Seen on Book tv

Thomas Hager was on C-SPAN2 talking about his new book The Demon Under the Microscope. When asked about his research for the book he felt it was necessary to prove that he "knows" science. He tried to do this by telling a joke.

An atom walks into a bar looking utterly dejected. He shuffles up to the barstool and sits down obviously depressed. The bartender comes over and asks him what's wrong.
"Oh I'm feeling really depressed because I just lost an electron" the atom explains.
"Really?" asks the bartender. "Are you sure."
The atom says "I'm positive."

I don't know that this proves he knows much about science. It's good evidence that he doesn't know much about humour.

But his book sounds interesting. The full title is The Demon Under the Microscope: From Battlefield Hospitals to Nazi Labs, One Doctor's Heroic Search for the World's First Miracle Drug. He tells the story of the search in the first part of the 20th century for a drug that could end the terrible reign of deadly infections. Sulfa drugs became a popular panacea, especially after Eleanor Roosevelt convinced a skilled doctor, George Loring Tobey Jr, to use them in the treatment her son FDR Jr who was fading quickly from a ravenous strep infection.

The drug became immensely popular and was not patented. Companies everywhere were making it and selling it which led to a predictable result. In 1937 A chemist for the S E Massengill company decided to mix the drug with diethylene glycol because it was an effective solvent allowing the drug to be taken as a tasty syrup. Diethylene glycol is basically antifreeze/coolant. 107 people died. The result was the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic act of 1938 which allowed the Food and Drug Administration to control such products.

The chemist who came up with the mixture defended his formula and even took the "elixer" to prove that it was safe. He didn't die from it. He died months later of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while he was "cleaning his gun."

I'd like to read this book. Some of my favorite books have been scientific memoirs or histories. The two that stick out and which I've read several times are How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin Nuland, and Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks. Primo Levi's The Periodic Table is also excellent, though so much more challenging.