Agricultural Medicine: A Practical Guide

The reader of this volume will experience a voyage of discovery with one of the finest guides available. James E. Lessenger has combined experience in private practice, preventive medicine, and public service in California’s San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. His experience and selection of chapter authors is, in every sense, a contri- tion to illuminating the art and science of agromedicine. As one examines the table of contents, one is impressed by the range of topics and the importance of each concern. Covering both injury prevention and environmental h- ards, this innovative work is a practical guide for the family physician wo- ing in a rural area. The contents demonstrate the vitality of agromedicine and the vision and insight of the authors. The chapters on farm chemicals provide thorough information about the many types of chemicals commonly used in the farm environment, how they are applied, and the principles of diagnosis and management for family physicians treating patients for toxic chemical exposure. These chapters underscore the fact that the use of farm chemicals is one of the things resp- sible for the increase in worldwide agricultural production and that risks can be managed through preventive measures. The Agricultural Medicine represents a benchmark in the evolution of a concept begun in South Carolina over two decades ago called agromedicine.

From the reviews:

"Agricultural Medicine, a multiauthored book edited by James E. Lessinger, is a study in ‘agro-medicine’ ... . Lessenger and colleagues have assembled a wealth of information that will be useful to a wide audience in understanding the health of a dynamic population of workers and their families. Agricultural Medicine belongs on the desks (and not just in the libraries) of occupational specialists, primary care physicians practicing in rural communities, and anyone else interested in the health and well-being of agricultural workers and their families." (Jeffrey L. Levin, The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 355 (9), 2006)

"Agricultural Medicine: A Practical Guide is a textbook about the hazards, injuries, illnesses, disability, and mortality associated with agriculture. ... this is a reference book of agricultural medicine, which is a subset of occupational medicine ... . Agricultural Medicine: A Practical Guide should have a place in ... training and practice, along with preventive and clinical references in primary care, agro-medicine, and occupational medicine." (John R. Wheat, JAMA, Vol. 295 (4), January, 2006)