“Whoever desires progress and prosperity, whoever would advance humanity to a higher plane of civilization, must further the work of the scientist in every way he possibly can.“
You might think this is a recent statement, but it is not. It was written over a hundred years ago. Here is an expanded version taken from the original source.
Take from the air every aeroplane; from the roads every automobile; from the country every train; from the cities every electric light; from ships every wireless apparatus; from oceans all cables; from the land all wires; from shops all motors; from office buildings every elevator, telephone and typewriter; let epidemics spread at will; let major surgery be impossible—
all this and vastly more, the bondage of ignorance, where knowledge now makes us free, would be the terrible catastrophe if the tide of time should but ebb to the childhood days of men still living!…
Therefore, whoever desires progress and prosperity, whoever would advance humanity to a higher plane of civilization, must further the work of the scientist in every way he possibly can.
The Work of the Scientist. JAMA. 2022;327(9):882. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.0191
Originally Published March 4, 1922 | JAMA. 1922;78(9):649. (JAMA Revisited is transcribed verbatim from articles published previously, unless otherwise noted.)
Written in 1922, this author could not mention space flight, GPS, computers, CT and MRI scanners, modern drugs and surgical techniques, organ transplantation, DNA, and a myriad other modern conveniences we take for granted.
I don’t ride trains, I’m not sure what a “wireless apparatus” is, and I haven’t used a typewriter in years. I don’t understand the current aversion, suspicion, and contempt for those who study and work in the STEM fields-science, technology, engineering, and math.
But every time we use our mobile phones, computers, access the internet, or stream videos or music, we can thank the scientists who made it possible.
(This post and the ones linked to contain affiliate links that may pay a small commission to this blog, while you pay nothing extra. Quite a deal. )
Science books and reviews
I have reviewed or recommended several science books on this blog and this post gathers them together in one place. Bookmark this list post for easy reference later.
THE MUTANT PROJECT-a book review
At the same time, some of the more entrepreneurial see the potential for using genetic modification to selectively breed desirable and profitable human traits-high IQ, increased muscle mass, or designer skin color, and enhanced fertility, including choosing the gender of babies.
Keep readingDespite the name, this book is not about COVID-19.
Pandemic- a book review
If you like history, current events, medical science, or just want to be more knowledgeable about why we should be concerned about infections , antibiotic resistance and vaccine phobia, you should read this book.
Keep reading
World of Wonders-a book review
World of Wonders is not about medicine, at least not human medicine. Although there is a chapter about the Southern Cassowary, Casuarius Casuarius, a bird that can and does kill people. All chapters are named for and describe a variety of common, familiar animals and plants-
Keep reading
5 steps to understand statistics on cancer, COVID-19, and other health risks
But numbers need context. Statistics help us understand what has happened before, what is happening now, and what may or will happen in the future. And not only what, but how and why. Then we can act to change the outcome. And sometimes those outcomes involve life or death.
Keep reading
Do you know how the universe started? Read what these men think.
I want to introduce you to my new guest blogger, Web developer, David Hynes. David has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and an MBA. Before retiring, he worked with my husband as a Senior Staff Information Analyst for a large oil company. He follows politics, technology and science and enjoys music and travel. I enjoy David’s social media posts which are thoughtful and articulate. He recently commented about an engaging book he was reading and posted a summary of the main points from the first part of the book. He graciously gave permission…
Keep readingThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
I haven’t reviewed this book but I read it and wondered why I didn’t know this story before, a true account of a simple but strong woman whose death gave a priceless gift to science- immortal cells.
“Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine: The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, which are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years.
HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.
Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.
As author Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.
Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.” from Amazon
exploring the HEART of health through books about science
I hope you will bookmark this page in case you didn’t have time to read all the posts.
Doctor Aletha
And please check out my page full of suggestions to make your life easier.
Use these links to share the heart of health wherever you connect.
watercress words by Dr Aletha 