ISSN: 1080-6059
Volume 14, Number 4–April 2008
Book Review
Travel Medicine: Tales Behind the Science
Annelies Wilder-Smith, Marc Shaw, and Eric Schwartz, editors
Elsevier Science, New York, New York, USA, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-08-045359-0
Pages: 333; Price: US $42.80
Suggested citation for this article
This book is a compilation of 40 essays written by many of the most recognized names in the field of travel medicine. It is divided into 9 sections with such topics as the history of travel medicine, vaccines, travel medicine research, pilgrimages, and even space travel. Photographs, tables, and charts enhance the reader's interest, especially when one spots a familiar person or place.
The styles range from the didactic, to short story to poetry, and the mood ranges from the humor of Jay Keystone's "Ten Commandments" to the stark reality of Marc Shaw's "Amazonas Adventure." One cannot help but chuckle at Charles Ericsson's description of diarrhea research or laugh outright at Steve Toovey's "Woman Atop the Crocodile," and Nancy Piper Jenks' account of undocumented migrants may bring the reader to tears.
This is not a formal textbook of travel medicine, but much can be learned from it. Although not a history text, the book is replete with fascinating accounts of medical history. One learns such things as the origin of the word "quarantine," the complexities of preparing a certification examination, and the sheer terror of being on the front lines of an epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome. In short, the volume explains why things are the way they are in travel medicine and why this new discipline has, of necessity, become a separate specialty.
The essays need not be read in the order presented, but surprisingly, some of the topics that seem least interesting turn out to be the most fascinating. Much of the book reads like a medical detective story; other parts read like a medical journal but the writing is more compelling.
If I had to produce a criticism for the book, it would be simply that the publisher has picked a size of print that is almost too small for my presbyopic eyes. Overall, the book is a fascinating read, and one can only hope that future editions will be forthcoming.
I. Dale Carroll* 
*The Travel Doctor, Granville, Michigan, USA
Suggested Citation for this Article
Carroll ID. Travel medicine: tales behind the science [book review]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2008 Apr [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/14/4/693A.htm
Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address:
I. Dale Carroll, The Travel Doctor, 4475 Wilson Ave #8, Grandville, MI 49418, USA; email: travdoc@travdoc.com
Please contact the EID Editors at eideditor@cdc.gov
The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
This page posted March 21, 2008
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