NPR's Book of the Day
'Foreign Bodies' traces the history of pandemics and vaccine hesitancy
Sep 25, 2023
Historian Simon Schama, author of 'Foreign Bodies:Pandemics, Vaccines, and the Health of Nations', discusses the history of pandemics, vaccine hesitancy, and the interconnected global crises. He highlights the development of vaccines for diseases such as smallpox and cholera, and the obstacles to accepting scientific knowledge. Schama emphasizes the relevance of understanding mass disease and immunization to today's global health, particularly in relation to COVID-19.
10:23
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Quick takeaways
- The significance of having a mentor or friend who can provide guidance and hold you accountable in scientific endeavors, as highlighted through the example of Waldemar Haffkine and his teacher Eli Michnikov.
- The ongoing struggle between hard-earned scientific knowledge and common sense in addressing epidemics, exemplified by the dismissal of expert advice and reliance on gut instincts by some individuals and politicians in relation to vaccines.
Deep dives
The Importance of a Good Mentor
One of the main takeaways from this podcast episode is the significance of having a good mentor or friend who can provide guidance and hold you accountable. The discussion revolves around the life of Waldemar Haffkine, who created the vaccine for cholera. The podcast emphasizes how Haffkine's life could have taken a different path if not for his teacher, Eli Michnikov, who played a crucial role in shaping his scientific career. This highlights the importance of having someone who can call you out and keep you on track in your endeavors.
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