Captain of Death Story of Tuberculosis

The re-emergence of tuberculosis as a major American public health hazard has focused much attention on the ancient disease. This book offers a comprehensive account of the disease from prehistoric times through to the present day, detailing the attempts to eradicate it completely. Its four separate sections (the spread of tuberculosis; its infectious nature; suseptibility to it; and methods of treatment) are linked through the device of presenting individuals' particular experience of the disease, whether as victims, or as those who made contributions to our knowledge of it; in between these vignettes, the book unfolds the history and explains the pathogensis of TB. Daniel's Captain of Death: The Story of Tuberculosis gives a fine introduction to the fascinating history of the disease, told in an unusually friendly manner. Daniel successfully communicates his love of the subject...and his literary style will pull the reader along effortlessly. Daniel's profound commitment to his subject is apparent. --NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, Oct. 1998 Entertaining and instructive...the book (is) readily accessible to the lay public. --SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL TIMES Daniel's description of the modern accounts of the bio-medical response to the disease is the most compelling part of the story. --AMERICAN J. OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Vol. 11 The clarity and intelligence with which Daniel deploys his scientific knowledge to make the science of tuberculosis accessible to the general reader make this book both enjoyable and instructive. --MEDICAL HISTORY