Science and Empire: East Coast Fever in Rhodesia and the Transvaal

ISBN-13: 9780521392532 / Angielski / Twarda / 1991 / 404 str.

New York) Paul F. Cranefield (Rockefeller University

Opis

East Coast fever is a lethal disease of cattle caused by a parasite. It affects and distorts lymph cells and causes them to behave like cells in leukemia and lymphoma. The disease was unknown to Western science or to veterinary practice until it was introduced into Rhodesia in 1901. It devastated the cattle-raising and ox-cart dependent transport systems of Rhodesia and South Africa and was not fully brought under control for some fifty years. It remains a serious problem in East and Central Africa. The book describes the social and economic impact of the outbreak, the scientific investigations into it, and the effort to control it. The scientific study of the disease was done in part by the famous bacteriologist, Robert Koch, whose many early errors retarded later investigations, which were far more sound. Much of the text is accessible to the nonspecialist reader and one chapter deals with the present-day understanding of the basic nature of the disease.

Recenzje

"...fascinating, well-written book....thoroughly grounded in research in relevant archives and the scientific literature. The author has many significant things to say about the process of scientific discovery, the role of intellectual authority, communications among researchers, and intellectual relationships between center and periphery. He also tells a very interesting and important story." K. David Patterson, Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Science

Spis treści

List of illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1. Prologue; 2. The places and the players; 3. A new disease?; 4. The search for an expert; 5. Robert Koch in Bulawayo; 6. Joseph Chamberlain; 7. Arnold Theiler, Charles Lounsbury and Duncan Hutcheon; 8. The fight against East Coast fever; 9. The African-owned cattle in Rhodesia; 10. Two more parasites and another new disease; 11. What is East Coast fever?; 12. Epilogue; Notes and references; Index.