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Publisher: London, Univ. PressPublication date: 1918Subjects: MalariaNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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"Cinchona revolutionized the art of medicine as profoundly as gunpowder had the art of war."

Customer Reviews (10)

Informative and Entertaining
I found this book to be very informative and a pleasure to read.It recounts the story of malaria and quinine in an entertaining manner.It is very antithesis of a dry science-history that imparts the necessary information but in the process bores the reader to death.The author has personal experience with malaria and weaves this into the story, giving it a more human dimension.This is not to say that the book is about her and her family, although this is discussed.The book recounts the history of malaria, its impact on history in general, the search for a cure, and how this cure was implemented.It tells how the bark of a plant located thousands of miles away from the centers of malaria contagion was found to be a cure and how this was brought to the attention of the whole world.The reader learns how Jesuits brought the bark of the miraculous fever tree to Rome, how the value of the drug produced from it was debated, denigrated and finally accepted.The book also recounts the economic aspects of the story, from the attempt to prevent trees being grown outside their natural habitat, thereby marinating a lucrative monopoly, to the planting of forests in Asia and Africa, to the development of chemically produced alternatives and their impact on these forests.The book also discuses the important military aspects of this story, from its impact on the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War to WWI and WWII.The complex life cycle of the malaria parasite is discussed, as is the story of how this very complex riddle was solved.

This may not be the definitive book on malaria and quinine, but in my opinion the story was covered in sufficient detail for me and in a manner that I greatly appreciated.I recommend this book to those interested in the history of medicine, history in general and to all those who appreciate a well-written non-fiction book.

A well-crafted, beautifully written book
Books about things that "change the world," are still popular and relevant to the non-fiction reader.A classic example is Fiammetta Rocco's, Quinine: Malaria and the Quest for a Cure That Changed the World (Harper Collins, 2003), a book that traces the history of quinine from its discovery in the 17th Century by Jesuit missionaries in Peru to its use by expanding European colonial powers and its role in the development of modern anti-malaria pills.The priests learned of the bark of the cinchona tree, which was used by Andean natives to cure shivering, at a time when malaria, then known as Roman ague or marsh fever, was devastating southern Europe.The Jesuits eagerly began the distribution of the curative bark, which also helped European explorers and missionaries survive the disease as they entered new territories. The interest generated by Rocco's book is due to her delving into the relationship between man and plant and that as she demonstrates so well, a plant substance can be dealt with at a personal level.She also is the great-granddaughter of Phillipe Bunau-Varilla, a soldier and engineer and at one time the Panamanian ambassador to the United States. A genius in the art of lobbyist statecraft, he has been referred to as the "Inventor of Panama," and was called one of the most extraordinary Frenchmen to ever live, and he, like his granddaughter survived malaria, so Rocco knows about malaria and quinine from street level, so to speak. She also has the advantage of being a really good writer and having travelled or lived in many interesting places. Well-crafted, beautifully written, it is book well worth the read.

Bitter pills
Subtitles about X "that changed the world" are off-putting, because most such books are superficial or narrow-minded, or both. Not "Quinine."

Although Fiammetta Rocco's approach is idiosyncratic, it is thorough. She visited many of the key places, from Peru to the Congo, and she read some of the original documents. Also, she has had malaria herself and comes from a family with an intimate association with the disease, from Panama to her childhood home in Kenya. In the hands of a less skilled writer, her discursive approach would not have worked. Here, it works charmingly.

Not that the story has much charm of its own. Not only is malaria a nasty disease, the men who found the cinchona tree and guessed it would treat the fever and who fought among themselves over religion and profits often, ended up half- to fully mad.

The whole thing is so improbable. Malaria existed only in the Old World, the fever-tree only in the Andes of the New World. The locals drank a powder of the very bitter bark to ease the shakes, which gave the idea to a Jesuit that it might treat the fever in Rome -- at that time, 1630, fever was thought to be a disease, not a symptom.

The intellectual battles over this cure helped to dismantle the belief in Greek medicine, and, much later, the investigation of the disease's transmission also opened up an unexpected area of natural history -- human parasites mediated by insects.

One word that does not appear in "Quinine" is "vaccine." Largish sums of money and very large hopes are being invested in finding a malaria vaccine. There are reasons to think this venture will never succeed. At any event, Rocco ignores this avenue to concentrate on the tried-and-true cure.

She also, thankfully, says not a word about global warming and the expansion of malaria. Malaria is not a tropical disease -- a point she makes repeatedly -- and a warmer world will not extend its reach. It is a disease of poverty, and she includes a world map of malaria's empire in the 21st century that makes the point clear.

Her day job is as a literary editor in London, and she includes a list of novels in which malaria features. It is this sort of personal intrusion that helps raise "Quinine" well above the usual level of techno-historical writing.

Malaria shows limits of evlution
Malaria has always plagued mankind. This gives us extensive history of the malaria parasite's and mankind's evolutionary response to each other. In reviewing this warfare of parasite vs. host in a scientific way, Michael Behe in his "The Edge of Evolution" shows how far evolution can go -- and it isn't very far.

