The White Death: A History of Tuberculosis

"A model of how medical history ought to be written . . . lucid in its analysis and perspicacious in its commentary."-Peter Ackroyd, "The Times of London" "Like an experienced suspense writer, the author of this marvelous book reserves his good news until the end. . . . One of the additional pleasures of his book lies in its vivid parentheses, case histories, even footnotes. . . . [it is] enlivened by Dormandy's mordant wit and idiosyncratic style. . . . A fine book."-Anita Brookner, "The Sunday Times" "A gripping read, enlightening and moving by turns."-"Evening Standard", "One of the most readable medical histories ever."-"Sunday Express", "General readers will find much of interest in Dormandy's stories and anecdotes."-The Bulletin of the History of Medicine,

This is a history of tuberculosis, including its social, artistic and human impact. Thomas Dormandy's account of the search for the cure is complemented by a description of its complex natural history; portraits of individual sufferers, including writers, artists and musicians, whose lives were shaped (and often curtailed) by the disease. Tuberculosis is not a disease of the past, in many parts of the world it is still a bigger killer than AIDS; while in America and Europe drug-resistant strains threaten its resurgence.