James L. A. Webb, Jr is Professor of History at Colby College, Maine. His recent books include The Long Struggle against Malaria in Tropical Africa (Cambridge, 2014) and Global Health in Africa (2013).
'James Webb's The Guts of the Matter delves deep into how and where people have relieved themselves, how this has been related to one group of parasitic diseases and how important this has been - and still is - to developments around the world. It changes readers' outlook on toilets and life.' Iris Borowy, Shanghai University 'This global history illuminates large bio-social patterns key to the development of all human societies. The vicissitudes of human intestinal diseases - that persistently caused high mortality and sickness - are linked to human waste management and mismanagement, diverse hygienic practices, safe and unsafe water systems, and access to medical treatment (such as hookworm's drugs, poliovirus vaccines and oral rehydration therapy for cholera). Developments in industrialized and colonial and postcolonial societies are masterfully compared. A sound contribution beyond the field of history.' Marcos Cueto, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 'James Webb's The Guts of the Matter delves deep into how and where people have relieved themselves, how this has been related to one group of parasitic diseases and how important this has been - and still is - to developments around the world. It changes readers' outlook on toilets and life.' Iris Borowy, Shanghai University 'This global history illuminates large bio-social patterns key to the development of all human societies. The vicissitudes of human intestinal diseases - that persistently caused high mortality and sickness - are linked to human waste management and mismanagement, diverse hygienic practices, safe and unsafe water systems, and access to medical treatment (such as hookworm's drugs, poliovirus vaccines and oral rehydration therapy for cholera). Developments in industrialized and colonial and postcolonial societies are masterfully compared. A sound contribution beyond the field of history.' Marcos Cueto, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil