THE DARK PLACES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 557, 24 February 1950, Page 14

THE DARK PLACES

SHADOWS IN THE SUN, by Taylor and Gadsen; Harrap. English price, 15/-. HE shadows in the sun are tropical diseases. Some of them are fearsome beyond belief; all of them are widespread beyond our imagining. Consider that half the people in the world have, or will have, malaria; that in some localities all the people have ‘or will have yaws, and three-quarters of them hookworm as well. The book tells of the struggle against these diseases and against typhus, Yellow Jack and sleeping sickness. We: all know ‘that disease is a matter of parasites. The parasite lives as best it may. We struggle to break the chain of infection. Where there is an intermediate host, as in malaria, typhus or sleeping sickness, we concentrate there. The story of certain vaccines is also well told. For example,on May 13,

1931, the terror fell away from Yellow Jack. It lifts the spirit, in these days of foreboding, to, read of such a victory. For this book . is a victorious book. The pity is that so

many victoriés yet remain to be won, The laziness of tropical peoples is really the result of debilitating diseases coupled with a woefully deficient diet and "tropical slum" living. Unfortunately, the disease-induced lethargy prevents their doing anything about it. Hence our responsibilitiy. The weapons are forged; it is for us to use them. We must attack the parasites directly, but, more important, we must change conditions and so change people. Fundamental research must Continue, both. social and biological. We don’t know enough about tropical slums or about parasites’ metabolism. Since this book was published, research has revealed something of the action of modern drugs on the energy systems of parasites. But we still don’t: know how to block the life. processes, the building of proteins for growth and reproduction, for example. When we know this we shall be able, at will, te control parasite infestationalways provided the funds are available to alter the conditions in which parasites flourish, ' These are the themes of Shadows in the Sun. Excellent illustrations add much to our understanding, but they (and the

diagrams) should be as close as possible to the matters illustrated. A picture, a liagram, or a complete chapter removed from its context is either wasted or a source of irritation. Special caré has been devoted to the "charts" which are really diagrams. The best of them are well adapted to the task set them. Others are deplorably obscure, and the legend takes as much interpreting as the "chart" itself. The authors bring to their task a sufficient competence and the results of a most painstaking search of the original material. The exposition is persuasive, and the practised hand makes light of the difficulties of -popularisation.

J.D.

McD.