vaccination

A biography of French scientist Louis Pasteur, focusing on his work in discovering germs, how to prevent germs from making food spoil, and finding a vaccine against rabies.

Chronicles the lives and work of Pearl Kendrick and Grace Eldering, who developed a vaccine for whooping cough. Discusses the dangers of whooping cough, the scientists' education and work, and how the vaccine was developed. Includes photos, a timeline, glossary, index, and resources for further information.

Discusses the public and political debate on vaccines.

"Provides a thorough overview of the major pros and cons of vaccines"--OCLC.

Before the advent of vaccines, enormous epidemics of measles, mumps, whooping cough, polio, and other crippling diseases ravaged humanity around the globe. That frightening situation began to change when Edward Jenner, Louis Pasteur, and other pioneering medical researchers developed the first vaccines-which use a portion of a disease germ to stimulate the body's immune reaction to that malady. Today, hundreds of millions of people gain immunity to deadly diseases through vaccination.

"Vaccines are one of the most important public health achievements of our time. But now as many vaccine preventable diseases are no longer perceived an imminent threat, vaccines are both lauded and feared, amplified by rapid-fire dissemination of conflicting messages. This book will follow the story of vaccines in the past, present and future to disentangle fact from fiction and underscore their important role in our society"--.

"... recounts the ... history of vaccines, their important role in protecting community health, and ... cutting-edge research"--Jacket flap.

Invisible microbes cause sickness by invading our bodies and multiplying. But doctors didn't always know that sickness was caused by germs. Most people thought diseases came from smelly, damp air. But over time, those ideas changed. A Dutch scientist saw bacteria through his microscope. Doctors realized that when they washed their hands, fewer people died. And a doctor in London recognized that disease could spread through contaminated water. Because of these discoveries, people eventually learned that hygiene was the key to stopping disease. Hospitals used clean surgical instruments, and cities developed trash removal and sewage systems. Learn more about the discovery and defeat of bacteria!.

Some vaccines may be controversial today, but undoubtedly they have saved millions of lives since their introduction. Mass inoculations began with the polio vaccine in 1952 and since then have become a part of modern life. This important volume makes vaccine technology understandable, describing the different types, how they're administered, and their side effects and limitations. Readers will feel well-informed as they come to comprehend key topics such as herd immunity, the anti-vaccination movement, and new developments in vaccine technology, including the diseases they may treat in the future and how they're delivered.

Looks at the history and science behind vaccinations.