Book Description

Why do racial and ethnic controversies become attached, as they often do, to discussions of modern genetics? How do theories about genetic difference become entangled with political debates about cultural and group differences in America? Such issues are a conspicuous part of the histories of three hereditary diseases: Tay-Sachs, commonly identified with Jewish Americans; cystic fibrosis, often labeled a "Caucasian" disease; and sickle cell disease, widely associated with African Americans.

In this captivating account, historians Keith Wailoo and Stephen Pemberton reveal how these diseases -- fraught with ethnic and racial meanings for many Americans -- became objects of biological fascination and crucibles of social debate. Peering behind the headlines of breakthrough treatments and coming cures, they tell a complex story: about different kinds of suffering and faith, about unequal access to the promises and perils of modern medicine, and about how Americans consume innovation and how they come to believe in, or resist, the notion of imminent medical breakthroughs.

With Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell disease as a powerful backdrop, the authors provide a glimpse into a diverse America where racial ideologies, cultural politics, and conflicting beliefs about the power of genetics shape disparate health care expectations and experiences.

Customer Reviews (1)

A powerful testimony to the power of prejudice even in the field of medical research.
The Troubled Dream of Genetic Medicine: Ethnicity and Innovation in Tay-Sachs, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sickle Cell Disease provides a history of diseases which have been connected with racial makeup, sparking ethnic controversies in their discussion and analysis. The authors draw links between biology and social issues, examining underlying influences on research and perspective of modern medicine and how Americans ultimately come to embrace or reject projected breakthroughs. From therapy as social justice to media headlines and changing social perspectives, THE TROUBLED DREAM OF GENETIC MEDICINE is a powerful testimony to the power of prejudice even in the field of medical research.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Book Description

The Gale Encyclopedia of Science is written at a level somewhere between the introductory sources and the highly technical texts currently available. This six-volume set covers all major areas of science and engineering, as well as mathematics and the medical and health sciences, while providing a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge and technology. Alphabetically arranged entries provide a user-friendly format that makes the broad scope of information easy to access and decipher. Entries typically describe scientific concepts, provide overviews of scientific areas and, in some cases, define terms.

Book Description

The Gale Encyclopedia of Science is written at a level somewhere between the introductory sources and the highly technical texts currently available. This six-volume set covers all major areas of science and engineering, as well as mathematics and the medical and health sciences, while providing a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge and technology. Alphabetically arranged entries provide a user-friendly format that makes the broad scope of information easy to access and decipher. Entries typically describe scientific concepts, provide overviews of scientific areas and, in some cases, define terms.

Book Description

Avoiding hard-to-understand medical jargon, the four-volume Gale Encyclopedia of Childrens Health uses language that parents can understand, while still providing enough depth to benefit today's health science students. The set provides in-depth coverage of pediatric diseases and disorders, along with issues related to physical and cognitive/behavioral development.

Book Description
The article is excerpted fromGale Encyclopedia of Medicine.

Consult the second edition of this authoritative, comprehensive, in-depth medical guide for information on more than 1,700 medical topics in language accessible to adult laypersons. Presented in a single alphabetical sequence, articles range in length from one or two paragraphs for minor topics, to several pages or more for major topics. Disease/disorder articles typically cover definition; description; causes and symptoms; diagnosis; treatments; prevention; and more. Test/treatment articles typically cover definition; purposes; precautions; preparation; risks; normal and abnormal results; and much more. This second edition includes more than 200 new entries, 300 updated entries, approximately 650 color images and illustrations, and a comprehensive subject index. New features include biographical and historical sidebars throughout the text.

Disease/disorder articles contain some or all of the following sections:

• Definitions -- brief dictionary-style definition of the disorder
• Descriptions -- overview of the disorder; who gets it and why
• Causes & symptoms -- process, substance or organism that produces the condition; any risk factors that increase susceptibility to the condition; signs and symptoms of the disease
• Diagnosis -- overview of procedures and tests used to diagnose the condition; how the test is done; who should be tested and when; time required; cost; whether it's typically covered by insurance
• Treatments -- overview of conventional methods of care or management of the condition, such as drugs, surgeries, physical therapy, etc.
• Alternative treatments -- overview of alternative/complementary therapies that may be used to treat the condition
• Prognosis -- probable outcome of the disease
• Preventions -- what actions can be taken to prevent the condition from occurring

Book Description

Information on many genetic disorders, and the frequent new findings on them, has been extremely difficult to come byuntil now. The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders addresses the need for current, hard-to-find facts on emerging discoveries. The two-volume Encyclopedia, presented in a single alphabetical sequence, provides clear, complete information on genetic disorders, including conditions, tests, procedures, treatments and therapies, in articles that are both comprehensive and easy to understand, in language accessible to laypersons. The articles are arranged in a standardized format for quick comparison and ease of use, while non-disorder topics are covered in detail with extended entries. Students will want to consult the Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders for useful information on a range of well known disorders, including Down Syndrome, Trisomy, Hemophilia and Tourette Syndrome, and rarely seen diseases such as Meckel Syndrome, Neuraminidase Deficiency and Phenylketonuria.