Death in a Small Package: A Short History of Anthrax (Johns Hopkins Biographies of Disease)
An important piece of work. Jones is extremely well versed in the biology of anthrax, and she understands as well the social and environmental context. Her decision to write from the point of view of the organism is excellent. Jones avoids the trap of writing from a purely human perspective. She develops not only the ecology of the disease but also how it was transformed from a local into an international problem.(Gerald N. Grob, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey)An excellent resource for understanding the history of anthrax and its relationship to humans... Highly recommended.(Choice)Jones's study breaks new ground in linking the histories of four types of anthrax: agricultural, laboratory, industrial, and weaponized... A great virtue of Jones's book is the dialogue between biology and history...Death in a Small Packagebeautifully illustrates the old truism that history is a dialogue between the present and the past and should be an essential text of historiography courses, as well as those on infectious diseases, military research, and bioethics.(Michael WorboysBulletin of the History of Medicine)A rich history of anthrax, which weaves together themes ranging across laboratory science, preventive medicine, and the technological developments which brought together biological agents and pre-existing military expertise... [an] excellent book.(James F. StarkBritish Journal of the History of Science)Jones' book provides plenty of thought-provoking material for general readers and for specialist teachers of science and technology courses alike.(Mark HonigsbaumSocial History of Medicine)Death in a Small Packageis interesting, well written, and accessible, presenting a worthwhile addition to the history of modern medicine and bacteriological science.(Karen BrownIsis)This history of anthrax describes the bacteria’s transformation from agricultural disease to biological weapon.(Science News)