Reddit mentions of Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus

I loved Emperor of all Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
It gives a lot of good background about the history of cancer, but along the way you learn a lot about the history of science and research, as well. A lo of basic research and epidemiology that we take fro granted these days came out of cancer research.

I also recently read "Rabid" which was more of a cultural history. It was a really interesting read.

I was also moved by a book about end of life. It's called "Knocking on heaven's door" by Katy Butler. She describes how the US healthcare system caused her family immeasurable suffering due to its persistence on prolonging life, without regard for the quality of that life or for the quality of life of the caregivers. Butler makes a powerful case for the benefits of Slow Medicine, palliative care, and hospice.

>it's just a public health issue since rabies is 100% fatal and the rabies vaccine is not 100% effective

Pedantic aside: Rabies is like, 99.998% fatal, but two people have survived it. This book about Rabies is super interesting, and I recommend it, especially to a vet: https://www.amazon.com/Rabid-Cultural-History-Worlds-Diabolical/dp/0143123572

No need to worry? 5 out of 30 have survived the protocol.

Also, there is a good chance that the protocol might not actually do anything and that those who survived did so in spite of the protocol.

There is a LOT to worry. DO NOT TOUCH A BAT (or a racoon)

Here, listen to this awesome Radiolab piece about it: http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blog/2013/aug/13/rodney-versus-death/

Better yet, read Rabid:

http://www.amazon.com/Rabid-Cultural-History-Worlds-Diabolical/dp/0143123572/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376512674&sr=8-1&keywords=rabid

Bonus: I have had the rabies vaccine. Not fun.

A couple I've enjoyed lately:

Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus

The Red Market: On the Trail of the World's Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers, and Child Traffickers -

They're both enjoyable reads, not especially boring or academic.

I also second /u/Createx's Freakonomics recommendation. That book was great. Along the same cause and effect theme is The Tipping Point.

Fascinating! I find the history of medicine, especially in the Victorian Era, really interesting. And that website seems neat, thanks!
A quote that struck me: "the cesspools now under our houses will inflict more pains and destroy more living than 10,000 mad dogs let loose in our streets" - I know it's still an issue in certain parts of the world, but it's interesting to imagine a time when rabies ("mad dogs") was considered a real threat. I know a little bit about the Rabies Scares but I have Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus on my reading list

And because I'm a nerd in this type of stuff, here's an AWESOME piece from RadioLab on a case of rabies where they were able to actually cure the patient by lowering the body temperature and inducing a coma, though it's been disputed to some extent. This is also an excellent read about rabies if you're interested.

Some highlights, rabid animals fear water, foam at the mouth, and become super aggressive. These are all to help spread the disease. Without water, the mouth of the rabid animal doesn't get clean so there's more virus present. Foaming at the mouth also increases the number of virii in the mouth. The aggression is the rabies virus taking over telling the brain to bite something to spread the disease. It's bizarre when you think of it like that.

Rabid... straddles the line between epi and medical anthropology.

Rabid, by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy. It is an engaging history of rabies in the context of social history and epidemiological development. I loved it!

https://www.amazon.com/Rabid-Cultural-History-Worlds-Diabolical/dp/0143123572/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491805903&sr=8-2&keywords=rabid

Rabid, The Demon in the Freezer, and The Ghost Map are all books I've found fascinating about various diseases.

I would second /u/Amprvector's suggestion of both The Emperor of all Maladies, and The Selfish Gene as well.