House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox (California/Milbank Books on Health and the Public #21)

House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox (California/Milbank Books on Health and the Public #21)

William H. Foege
$36.18
Publication Date: June 6th, 2011
Publisher:
University of California Press
ISBN:
9780520274471
Pages:
240
In Stock at Warehouse - Usually Arrives in 3-7 Days

Description

A story of courage and risk-taking, House on Fire tells how smallpox, a disease that killed, blinded, and scarred millions over centuries of human history, was completely eradicated in a spectacular triumph of medicine and public health. Part autobiography, part mystery, the story is told by a man who was one of the architects of a radical vaccination scheme that became a key strategy in ending the horrible disease when it was finally contained in India. In House on Fire, William H. Foege describes his own experiences in public health and details the remarkable program that involved people from countries around the world in pursuit of a single objective—eliminating smallpox forever. Rich with the details of everyday life, as well as a few adventures, House on Fire gives an intimate sense of what it is like to work on the ground in some of the world’s most impoverished countries—and tells what it is like to contribute to programs that really do change the world.

About the Author

William H. Foege is Emeritus Presidential Distinguished Professor of International Health, Emory University, and a Gates Fellow. Before becoming director of the CDC, he was chief of its Smallpox Eradication Program. Foege is the author of Global Health Leadership and Management.

Praise for House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox (California/Milbank Books on Health and the Public #21)

“[Foege] bounces the reader along with him in his jeep, on motorbikes over rugged terrain and on bustling trains. . . . [And] shows what can be accomplished when governments and thousands of health workers focus on a single objective. “
— Wall Street Journal

“Dr. Foege’s book . . . remind[s] us how fragile life looks.”
— New York Times

“[Foege] writes a mixture of memoir, dry public health guide and riveting tale of an all-consuming mission.”
— New Scientist

“House on Fire is a reminder of the importance of preventive medicine and will lead readers to an appreciation of all of the lives that would have otherwise been lost if the challenge to prevent smallpox had not been met.”
— Journal of the American Medical Association

“Demonstrate[s] the enormous benefit that can accrue to mankind when a determined and ambitious band of individuals come together. . . . “[An] extraordinary story.”
— Lancet

"Part autobiography, part mystery, the story is told by a man who was one of the architects of a radical vaccination scheme that became a key strategy in ending the horrible disease when it was finally contained in India. . . . Foege describes his own experiences in public health and details the remarkable program that involved people from countries around the world in pursuit of a single objective—eliminating smallpox forever."
— Guardian

“A readable and thorough account by a key player in this outstanding victory for public health.”
— Library Journal

“A fascinating human interest account that is expertly merged with scientific facts. . . . House on Fire is an inspiring story that portrays the remarkable efforts of a courageous physician and public health leader.”
— Journal of Community Health

“A fascinating account”
— Bulletin of the Royal College of Pathologists

“A great, quick, and intensely personal read about the inside story of Foege's revolutionary idea and powerful actions. . . . Foege was wise before his time.”
— Medpage Today

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