The Dose Makes the Poison: A Plain-Language Guide to Toxicology, 3rd Edition

by M. Alice Ottoboni

This new edition of a widely-read and highly-acclaimed book broadens the scope of its predecessors from a heavy focus on industrial chemicals as toxicants to include drugs, food additives, cosmetics and other types of compounds that people are exposed to daily. Also new to the 3 rd edition are newer issues-of-the-day , and others. As such, the book provides the basics of toxicology in easy-to-understand language as well as a fuller understanding of the daily insults to which our bodies are subjected.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Medicine, Health, Biology

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 1984

Reviews

[Owl Pellet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this quite awhile ago when getting a MPH degree. Clear presentation of tools like dose /response effect curves, no observable effect limits, potency, etc. Recommend reading if you want to appropriately evaluate public policy as they relate to "toxic" substances.

[Sherry Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fundamental text on toxicology. Excellent.

[Mark Schulz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly written.

[J.S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Any chemical can be poisonous in the right dose. Drink two gallons of water all at once and you could very well die. Even too much vitamin D is harmful, while smaller amounts are essential. There is a lot of very interesting information in this book, such as the fact that rats can't vomit - which is why manufacturers of rat poison add a chemical that induces vomiting in case dogs, cats, or children (who *can* and frequently *do* vomit) consume their product. It was also interesting to know why you're not supposed to induce vomiting if you swallow gasoline. And I really found the information about mercury poisoning to be interesting, although I do wish they'd told us exactly how to clean it up.

But for all the fascinating information in the book, there was a lot more that just sounded like a chemistry or toxicology textbook (although maybe not as dense). The subtitle says "A Plain-Language Guide to Toxicology," and for the most part it is very plain... but not always. Sometimes words and terms were not explained, and other times they were just repeated a bit too oft. And it didn't help that the tone of the book is sometimes a bit lecturing.

The authors make the point that chemicals are usually maligned by the public and sensationalized by the media. We blame (or at least suspect) them for every illness and especially vilify "synthetic" or man-made chemicals. (In truth, Mother Nature's cupboard is more dangerous than man's.) The fact is that modern chemistry has improved our lives dramatically and a little understanding on our part is very eye-opening. The book also explains the difficulties in determining risks and side-effects of consumer goods, how they are tested (including animal subjects), and the measures used by toxicologists. And while the book makes a lot of good points, it's not always the kind of book you'd describe as "couldn't put it down."

[Brad Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great toxicology book for any industrial hygiene nerd.

[Gary D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear presentation of complicated topics, great read to put context to concept of "poison".