The Science of Human Perfection

How Genes Became the Heart of American Medicine

Nathaniel Comfort

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English

Yale University Press
14 January 2014

History of medicine; Medical genetics

A thoughtful new look at the entwined histories of genetic medicine and eugenics, with probing discussion of the moral risks of seeking human perfection

Almost daily we hear news stories, advertisements, and scientific reports promising that genetic medicine will make us live longer, enable doctors to identify and treat diseases before they harm us, and individualize our medical care. But surprisingly, a century ago eugenicists were making the same promises. This book traces the history of the promises of medical genetics and of the medical dimension of eugenics. While mindful of the benefits of genetic medicine, the book also considers social and ethical issues that cast troublesome shadows over these fields.

Keeping his focus on America, Nathaniel Comfort introduces the community of scientists, physicians, and public health workers who have contributed to the development of medical genetics from the nineteenth century to today. He argues that medical genetics is closely related to eugenics, and indeed that the two cannot be fully understood separately. He also carefully examines how the desire to relieve suffering and to improve ourselves genetically, though noble, may be subverted. History makes clear that as patients and consumers we must take ownership of genetic medicine, using it intelligently, knowledgeably, and skeptically.

By: Nathaniel Comfort
Imprint: Yale University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 227mm, Width: 144mm, Spine: 2mm
Weight: 445g
ISBN: 9780300198195
ISBN 10: 0300198191
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 14 January 2014
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Nathaniel Comfort is associate professor, Department of the History of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, and a participant in The Oral History of Human Genetics project.

Reviews for The Science of Human Perfection: How Genes Became the Heart of American Medicine

'A beautifully written account of how genes became central to American medicine.' (Science) 'An intriguing history... Comfort provides some complex food for thought about the balance between creating good for individuals and for the human species, and about the ways we define the methods we use.' (Publishers Weekly)