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Deadly Feasts: The "Prion" Controversy and the Public's Health
In this brilliant and gripping medical detective story. Richard Rhodes follows virus hunters on three continents as they track the emergence of a deadly new brain disease that first kills cannibals in New Guinea, then cattle and young people in Britain and France -- and that has already been traced to food animals in the United States. In a new Afterword for the paperback, Rhodes reports the latest U.S. and worldwide developments of a burgeoning global threat.
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Richard Rhodes
114 books554 followersRichard Lee Rhodes is an American journalist, historian, and author of both fiction and non-fiction (which he prefers to call "verity"), including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Making of the Atomic Bomb (1986), and most recently, Arsenals of Folly: The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race (2007). He has been awarded grants from the Ford Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation among others.
He is an affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He also frequently gives lectures and talks on a broad range of subjects to various audiences, including testifying before the U.S. Senate on nuclear energy.
He is an affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He also frequently gives lectures and talks on a broad range of subjects to various audiences, including testifying before the U.S. Senate on nuclear energy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
July 4, 2013
I recently finished a course on Coursera on Medical Neuroscience. It was an extremely difficult course for me because I really don't have a science background. On the other hand, it was fascinating. I took it because for a long time I've had an interest in books concerning the brain and its workings, most commonly Oliver Sacks. Now I'm finding that the course has made a difference in my appreciation of this type of book.
Prion diseases are not entirely new, but the name is. Prions are not a virus, they are not bacteria, they cause no inflammation or fever, cannot be controlled by precautionary tactics but appear to be passed along only by direct contact, although not simply touching a surface or infected person. They appear to be twisted proteins which are reproduced by a cell's DNA once the mutation has occurred. No one knows for sure.
Prions were the reason for the "Mad Cow Disease" plague that rampaged Britain in the 1990s. They were also what caused kuru in a primitive tribe in New Guinea. They cause scrapie in sheep. They are what causes Jacob-Creutzfield disease also. The first 2 were discovered to be the results of "cannibalism': in the case of kuru, direct human cannibalism; in the second, the result of using animal remains to create bone meal supplements for cattle feed.
No one knows how they get started; the theory is that a mutation occurs, the proteins get reproduced and cause the disease. The passage of the disease is known.
They cause huge holes in the cerebellum and plaques of astrogliosis and amyloidosis. They inevitably cause death in the animals they infect and the humans. There is no cure.
Now, how does my class fit into this? Because I now know how the proteins are produced and multiplied, I know what astrogliosis and amyloidosis are and how they occur. I understand why there is no cure. And this has increased my appreciation. (Not that everyone interested in this type of book should take a class in neuroscience.)
Whether or not you have neuroscience knowledge, anyone interested in medicine will find this book fascinating. In spite of the fact that there is no cure and that this type of disease is an awful way to die, the discovery of what happens in the disease process and of what causes it is extremely interesting. And Rhodes, also known for his book The Making of the Atomic Bomb is an excellent writer.
If you love medical books, but this one on your For Sure reading list.
Prion diseases are not entirely new, but the name is. Prions are not a virus, they are not bacteria, they cause no inflammation or fever, cannot be controlled by precautionary tactics but appear to be passed along only by direct contact, although not simply touching a surface or infected person. They appear to be twisted proteins which are reproduced by a cell's DNA once the mutation has occurred. No one knows for sure.
Prions were the reason for the "Mad Cow Disease" plague that rampaged Britain in the 1990s. They were also what caused kuru in a primitive tribe in New Guinea. They cause scrapie in sheep. They are what causes Jacob-Creutzfield disease also. The first 2 were discovered to be the results of "cannibalism': in the case of kuru, direct human cannibalism; in the second, the result of using animal remains to create bone meal supplements for cattle feed.
No one knows how they get started; the theory is that a mutation occurs, the proteins get reproduced and cause the disease. The passage of the disease is known.
They cause huge holes in the cerebellum and plaques of astrogliosis and amyloidosis. They inevitably cause death in the animals they infect and the humans. There is no cure.
Now, how does my class fit into this? Because I now know how the proteins are produced and multiplied, I know what astrogliosis and amyloidosis are and how they occur. I understand why there is no cure. And this has increased my appreciation. (Not that everyone interested in this type of book should take a class in neuroscience.)
Whether or not you have neuroscience knowledge, anyone interested in medicine will find this book fascinating. In spite of the fact that there is no cure and that this type of disease is an awful way to die, the discovery of what happens in the disease process and of what causes it is extremely interesting. And Rhodes, also known for his book The Making of the Atomic Bomb is an excellent writer.
If you love medical books, but this one on your For Sure reading list.
March 26, 2011
Well, I'll still eat meat, but only because I think that everything is hopeless. This was a compelling, if somewhat terrifying, read that shows just how helpless we can be against diseases of unknown origin. Deadly Feasts does a great job of exploring the background of the Mad Cow epidemic in Britian, its similarities to other fatal brain diseases and the scientific controversies surrounding the disease and its origins. While the story remains wonderfully told, I can't help but wish for a sequel in order to understand where the scientific community stands on this disease today, whether governments are still ineptly managing us to the bring of disaster and whether the entire world still stands on the brink of epidemic.
September 14, 2007
I didn't buy the whole epidemic thing. It was a little too dramatic and improbable, but none the less exciting--I still eat beef.
July 8, 2014
Rhodes tracks the entire history of TSEs (transmissable spongiform encephalopathies) through the researchers who studied and solved many of their puzzles. The outcome is accessible science, a clever mystery, international muckraking, and a warning. Everyone now knows of the political decisions which helped the spread of AIDs, particularly the failure to protect the blood supply in America and France. It shouldn't be surprising then, to learn how footdragging contributed to cases of TSEs in America and Britain.
Perhaps the most upsetting news for readers isn't that the TSEs are easily spread and 100% fatal--it's knowing that all the medical breakthroughs won't save us if no one will act on the knowledge.
Perhaps the most upsetting news for readers isn't that the TSEs are easily spread and 100% fatal--it's knowing that all the medical breakthroughs won't save us if no one will act on the knowledge.
February 6, 2012
Prions are nightmarish little critters. They're not viruses, they're not bacteria- and they're sadly quite indestructible. They're like a Superhero gone wrong, with no Kryptonite that could destroy them. The fact that they do a number on the human brain is terrifying- the proven method of infection (ingestion via our food supply) is enough to make me side-eye every piece of food in my fridge.
Nicely paced with enough science to inform but not so much to bore the average reader- it's a nice primer on the vicious little cycle in the world of prions. This book makes you look at high protein diets in a whole new vision of little prions dancing in your head.
Nicely paced with enough science to inform but not so much to bore the average reader- it's a nice primer on the vicious little cycle in the world of prions. This book makes you look at high protein diets in a whole new vision of little prions dancing in your head.
June 25, 2013
While somewhat dated (written in 1997), I found this book to be an accurate and detailed history of our knowledge of prion diseases. Since publication, we still do not know the exact cause, means of diagnosis or any treatment for the diseases that we did't know then, which wasn't much. Not to downplay the suffering of the poeople who have died in the UK's Mad Cow Disease disaster, it didn't turn into the horrific epidemic that the author envisioned. Since it was clearly published close the time Preston published The Hot Zone, he had a case of my disease is scarier than your disease that he had to get out of his system at the beginning. Aside form some speculatory scare tactics at the end, it was well written, interesting and informative.
August 24, 2014
A bit alarmist, but a good history on the study of kuru, CJD, and the various animal spongiform encephalopathies. I thought it was an easy read (read it about a day), but then again, I just finished a Masters degree program studying human infectious diseases. The take home message I got: all your food could easily have been contaminated with infectious BSE (i.e. livestock-derived byproducts used to fertilize organic crops), incubation periods are long (~50 years), and there is no cure yet for prion diseases. Don't sweat it. Enjoy your life.
