A Manufactured Plague?: The History of Foot and Mouth Disease in Britain Contributor(s): Woods, Abigail (Author) |
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ISBN: 1844070808 ISBN-13: 9781844070800 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $74.09 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: July 2004 Annotation: * Exposes the government mishandling and ???pro-slaughter ideology??? that destroyed millions of farm animals in Britain in 2001 and crippled rural livelihoods * Both the definitive history of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Britain and a source of valuable lessons for handling the next, inevitable, FMD outbreak * Essential reading for all concerned with farming and trade and the safety of livestock and foodFoot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is currently regarded as one of the world??'s worst animal plagues. But how did this label become attached to a curable disease that poses little threat to human health? And why, in the epidemic of 2001, did the government??'s control strategy still rely upon Victorian trade restrictions and mass slaughter? This groundbreaking and well-researched book shows that for over a century, FMD has brought fear, tragedy and sorrow ??? damaging businesses and shaping international relations. Yet these effects were neither inevitable nor caused by FMD itself but rather were the product of legislation used to control it. In this sense, FMD is a ???manufactured??? plague not a natural one. The book turns the spotlight on this process of manufacture, revealing a rich history beset by controversy, in which party politics, class relations, veterinary ambitions, agricultural practices, the priorities of farming and the meat trade, fears for national security and scientific progress all made FMD what it is today. |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Medical | Veterinary Medicine - Food Animal - History | Europe - Great Britain - General - Technology & Engineering | Agriculture - Animal Husbandry |
Dewey: 636.089 |
LCCN: 2004010130 |
Physical Information: 0.77" H x 6.04" W x 8.72" (1.00 lbs) 208 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - British Isles |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is currently regarded as one of the world's worst animal plagues. But how did this label become attached to a curable disease that poses little threat to human health? And why, in the epidemic of 2001, did the government's control strategy still rely upon Victorian trade restrictions and mass slaughter? This groundbreaking and well-researched book shows that, for over a century, FMD has brought fear, tragedy and sorrow- damaging businesses and affecting international relations. Yet these effects were neither inevitable nor caused by FMD itself but were, rather, the product of the legislation used to control it, and in this sense FMD is a 'manufactured' plague rather than a natural one. A Manufactured Plague turns the spotlight on this process of manufacture, revealing a rich history beset by controversy, in which party politics, class relations, veterinary ambitions, agricultural practices, the priorities of farming and the meat trade, fears for national security and scientific progress all made FMD what it is today. |