A new addition to a series of chronologies of social and economic topics in the USA, this book lists developments by date in the area of public health, that is medical and other efforts to overcome both infectious and other illnesses. An introduction briefly describes infectious disease, the immune system, and different responses to the prevention of illness over time. This is followed by a chronology of events beginning in 1796, with Dr Edward Jenner's first smallpox inoculation (which took place in England) and continues to August 2004. The chronology is followed by a number of appendices comprising leading causes of death over time, a timeline of the discovery of disease organisms, frequently prescribed drugs, fatal occupational injuries, and AIDS deaths and new cases. The book includes a short bibliography and index.
It is unclear how this reference work will be used or at what audience it is targeted. With limited contextual information it in no way replaces the need for a good monograph relating the history of public health and ideally would be used with such a work. Perhaps if the book had also included short overviews summarising developments and contexts within significant periods of time it would have been a more useful work. Its usefulness is compromised by an index that is not comprehensive and does not provide links or access to all entries. The introduction is not supported by references and is descriptive rather than analytical in tone and content. In addition to the books cited in the bibliography the main sources appear to be, as stated, the internet and Los Angeles Times.
One can also take issue with how public health is defined by this work. Its concern is largely with infectious diseases and while this adequately describes much of public health prior to the Second World War, in more recent years chronic illness and the advent of “lifestyle” diseases, or diseases related to socio‐economic status, have become of greater concern. Public health measures have thus included broader social interventions and health has been defined in a wider way than merely the avoidance of illness. The book does not make any reference to recent contraception or family planning measures or debates, nor (with a single exception) the use of alcohol or illegal drugs.
It is surprising that the Chronology does not include an entry for Dr John Snow's mapping of cholera in Soho, London, an important event in the history of epidemiology. One also might have expected mention of Margaret Sanger's 1916 establishment of the first family planning clinic in the USA, or the availability of the birth control pill and IUD in 1960; the 1970 Clean Air Act; the 1931 establishment of the Dental Hygiene Unit at the National Institute of Health; the 1962 Vaccination Assistance Act (which began a federally co‐ordinated vaccination programme); and the 1966 establishment of the National Highway Safety Bureau.
This work is only recommended for specialist libraries.