August 4, 2010
This was pretty good, well-researched, good info, and he writes really well, so it was fun to read, too, but if I'm remembering correctly, there was a lot of very current prion/BSE/etc. research towards the end of the book, and I'm wondering now how well the science holds up. Might at some point look into it.
July 24, 2009
I listened to this on cassett...if you can get through the first 15 minutes without throwing up, you have it made. Totally true and very interesting, medically sound. Not for the tender hearted, great if you like research. Would make a great horror film.
December 26, 2007
Prions are scary. Nuff said.
March 17, 2010
I loved this book. Very eye opening!
November 26, 2011
A bit on the alarmist side, but a good read with lots of great information on the inner workings of big-time science and the discovery of an all-new type of communicable disease.
March 31, 2017
Interesting and frightening, but too dated to be truly terrifying. (One of the chapters contains a "prediction of life in Britain, circa 2016. Over 500000 would die annually of BSE.")
December 26, 2017
Non-fiction. About a doctor who went to live with the cannibal tribes of New Guinea, to study why they were all dying of a mysterious and deadly disease known as Kuru.
December 24, 2021
Little did I know when I picked this book up that it gives a perfect background of the real events that inspired the novel The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara. I really enjoyed the style of this book, though it was too technical in parts for me to follow.
May 13, 2019
Very detailed, not for the faint of heart. Honestly learned a lot.
February 15, 2016
All med students learn about Jakob-Crutzfeld disease. Some learn about mad cow disease. A few interested in medical history learn about Kuru. Very few people realize that the three diseases/disorders are related, and guess what? For a change of pace, we get them from what we eat...specifically meat. I have to admit that the problems Britain was having with their cattle had me worried more as a mother, than getting it myself. Just because the young seemed to be getting the disease more then the elderly. That tracked down to the fact they were either working directly with infected cattle or frequenting McDonalds. Since my family does neither, I am not so worried as to become a vegetarian, though this book gives room for that thought!
Mr. Rhodes wrote a Pulitzer Prize winner on the Atomic bomb which I read. I didn't even realize it was the same author. This book while very well written for viral science, is not on par with his other book. I enjoyed this book very much though, and anyone who is fascinated by the small things that are 'out' to get us and the history of medical mysteries, would thoroughly enjoy this book. Rhodes makes it clear that he admires the people who research and spend time with those in New Guinea, and who out of the goodness of their hearts spent years educating an isolated people whose demise from this disease probably would have had very little impact on the world at large. Yet these men place an importance on each culture, and tried to respect cultural boundaries and avoid polluting their societies with ours while teaching them how to avoid this problem Kuru. I enjoyed that story of cultural respect more than anything. I am sure we will be hearing more about this particular killer as time goes on, because the answer to its riddle hasn't been found yet, and we still don't know what the final outcome of the disaster in Britain is going to be. I hope a few ranchers will bother to read this and avoid feeding their cattle and sheep offal and other parts of dead animals. That alone could prevent the US from undergoing what Britain has had to endure...and we eat a lot more meat then they do! And yes, because of this book, I am feeding my family less meat all the time...
Mr. Rhodes wrote a Pulitzer Prize winner on the Atomic bomb which I read. I didn't even realize it was the same author. This book while very well written for viral science, is not on par with his other book. I enjoyed this book very much though, and anyone who is fascinated by the small things that are 'out' to get us and the history of medical mysteries, would thoroughly enjoy this book. Rhodes makes it clear that he admires the people who research and spend time with those in New Guinea, and who out of the goodness of their hearts spent years educating an isolated people whose demise from this disease probably would have had very little impact on the world at large. Yet these men place an importance on each culture, and tried to respect cultural boundaries and avoid polluting their societies with ours while teaching them how to avoid this problem Kuru. I enjoyed that story of cultural respect more than anything. I am sure we will be hearing more about this particular killer as time goes on, because the answer to its riddle hasn't been found yet, and we still don't know what the final outcome of the disaster in Britain is going to be. I hope a few ranchers will bother to read this and avoid feeding their cattle and sheep offal and other parts of dead animals. That alone could prevent the US from undergoing what Britain has had to endure...and we eat a lot more meat then they do! And yes, because of this book, I am feeding my family less meat all the time...
