle in my life and was always interested in the history of fishing itself and its techniques and equipment’s evolution. This book did help me with that to some extent. But not to the level I hoped it would. Unlike other books of Brian, this book’s content was extremely dry and textbook like. Also, the lay out of the book is not in any logical or chronological order and is all over the place which was frustrating and off-putting. So, I ended up skimming through the book quickly and finished it. In the end, I cannot really say that I learned things I already didn't know from this book. ...more
A must read for anybody interested in knowing how the world of surgery got transformed from extremely unsafe to a safe and sterile place . The credit A must read for anybody interested in knowing how the world of surgery got transformed from extremely unsafe to a safe and sterile place . The credit for this radical transformation goes to a single man's untiring search for the source of infection and remedy the high mortality rates in the surgical room. Joseph Lister's discovery and the application of antisepsis via carbolic acid saved innumerous number of people who under went surgery since mid 19th century including the Queen of England herself . His process eventually lead to the current asepsis of all the ORs. You will find this book fascinating if you have interest in medical /Surgical history. It is worth mentioning the collaboration between English Lister and French Pasture to solve the grand problem. True People of science don't have borders and they don't serve their country but the entire Humanity....more
I expected this book to be a micro-history of beef in America when I picked it up. +Turned out, this book is an exposé of the American cattle-beef indI expected this book to be a micro-history of beef in America when I picked it up. +Turned out, this book is an exposé of the American cattle-beef industry's dark genesis through false romanticization of wild west ranchers in the American public's mind, violent exclusion of people and heavy industrialization of the process to provide cheap beef. From expropriation of native lands and buffalos from plains Indians militarily for ranching to brutal labor exploitation in the stockyards & slaughter houses, politics and policies tailored to serve the corporations and ranchers, the back story of cheap meat in America is not at all rosy as we think. Like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" , this book is startling and informative.
We seldom think about rabies these days as infections such as SARS, Ebola, Swine Flu, Influenza and recently COVID stole the limelight. This 100% fataWe seldom think about rabies these days as infections such as SARS, Ebola, Swine Flu, Influenza and recently COVID stole the limelight. This 100% fatal infection is underreported in the media and literary world. I think, most of us like me assumed that Rabies is a one of those diseases that got eradicated by human scientific ingenuity like smallpox. Also, in my childhood I have heard of the painful 21 shots around the navel of the person bitten by Rabid dogs in India. I have also heard of ridiculous superstitious treatments for rabid dog bites in rural south India. And that is all I knew about this disease. But this book showed how little we know about this infectious disease.
Through this interesting book I have educated myself about the history, disease’s characteristics, the medieval legends, cultural influences, scientific struggles for a cure and current state of rabies very comprehensively. I enjoyed the chapters about the disease’s history during medieval, late renaissance, and early age of enlightenment periods. The analysis about how it is possible that the famous legends of werewolves and vampires could have originated from the infection of this disease. Also, the shockingly ridiculous treatment regime followed by the renaissance doctors and the 19th century scientists like Louis Pasteur’s relentless effort to understand and tame this disease is interesting. I always associated rabies with dogs before this book. But I learned that it could infect a whole host of animals like Racoons, Fox, bats, etc. But the easily transmittable path is because of canine -human proximity. I was shocked to learn that even today there is a no effective treatment regime post infection for humans. But happy to know that efforts are being made to overcome the blood brain barrier for an effective treatment other than vaccines. As of now the only sure way to prevent this is to vaccinate the possible host animals. Next time I go camping, will keep an eye out for them Bats and Raccoons ...more
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