Leeuwenhoek's Legatees and Beijerinck's Beneficiaries
Title
Leeuwenhoek's Legatees and Beijerinck's Beneficiaries
Subtitle
A History of Medical Virology in The Netherlands
ISBN
9789048544066
Format
eBook PDF
Number of pages
360
Language
English
Publication date
Dimensions
15.6 x 23.4 cm
Also available as
Hardback - € 59,95
Table of Contents
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Acknowledgements

Illustrations

Abbreviations

Preface

Chapter 1
Origins in the dark: Virus diseases in the Netherlands before the discovery of viruses

Chapter 2
Redefining viruses: the development and reception of the virus concept in the Netherlands

Chapter 3
On the fringes: The Dutch work on viruses, 1900-1950

Chapter 4
From cell culture to the molecular revolution: the rise of medical virology and its organization

Chapter 5
Medical virology in the Netherlands after 1950. Laboratorries and institutes.

Chapter 6
Techniques and instruments: their introduction in The Netherlands and Dutch main contributions

Chapter 7
Dutch virology in the tropics: From colonial to international virology

Chapter 8
From cancer mice in the roaring twenties to oncogenes and signalling molecules in the booming nineties

Chapter 9
Virus vaccines and immunisation programmes

Chapter 10
Conclusions

List of institutes and laboratories

References

Index of Names

Index of subjects

Reviews and Features

"The use of references from scientists, articles, journals, books, historical records, conference proceedings, seminars, workshops and many resources during the twentieth century made this book an interesting and engaging read. This book will be a valuable addition to any library and to any bioscience student who is interested in the history of microbiology, basic research, infectious diseases, epidemiology, antiviral drugs and vaccination."
- Arindam Mitra, Adamas University, India, Microbiology Today (2021)

"This unique chronicle of Dutch medical virology is recommended literature for all. It describes scientific highlights of a discipline that allowed a dramatic reduction of morbidity and mortality in the past century."
- Ab Osterhaus and Roel Coutinho

"The discoveries of the Dutch scientists Van Leeuwenhoek and Beijerinck profoundly influenced the development of microbiology and virology. This book describes the evolution of Dutch medical virology against the context of international developments in the field of virus research."
- Harald zur Hausen

Leeuwenhoek's Legatees and Beijerinck's Beneficiaries

A History of Medical Virology in The Netherlands

Leeuwenhoek’s Legatees and Beijerinck’s Beneficiaries: A History of Medical Virology in The Netherlands offers a tour of the history of Dutch medical virology. Beginning with the discovery of the first virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, the authors investigate the reception and redefinition of his concept in medical circles and its implications for medical practice. The relatively slow progress of these areas in the first half of the twentieth century and their explosive growth in the wake of molecular techniques are examined. The surveillance and control of virus diseases in the field of public health is treated in depth, as are tumour virus research and the important Dutch contributions to technical developments instrumental in advancing virology worldwide. Particular attention is paid to oft forgotten virus research in the former Dutch colonies in the East and West Indies and Africa.
Authors

Gerard van Doornum

Gerard van Doornum is professor emeritus of Clinical Virology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Ton van Helvoort

Ton van Helvoort studied at the University of Nijmegen. His 1993 thesis (Maastricht) is entitled Research styles in virus studies in the twentieth century. As an independent historian of science, he specializes in chemistry and medicine.

Neeraja Sankaran

Neeraja Sankaran trained as microbiologist and science writer before obtaining her PhD in the history of science and medicine at Yale University with the thesis Macfarlane Burnet and the nature of the bacteriophages, 1924-1937. She currently works as independent scholar and a freelance science writer and editor.