Nicely Done
If you like meanders through history, and the type of big picture "How X changed the world" books, then this is for you.Draws upon the author's family history, and takes us on a 5 century long whirlwind tour.Liked it. ... Read more

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Malaria And The Spleen; Injuries Of The Spleen, An Analysis Of Thirty-Nine Cases. ... Read more

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Malaria causes more death and disease than any other parasitic pathogen known today. This multiauthored text covers the important areas of malaria research, particularly focusing on those sectors which are of clinical importance for the understanding of the disease, the parasite, and its vector.
The chapter authors are all leading experts within their own particular fields. The biology and molecular biology of the parasite, the clinical spectrum of the disease, the pathogenesis of malaria, and the immunology and emergence of malaria vaccines are some examples of the scientific spheres that are discussed.
The book is suitable as a text for graduate students and clinicians as well as researchers at universities and companies involved in treating or studying infectious diseases. ... Read more

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This book focuses on "malaria", specifically covering the overview of malarial research in Southeast Asia, the area with a high prevalence of this disease. Clinical aspects, scientific laboratory aspects, public health aspects, as well as the social sciences relating to this important tropical disease observed and studied in Southeast Asia, are the focus of this important and timely book. In addition, the diagnostic guideline and clinical practice guidelines of the above-mentioned conditions are presented. ... Read more

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Malaria is one of the leading killers in the world today. Though drugs against malaria have a long history, attempts to develop novel therapeutics spanned the twentieth century and continue today. In this historical study, Leo B. Slater shows the roots and branches of an enormous drug development project during World War II. Fighting around the globe, American soldiers were at high risk for contracting malaria, yet quinine a natural cure became harder to acquire. A U.S. government-funded antimalarial program, initiated by the National Research Council, brought together diverse laboratories and specialists to provide the best drugs to the nation's military. This wartime research would deliver chloroquinine long the drug of choice for prevention and treatment of malaria and a host of other chemotherapeutic insights.
A massive undertaking, the antimalarial program was to biomedical research what the Manhattan Project was to the physical sciences.
A volume in the Critical Issues in Health and Medicine series, edited by Rima D. Apple and Janet Golden ... Read more

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Malaria and Rome is the first comprehensive book on the history of malaria in Roman Italy. Aimed at an interdisciplinary readership, it explores the evolution and ecology of malaria, its medical and demographic effects on human populations in antiquity, its social and economic effects, the human responses to it, and the human interpretations of it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Everything you ever wanted to know about malaria and Rome but were afraid to ask
For people who are researching disease in the ancient world, this book is a treasure trove of information.The bibliography alone is worth finding this book.It's well written and presented in a manner that's not going to completely overwhelm people.With it's combination of ancient, historical, and modern findings, Malaria and Rome is a comprehensive review of the topic. ... Read more

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Malaria affects very large populations in tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world and the situation is now exacerbated by a growing resistance to drugs and insecticides by parasite and mosquito, respectively. Addresses the problem of public health management at the individual and community level, including the use and supply of drugs currently available as well as the economics of already strained health programs. The current status of vaccine development is assessed and recommendations are made for future research. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Internal Medicine News, published by International Medical News Group on February 1, 2004. The length of the article is 567 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Malaria prophylaxis options set by CDC panel: five first-line agents.(Infectious Diseasesophylax )(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Author: Mitchel L. Zoler
Publication: Internal Medicine News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2004
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 37Issue: 3Page: 74(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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Chronicles the search for and use of medicines to conquer malaria, one of the world's most devastating and debilitating infectious diseases: * Examines drug treatments past and present; how they came in to being and how they have been used or abused * Examines how the drugs act and how the parasite is able to fight back * Focuses on understanding the problem of drug resistance and how its effects can be thwarted ... Read more

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Malaria is making a dramatic comeback in the world. The disease is the foremost health challenge in Africa south of the Sahara, and people traveling to malarious areas are at increased risk of malaria-related sickness and death. This book examines the prospects for bringing malaria under control, with specific recommendations for U.S. policy, directions for research and program funding, and appropriate roles for federal and international agencies and the medical and public health communities. The volume reports on the current status of malaria research, prevention, and control efforts worldwide. The authors present study results and commentary on the Nature, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and epidemiology of malaria. This book talks about: biology of the malaria parasite and its vector; prospects for developing malaria vaccines and improved treatments; and economic, social, and behavioral factors in malaria control. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good book for kids about malaria
Little Things Make Big Differences: A Story about Malaria, written by Rev. John Nunes and Monique Nunes, is based on a true story about Rehema, a girl who lives in Tanzania.

When Rehema was just a baby, she was bitten by a mosquito and contracted malaria. Her parents walked many miles to a hospital to get treatment for her. Because of this, she survived and her parents learned how to protect themselves and others from mosquito bites.

Most of the book is devoted to Rehema's story. The last few pages give readers ways they can help those in countries like Tanzania.

The illustrations by Mark Schroder are detailed and expressive, but they are also done in darker, muted colors that fit the tone of the story.

What I Like: This is a good book for children to learn about malaria and how it is spread. The story is an interesting one and is well-written.

What I Dislike: The layout of the book is a bit awkward in regards to the binding. One of the two-page spreads has a person's face partially obscured, catching half the person's mouth and nose in the folds of the spiral binding, which looks rather odd. On another page, a person's elbow looks like it has been cut in half.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review ... Read more

Product Description
Malaria is a serious health and economic problem in Africa, afflicting more than half of the continent's population. Although HICV/AIDS, TB and nutritional deficiencies pose major development problems on the continent, the challenges presented by malaria are of a different kind, because the disease is widespread, persistent and grossly underestimated by the general population. The importance of malaria, along with HIV/AIDS and other diseases in the development agenda, is now recognised in Goal 6 of the Millennium Goals. This book provides the evidence required to design and implement malaria control strategies in Africa. The chapters analyse the nexus between poverty and malaria with a focus on policies that can be implemented at various levels of society to fight the disease. Malaria and Poverty in Africa is the outcome of a research sponsored by the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC). Augustin Kwasi Fosu is the Director, Economic Division of the United Nations Commision for Africa, Addis Ababa, and former Director of Research at the AERC, Nairobi. Germano Mwabu is Professor of Economics at the University of Nairobi. He was co-director of the AERC project on Poverty Income Distribution and Labour Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. ... Read more