Enigmas of health and disease : how epidemiology helps unravel scientific mysteries / Alfredo Morabia.

Santé. English. 2014

New York ; Chichester, West Sussex : Columbia University Press, [2014]

xxii, 271 pages : illustrations (portraits) ; 24 cm

Adapted from Santé : distinguer croyances et connaissance / Alfredo Morabia. Paris : Odille Jacob, 2011.

Translated from French.

Comparing groups and the fifth dimension -- People, bugs, and epidemics -- Plague's shark teeth and seamen's enigmatic exhaustion -- The mystery of the blue death -- The numerical method -- Eugenics, oysters, sour skin, and breast cancer -- Tobacco and health : the great controversy -- Daily life mysteries and epidemiology -- Is this treatment dangerous for health? -- Does the treatment work? -- What is the optimal medical decision? -- Health risk or health benefit? -- Is this screening useful? -- Group comparisons also fail -- Epidemiologic literacy and earthly self-realization -- Beyond epidemiology.

Includes bibliographical references and index.