September 10, 2012
Deadly Feasts opens up with an absolutely riveting account of the kuru disease devastating the cannibal Fore in New Guinea. Turns out kuru is a prion based Spongiform Encephalopathy (SE) disease spread by cannibalism.
Author then proceeds to methodically show how kuru is functionally the same thing as Mad Cow, and SE diseases found in sheep, mink, pigs etc. And the spread is functionally the same: cannibalism. The meat industry in an effort to save costs feeds vegetarian animals ground up meat/brain materials from slaughtered animals not fit to sell to humans.
And the scary thing with these SE ‘s is they can bridge species boundaries very easily. Furthermore, even scarier is vegetarians could be at risk if an animal infected with a prion disease defecates on vegetables or fruits.
Author points out there really are only two solutions to this problem: stop eating meat or wipe out the existing herds and stop feeding vegetarian animals downed animals in order to save money.
Although it opens with a bang, the book does bog down in many places but is well worth a read. Author is clearly a lefty and throws in one gratuitous and completely unnecessary shot at the Newt Congress in the 90’s. But this can be overlooked given the overall excellent content of the book. Well worth the read (especially if you are still eating meat).
Author then proceeds to methodically show how kuru is functionally the same thing as Mad Cow, and SE diseases found in sheep, mink, pigs etc. And the spread is functionally the same: cannibalism. The meat industry in an effort to save costs feeds vegetarian animals ground up meat/brain materials from slaughtered animals not fit to sell to humans.
And the scary thing with these SE ‘s is they can bridge species boundaries very easily. Furthermore, even scarier is vegetarians could be at risk if an animal infected with a prion disease defecates on vegetables or fruits.
Author points out there really are only two solutions to this problem: stop eating meat or wipe out the existing herds and stop feeding vegetarian animals downed animals in order to save money.
Although it opens with a bang, the book does bog down in many places but is well worth a read. Author is clearly a lefty and throws in one gratuitous and completely unnecessary shot at the Newt Congress in the 90’s. But this can be overlooked given the overall excellent content of the book. Well worth the read (especially if you are still eating meat).
July 24, 2019
This is a fast paced, fascinating and informative detective story that chronologically follows the discovery and investigation of a fatal "new" brain disease that leaves people and animals with brains full of holes, plagues and looking like disintegrating sponge. There is adventure in New Guinea with cannibals, drama with sheep and strangley behaving cattle, scientists trying to find out how the disease progresses, what causes it and its methods of transmission within and between species, as well as the political shenanigans when people start dying. The tabloids would eventually call the disease "Mad Cow Disease". Links between Kuru, Jakob-Crutzfeld diseas, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie (in sheep), are made, the "prion controversy" begins and public health issues are swept under the rug. This book provides a fairly accurate description of how science gets done. The book is not without its problems, but it still made for an entertaining and thought-provoking reading session (I read it in one night).
The book was published in 1998, so is a bit dated in terms of new information, but we still do not know the exact cause, means of diagnosis or any treatment for the diseases that we did't know in 1998. In addition, the author's expected epidemic of human "Mad Cow Disease" victims didn't materialise...
... yet.
The book was published in 1998, so is a bit dated in terms of new information, but we still do not know the exact cause, means of diagnosis or any treatment for the diseases that we did't know in 1998. In addition, the author's expected epidemic of human "Mad Cow Disease" victims didn't materialise...
... yet.
