The Science of Epidemiology and Causes of Disease

This book is an introduction to the science of epidemiology. It explores epidemiology methods that have been employed to elucidate some of the most important causal relationships between exposures (whether to infections, dietary factors, toxins or behaviors) and disease and injury. I have included disease investigations from the middle of the 19th century to the present. In most cases, the investigations described led to successful measures to markedly lower disease rates and prevent premature deaths.