Dr. Weston A. Price was a controversial but diligent researcher in his own time and his work continues to fit that description to this day. In ‘The Pathology of Dental Infections and Its Relation to General Diseases’, Price notes the comparative lack of vigour and presence of chronic conditions in his younger patients. Driven to find a solution he hypothesized that perhaps there was a common cause or factor. He formulated a daring theory which linked dental and general physical health in his patients. Price’s theory relates to focal infections, infections which Price believed were major causes in a large number of deaths. These focal infections primarily occurred above the shoulder and particularly of interest to him, in the teeth. He demanded an increase in dentists, dental care and an aggressive drive to improve the state of human health across the world. His infectious enthusiasm and belief in widening the reach of healthcare is heartening and whilst not all his conclusions are backed up today, his research was is still significant for the modern dental practitioner. His call for closer integration between health care professions was a goal that doctors and dentists today could applaud but he bemoans the lack of vision in his contemporaries and yearns for a more enlightened world. This book will be of keen interest to dentists, medical professionals, historians and those with an interest in public health campaigning. Price possessed scientific understanding as well as a broad base of professional experience and a genuine drive to improve lives which any person could learn from.
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