April 10, 2018
God I found this book absolutely insufferable. It was dry, and redundant. I’ve read anywhere between 12-15 books on various viruses and diseases that were all extremely interesting. They were filled with a human aspect and were written in a way that made me care about who and what I was reading about. The initial chapters held my interest for a bit because of the way that Rhodes spoke about Carlton Gajdusek’s experiences in New Guinea. The rest of the book was like having my arm caught in a bear trap. I always make myself finish a book that I start and this book was just page after page of the same thing. It was the virologists equivalent of that movie Groundhogs Day with Bill Murray. I understand that this is not an exact science, with many questions still lurking about the origin, cause, and other issues. I initially was interested in reading this book and gaining more information about CJD and the like after losing a dear family friend in 2011 to CJD. I felt that this book became too dry, and oriented towards statistics and projections that at best were speculative at the time and have now been debunked. I just personally found this to be a disappointing read after enjoying other writing on similar topics by different authors.
July 31, 2013
I first picked this up nearly ten years ago and never finished it; but it left an impression so strong I became a vegetarian on the spot, before harder economic times forced me into a more paleolithic diet. I stuck with vegetarianism just shy of a decade. Irregardless, that was the impression it made on me then, and now that I picked it up once more and finished it, it was thoroughly enjoyable if you find the real-life horrors of disease interesting. At the time of publishing, youtube was barely a blip, but some of the films referenced in the book regarding the people of Fore are there for viewing, which adds a new dimension to the facts. (Run your search for Kuru and you're bound to come across the old film reels.)
Equally interesting are the speculations of an impending epidemic, which at the time of publishing, were thought to begin rearing its ugly head around 2015 or so -- curious, I looked up the statistics of incidences of CJD, and while no full blown epidemic the size of say, what the Black Plague was in the Middle Ages, any increasing number in a disease so fatal and debilitating made me once more consider returning to vegetarianism. Bon a petit!
Equally interesting are the speculations of an impending epidemic, which at the time of publishing, were thought to begin rearing its ugly head around 2015 or so -- curious, I looked up the statistics of incidences of CJD, and while no full blown epidemic the size of say, what the Black Plague was in the Middle Ages, any increasing number in a disease so fatal and debilitating made me once more consider returning to vegetarianism. Bon a petit!
January 24, 2019
This book is a very good history of the "Mad cow" type diseases caused by infectious proteins termed prions. It is also a very good look at the contributions of Nobel Laureate Dr. C. Gajdusek who tied the cannibalism of New Guinea tribes to transmission of a "new disease" called kuru that was later shown to be a prion disease. I was fortunate to meet with and hear Dr. Gajdusek at our university's science lecture symposium many years ago and this is why I decided to read this book. I enjoyed how the author accurately captured the quirky personality of Dr. Gajdusek. I was less impressed by the detail he spent describing the monotonous transfers of infectious material from one species to another. He also took a lot of pains to try to include the names, dates and places of all aspects of these studies. Even after all these years, there are still many things we do not understand about prions and the diseases they cause but for those that want to know how these diseases were discovered, this book serves that purpose.
February 27, 2016
enjoyed this book. It broke down not only the discovery of a new disease, but how that process works. Experimentation and research abound in this book. You also get to read about many a researcher - some of whom have not previously gotten the credit they deserve for their efforts in the discovery. It is a little scary, as toward the end they start mentioning the epidemic (pandemic even) that could happen by March 2016 -- well, while this is still an issue (CJD is asked about every time I give blood) it certainly hasn't turned out to be the deaths for 100,000s that this book foreshadowed.
on a side note, while reading this book I kept thinking about a fiction novel I read a while back Meat by Joseph D'Lacey. If you enjoyed the pacing and "story" line in this nonfiction tale, I highly recommend seeking out Meat .
on a side note, while reading this book I kept thinking about a fiction novel I read a while back Meat by Joseph D'Lacey. If you enjoyed the pacing and "story" line in this nonfiction tale, I highly recommend seeking out Meat .
