Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine

Summary

It's one thing for scientists to use animals for their experiments. But it's another thing entirely for them to use humans to test out a new vaccine or medical treatment-especially when the scientists are the subjects of their own experiments! Guinea Pig Scientists features brief but informative biographies of men and women who have changed the world by using their own bodies to test their scientific theories. From swallowing wooden tubes to test theories about digestion to letting oneself be bitten by diseased mosquitoes, these brave scientists have let nothing stand between their thirst for knowledge and their dedication to doing whatever is necessary to break new ground. Coauthors Leslie Dendy and Mel Boring spent more than 10 years researching the lives of the men and women featured in this fascinating work. Jonathan Fried delivers a sterling narration that perfectly conveys the inspirational and informative stories of these pioneering souls. "The accounts are lively, compelling, and not always for the squeamish. ... Riveting reading."-Booklist, starred review