Worms, Wonders and Woes
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The journeys included in this book extend from the Basque pastures of California to the 1893 Century of Progdress exhibition in Chicago; from the North Pole to the rain forests of the Amazon, from "20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", featuring Captain Nemo in league with the Schistosoma haematobium parasite, "Captain Hemo", to the airways of the Enola Gay. Involved is a vast array of animal life including cats, dogs, polar bears, pigs, and snails, along with flying vectors including biting flies, mosquitoes, and kissing bugs. Intertwined are animal parasites varying in size from so small to be seen only under a microscope, to tapworms that can stretch 1/3 the length of a football field. Scientists will learn about the wonders of parasites; parasitologists will exprience rich entertainment.
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About the Book
Worms, Wonders and Woes depicts the journeys of different parasites as they move between and infect various hosts. The stories are accompanied by accounts of human hero journeys that could exist in parallel with the parasites. Explored are the much neglected wonders of creatures in the lower animal kingdom and the various transformational forms they assume, guided by the behavioral associations innate within their genomic codes. Within the "wonders" of the parasites are the human "woes" experienced in diseases of infestation, usually self-inflicted, but with blame cast on the wayfaring animal parasites. There is need for humans to understand all animal creatures, no matter at what level of the animal kingdom.
About the Author
Elmer W. Koneman, M. D., is a pathologist and sub-specialist in microbiology and infectious diseases, with a long-time interest in the animal parasites that infect humans. Currently retired, he has been in pathology and laboratory medicine practice in Billings, Montana; Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; and, Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Koneman has presented more than 1000 workshops and seminars sponored by professional societies and educational organizations, largely focused on infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and animal parasites. In addition to Worms, Wonders, and Woes, he has authored a similar microbial fantacy, "The Other End of the Microscope--The Bacteria Tell Their Own Story".