Description
Book Synopsis"Christopher Wanjek uses a take-no-prisoners approach in debunking the outrageous nonsense being heaped on a gullible public in the name of science and medicine. Wanjek writes with clarity, humor, and humanity, and simultaneously informs and entertains. " -Dr.
Trade ReviewFor skeptics, always fans of science: The first two books in aseries devoted to "bad science," Bad Astronomy by PhilipPlait and Bad Medicine (Wiley, $15.95) by ChristopherWanjek, may warm even a Scrooge's heart. In short chapters, Plaittackles misperceptions about why the moon looks larger on thehorizon and why stars twinkle before moving on, dismantlingconspiracy kooks who doubt the moon landing and offering a top 10list of bad science moments in movie history. Wanjek, a sciencewriter who has also written jokes for The Tonight Show andSaturday Night Live, takes an edgy and funny tack indebunking myths such as humans using only 10% of their brains, theutility of "anti-bacterial" toys and the safety of "natural" herbalremedies, ones often loaded with powerful chemicals. (USATODAY, December 3, 2002)
"...Bad Medicine is an enjoyable romp through a host ofbiomedical misconceptions..." (New Scientist, 21 December 2002)
"...Wanjek shoots and scores when he tackles the major myths ofmedicine..." (Focus, February 2003)
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments.
Introduction: The Roots of Bad Medicine.
PART I: I SING THE BODY ECLECTIC.
10 Percent Misconception, 90 Percent Misdirection: The Brain atWork.
Big Brain, Little Smarts: Brain Size and Intelligence.
Blinded by Lies: The Eyes Have It.
All in Good Taste: How the Tongue Works.
Scrubbing Your Liver: The Demystification of Detoxification.
Refer to the Appendix: Useless Organ or Helpful Player?
Going Gray? Not Today: White Hair and Its Causes.
Samson's Delight: Baldness Cures.
The Race Is Off: Race Defined.
PART II: GROWING OLD.
Losing One's Mind: Memory Loss and Aging.
Getting Stiffed: Vitality and Aging.
Illness Gets Old: Aging and Disease.
See You in 2150: The Long and Short of Life Span.
On and On: Longevity and Genetics.
PART III: ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU SICK.
The Plague Lives! The Black Plague in the Modern Age.
Cold Comfort: How to Catch a Cold.
The Ill-Advised War on Bacteria: Are All Bacteria Bad?
Radiating Misperception: Radiation, Pro and Con.
Swimming with Sharks: Sharks and Cancer.
Mutating Misconceptions: What Your Genes Say about Your FutureHealth.
PART IV: EATING IT UP.
Learning Your Alpha-Beta-Carotenes: Antioxidants, Pro andCon.
The Unbearable Heaviness of Being: Fat People and Food.
Not Milk? Milk and Your Health.
Organic Reasoning: The Benefits of Organic Food.
Water, Water Everywhere: Bottled Water vs. Tap Water.
The Whole Grain Truth: Are Whole Grains Healthier?
PART V: THE RETURN OF THE WITCH DOCTOR.
The Delusion of Dilution: Homeopathy X 50.
Magnetic Charm: Magnets and Your Health.
Reversal of Fortune: The Viability of Ayurveda.
Something Smells Funny: Aromatherapy As a Cure.
Suffocating Trends: Oxygen--How Much Is Too Much?
The Ultimate Hands-Off Approach: Touch Therapy, Qigong, and FalunGong.
Getting to the Root of the Problem: Herbs As AlternativeMedicine.
A Shot in the Arm: The True Dangers of Vaccines.
PART VI: RISKING IT ALL.
Toxic Avenger: The Science of Toxicity.
Peer-Reviewed for Your Pleasure: How Health Studies Work.
Candy Adds Years to Your Life: And Other Important Health StudyFindings.
We're #1: Rating America's Health.
PART VII: JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIES.
I'm Not a Reporter, but I Play One on TV: The Accuracy ofTelevision Medical News.
Rambo VI: The Quest for Hearing: Guns and Their Aftereffects.
Knocked Out, Loaded: Imagined Violence and Real Problems.
Heartbreaker: Hollywood Style.
Epilogue: Tomorrow's Promise: Bad Medicine on the Horizon.
Appendix: More Bad Medicine.
Recommended Reading.
Bibliography.
Index.
