Genetic prophecy : beyond the double helix / Zsolt Harsanyi, Richard Hutton.

  • Harsanyi, Zsolt, 1944-
Date:
[1981], ©1981
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Genetic prophecy : beyond the double helix / Zsolt Harsanyi, Richard Hutton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Genes As Prophets environment; they never confer absolute resistance to one disease or give an absolute guarantee that another will strike. In every single illness, the equation is the same: Disease occurs when an environmental insult meets genetic predis¬ position, when environmental and genetic factors come to¬ gether. It stands to reason, then, that if we can uncover both sets of factors, we can finally answer the question, Why me? It also stands to reason that if we can test for the presence of genetic factors before a disease strikes, we can pinpoint who is at risk, foresee the probability that an illness will occur, and—by warning those who are susceptible to stay away from specific environmental triggers—actually prevent it from taking hold. And even when we cannot fully protect ourselves from factors that trigger some diseases—even when we are susceptible to such ubiquitous elements as automo¬ bile exhaust—^we can still gain the advantage of an early warning. The genes can alert us to the probability that a disease is imminent; and forewarned is forearmed. It is an axiom of the medical profession that an early diagnosis often leads to more effective treatment and better odds for cure. Our newly found ability to read the secrets contained in the genes is one of the critical elements in making that happen. The Rise of Prophecy The Italian broad, or fava, bean is enormous; its pod can grow up to eight inches long. It sprouts with great enthusi¬ asm on the borders of the Mediterranean, cultivated by farmers in Greece and Italy as well as by those on the count¬ less islands that dot the sea. In spring and summer, it is a staple food for most of the local populations. Its seeds are [ ]