Paralysed with Fear

By: Gareth Williams

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Synopsis: From the award-winning author ofAngel of Death comes a comprehensive and engaging narrative of mankind's battle against polio. For much of the twentieth century, polio inspired terror as the 'morning paralysis' which could invade any home and disable or kill a previously healthy person. The cruelty of the disease is epitomised by the iconic images of the crippled child and the iron lung. This is the story of mankind's struggle against polio, is compelling, exciting and full of twists and pardoxes. One of the grand challenges of modern medicine, it was a battleground between good and bad science. Some research won Nobel Prizes; other work was flawed or fraudulent, holding up progress and endangering patients' lives. Gareth Williams takes an original view of the journey to understanding and defeating polio, exploring the profoundly moving experiences of victims alongside the medical and scientific landmarks in the history of the disease. Praise forAngel of Death: 'An engaging narrative, in which medical history is interweaved with social history and reflections on contemporary issues'BBC History Magazine 'Wonderful. Wonderfully-researched, vividly-written, an example of medical history at its absolute best. ' Michael Neve