November 24, 2017
This book by Richard Rhodes was published in 1997, just at the peak of fear of British mad cow disease. It begins discussing kuru among cannibalistic New Guinea tribes. The slow uncovering of the ways that transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (kuru, scrapie, mink TME, elk wasting disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and mad cow disease) were discovered and investigated is the heart of the book. It is a good read. It is somewhat unsatisfying to find that prions really haven't been identified, even though they seem to be responsible for really horrifying deaths.
I finally have understood the meaning behind the questions asked of blood donors. Do you have any relatives with Creuzefeldt-Jakob disease? Have you spent a period of time in Europe? Were you stationed in Europe for more than x years? Have you had dura mater covering in your brain? If so, you might be a carrier of prions, whatever they are.
I finally have understood the meaning behind the questions asked of blood donors. Do you have any relatives with Creuzefeldt-Jakob disease? Have you spent a period of time in Europe? Were you stationed in Europe for more than x years? Have you had dura mater covering in your brain? If so, you might be a carrier of prions, whatever they are.
August 15, 2008
SCARY! And wildly interesting. The book is trying to make a point, and it does it quite well, with vivid writing, clear scientific explanations, and a structure that explores each case and variation as the unfolding of a flower petal. Each individual section is frightening, and the ultimate bloom is terrifying. (okay, I've dragged this metaphor out a bit much)
In seriousness, I couldn't put this book down. I also really enjoyed how he boldly paints each scientist, and showing how their personalities contribute to their discoveries, both in the positive and negative sense. While I think the stretch to the possibility of a U.S. infection was mainly speculative, I am looking twice at hamburger, and then ordering chicken.
In seriousness, I couldn't put this book down. I also really enjoyed how he boldly paints each scientist, and showing how their personalities contribute to their discoveries, both in the positive and negative sense. While I think the stretch to the possibility of a U.S. infection was mainly speculative, I am looking twice at hamburger, and then ordering chicken.
February 9, 2010
A book about the epidemiology of mad cow disease and its relatives, I thought this read more like a page-turning detective story than a non-fiction science book. I thought it was interesting to see how the science evolved over the decades and continents, and how sometimes coincidences caused discoveries to be made. Also it was quite scary. I think I knew but had been trying to forget that mad cow disease has a long incubation period, and just because it isn't in the news much anymore doesn't mean it's not still a real threat (in which the damage has probably already been done - even to vegetarians!).
June 6, 2011
This book does an excellent job of introducing the reader to the world of prions and prion infections, Taking a historical approach and beginning with the emergence of kuru among the cannibalistic society of Papua/New Guinea, the author documents the struggle to find the infectious agent that causes this disease and other spongeform encephalopathies. It is a riveting journey that ultimately led to the understanding of how such diseases are transmitted, and to worldwide reform of livestock and pet feeding practices.
July 17, 2012
This book chronicles the discovery of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy like kuru, CJK, and scrapie. It begins with cannibalistic practices in New Guinea and the work of Carleton Gajdusek. It then looks at how these diseases act and spread, particularly at the rendering plants where animal bodies are processed into high protein feed for beef and dairy cows. The book looks at the disease's action in Britain in the late 1990s. It shows that meat production is deadly and also warns of tissue grafts. Good read!
February 25, 2013
After The Hot Zone, the bar has been set for the deadly-real-viruses-that-could-wipe-us-all-out genre. And unfortunately, Deadly Feasts misses the mark. And I'm not sure it's the author's fault. I felt as though he wanted to get his facts completely in order and contain the fear mongering. Which is noble, but can also make for some dry reading. I appreciated his breakdown of the disease, but unless you're a chemist/biologist/virologist/etc. it made for some pretty technical reading in the middle.
September 30, 2017
It was chilling. Much more than a standard Stephen King novel. The fact that it is not fiction made it even more scarier. The stealthy progress of the disease and its varied diverse forms only adds to the terror-mingled surprise of reading about one of the most deadliest plagues. Author, quite brilliantly takes you through the signs and symptoms of the disease, after which I can assure you of some very bad nights and some really good thoughts of changing into a vegetarian. There comes the catch, even they aren't spared!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews