Title: Statistical methods in clinical and preventive medicine
Description: The  author  has  been  at  the  centre  of a number  of classical  trials  of drugs  and antibiotics  as  well  as  of vaccines.  Streptomycin  completely  changed  the  whole pattern  of  treatment  of  tuberculosis,  antihistamines  did  not  do  much  for  the common  cold;  both  the  positive  and  the  negative  findings  were  important scientific  conclusions  based  on  this  blend  of  statistical  method  and  clinical appreciation.  Probably  no  therapeutic  agent  has  been  so  fruitful  with  hope  or so fraught  with  dangers  as cortisone.  The  Medical  Research  Council  under  the 
author’s  guidance  has  enabled  a precise  evaluation  of potentiality  to be  achieved. In  relation  to vaccines,  too,  the  contribution  of  the  statistical  method  has  been vital—illustrated  here  by  trials  of whooping  cough  vaccine,  BCG,  and  influenza vaccine. 

The  book  ends  with  a tribute  to an  earlier  practitioner  of logic—John  Snow— the  man  who  banished  cholera.  It  is  a cautionary  tale.  ‘. . . the whole  of  Snow’s  case  rested  upon circumstantial  evidence,  almost  entirely upon  statistical  observations  and  relationships.  Even  the  not  so  stubborn  were allergic  to that  kind  of evidence—and  are  still  allergic  to  it’.
Subjects: Statistics, Biostatistics, Statistical methods, Design of experiments, Experimental design, Clinical trials, Epidemiology, Medical statistics, Medicine -- Research, Preventive Medicine, Medicine, Research