The Pathological Protein: Mad Cow, Chronic Wasting, and Other Deadly Prion Diseases [Paperback]

Prions are an entirely new class of pathogens, and scientists are just beginning to understand them. This book tells the strange story of their discovery, and the medical controversies that swirl around them.A Death in Devizes.- One in a Million.- The Cannibals Laughing Death.- Connecting the Holes.- The Birth of the Prion.- Family Curses.- On the Prion Proving Grounds.- Consuming Fears.- Mad Cows Human Toll.- Keeping the Madness Out.- Scourge of the Cervids.- Misadventures in Medicine.- Searching for Cures.- Laying Odds.

From the reviews:

The book is written for a general audience and is not necessarily targeted specifically to those in the medical field, according to the author. & This is an excellent book for the person who has a broad interest in prion diseases. It is well written and informative. I was impressed with the quality of the book and how easy it is to read. & I would recommend it to both physicians and lay people. (Leah D. Kroger, www.doody.com, February, 2004)

Scientists still have more questions than answers about BSE, vCJD and the related scourges which make up the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Philip Yams book, The Pathological Protein, does an admirable job of exploring them. & is full of such sensible observations, a welcome novelty in discussions on this fraught topic. The author is particularly good at explaining the complex and controversial science behind TSEs, as well as the prospects for better diagnosis and treatment & . (The Economist online, March, 2004)

Philip Yam, Scientific American writer and editor, has a knack for boiling down complex science and making it palatable to the general public. Yam demonstrates his skills in an important new book, The Pathological Protein. & His treatment is thorough, entertaining, and honest. & This is definitely a book for decision-makers to read and underline. & it is a sourcebook of extre