Here David Oshinsky tells the gripping story of the polio terror and of the intense effort to find a cure, from the March of Dimes to the discovery of the Salk and Sabin vaccines--and beyond. Drawing on newly available papers of Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin and other key players, Oshinsky paints a suspenseful portrait of the race for the cure, weaving a dramatic tale centered on the furious rivalry between Salk and Sabin. He also tells the story of Isabel Morgan, perhaps the most talented of all polio researchers, who might have beaten Salk to the prize if she had not retired to raise a family. Oshinsky offers an insightful look at the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which was founded in the 1930s by FDR and Basil O'Connor, it revolutionized fundraising and the perception of disease in America. Oshinsky also shows how the polio experience revolutionized the way in which the government licensed and tested new drugs before allowing them on the market, and the way in which the legal system dealt with manufacturers' liability for unsafe products. Finally, and perhaps most tellingly, Oshinsky reveals that polio was never the raging epidemic portrayed by the media, but in truth a relatively uncommon disease. But in baby-booming America--increasingly suburban, family-oriented, and hygiene-obsessed--the specter of polio, like the specter of the atomic bomb, soon became a cloud of terror over daily life. Both a gripping scientific suspense story and a provocative social and cultural history, Polio opens a fresh window onto postwar America.

In 1998 Andrew Wakefield published a paper containing a shocking allegation- the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine might cause autism. Wakefield based his findings on a study of just a dozen children, and his methods and conclusions immediately came under fire. The media, however, seized on the story - and so helped launch one of the most devastating health scares of modern times. Within months, vaccination rates across the West had started to fall, resulting in deaths from diseases previously thought to be disappearing. Wakefield eventually lost his medical licence, yet the myth that vaccines cause developmental disorders lives on. In The Panic Virus Seth Mnookin examines how the anti-immunisation panic spread and looks at a controversial Australian case that exposed the claims and tactics of the movement to new scrutiny. Sorting fact from rumour, he confronts fundamental questions- with more facts at our fingertips than ever, why is our trust in science so fragile? Has the internet made us better informed, or simply enabled panic to spread more quickly? And how might we balance fact and intuition when it comes to decisions about children's health? The Panic Virus is a riveting and sometimes heartbreaking medical detective story, a gripping work of investigative journalism and a cautionary tale for our times.

Gossip is no trivial matter; despite its reputation, Epstein argues, it is an eternal and necessary human enterprise. Proving that he himself is a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World, along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best--clever, mocking, a great private pleasure--to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet. Written in his trademark erudite and witty style, Gossip captures the complexity of this immensely entertaining subject.

This is the first book to explore the effect of genetic research on the Lemba Judaising community of Southern Africa and the phenomenon of Israelite identity. The science of genetics as relayed by the media is perceived by laymen as being irreproachably objective 'hard science': its disinterested 'scientific' findings appear immensely impressive and may therefore act as a powerful catalyst for change. In this case, an oral tradition cherished by many of the Lemba that they are of Jewish origin appears to be supported by recent DNA testing, which has deeply affected the narrative and religious identity of the group and the way the tribe is perceived in the Western world. International in appeal, this topical text brings together cutting-edge research on the social, cultural and ethical implications of genetics and the study of Judaising movements across the world. This book will be of interest to researchers and students of Jewish history, genetic anthropology, race and ethnicity studies, and religious and cultural studies.

1. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Children: Current Status and Guidelines for Future Research.- 1. Nonbehavioral Child Psychotherapy.- 2. Brief Abstracts of Research Providing Findings on the Factors Affecting the Process and Outcome of Parent and Child Psychotherapy.- 2.1. Psychotherapeutic Treatment of the Maladjusted Child in the Ordinary School.- 2.2. The Outcome of Psychotherapeutic Intervention with Delinquent Boys.- 2.3. Outcome of Child Psychotherapy as a Function of Frequency of Session.- 2.4. Concluding Remarks.- 3. Guidelines in Formulating Nonbehavioral Child Psychotherapy Research.- 3.1. Defining the Conceptual Link between the Characteristics of the Children and Families Being Treated and the Nature of the Therapeutic Process.- 3.2. The Research Design and Hypotheses.- 4. Concluding Remarks.- 5. References.- 2. Cognitive Mediators of the Outcome of Psychotherapy with Children.- 1. Rationale for This Review.- 2. Method Used to Identify Studies.- 3. Theoretical Perspectives on a Linkage between Cognitive Factors and Therapy Outcomes.- 4. Research on Cognitive Capacity as a Mediator of Therapy Effects.- 4.1. The Problem of Age as a Mediator.- 4.2. Mental Age.- 4.3. Piagetian Cognitive Level.- 4.4. Intelligence.- 5. Research on Cognitions as Mediators of Therapy Effects.- 5.1. Causal Attributions.- 5.2. Locus of Control.- 5.3. Control-Related Beliefs.- 6. Research on the Malleability of Child Cognitions.- 7. Research on the Effects of Modifying Child Cognitions.- 8. Summary and Critique of the Evidence.- 9. Recommendations for Future Research.- 10. References.- 3. Improving the Peer Relationships of Rejected Children.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Characteristics of Peer-Rejected Children.- 2.1. Definition.- 2.2. Correlates.- 2.3. Critical Features.- 2.4. Clinical Implications.- 3. Models of Peer Rejection and Treatment Approaches.- 3.1. Social Skills Deficits Model.- 3.2. Negative Behavior Model.- 3.3. Reputation Model.- 3.4. Integrated Model.- 4. Clinical Issues.- 4.1. Assessing Peer Relations without Sociometrics.- 4.2. Gaining Access to Peer Groups.- 4.3. Developmental Considerations.- 5. Conclusions.- 6. References.- 4. Diversion from the Juvenile Justice System: Research Evidence and a Discussion of Issues.- 1. Background Considerations.- 1.1. The Specific Context of the Adolescent Diversion Project.- 2. Developing the Original Model.- 2.1. Participant Youth.- 2.2. Student Volunteers.- 2.3. Intervention Model.- 2.4. Results.- 2.5. Conclusions from the Phase One Project.- 3. Phase Two of ADP Development.- 3.1. Youths Involved in Phase Two.- 3.2. Project Operation in Phase Two.- 3.3. Results from Phase Two.- 4. Phase Three of ADP Development.- 4.1. Youths Involved in Phase Three.- 4.2. Project Operation in Phase Three.- 4.3. Results from Phase Three.- 5. Phase Four of ADP Development.- 5.1. Youths Involved in Phase Four.- 5.2. Project Operation in Phase Four.- 5.3. Results from Phase Four.- 6. Critical Issues in the Operation of Diversion Programs.- 6.1. Clinical and Administrative Issues.- 7. Concluding Comments.- 8. References.- 5. Parental Child Abduction: The Problem and Possible Solution.- 1. Introduction.- 1.1. Epidemiology of Child Abduction.- 1.2. Effects on the Child.- 1.3. Possible Solutions.- 2. The Florida Project.- 2.1. Procedures.- 2.2. Outcome.- 3. The National Project.- 3.1. Changes in Procedures.- 3.2. Outcome.- 4. Discussion.- 5. References.- 6. Genetic Factors in Childhood Psychopathology: Implications for Clinical Practice.- 1. Introduction.- 1.1. Advance of Genetic Knowledge.- 1.2. Intelligence and Genetics.- 1.3. Mental Retardation.- 2. Personality and Psychopathology.- 2.1. Normal Personality.- 2.2. Genetic Factors in Behavioral Disorders.- 2.3. Child Psychopathology.- 3. Prevention of Mental Illness.- 4. Social and Ethical Problems Raised by the New Genetic Information.- 5. Other Ethical Issues.- 6. Conclusions.- 7. References.- 7. Obesity of Infancy and Early Childhood: A Diagnostic Schema.