Parasites, People, and Progress: Historical Recollections

Mark W. Cortiula is an assistant professor at Nipissing University in
North Bay.

This book chronicles the advent of parasitology in Canada from the
mid-1850s to the present. Essentially a compilation of descriptions of
researchers who have made contributions to this field, the book suffers
from its use of questionable research methods. It relies heavily on
secondary sources, is marked by generalizations unsubstantiated by
evidence, and breaks little new ground. The one notable exception to
this are the letters of J.L. Todd, which are used to provide an
interesting overview of his research contributions toward the
understanding of sleeping sickness and contain value judgments made
about colleagues.

The biographical portraits are useful in demonstrating the wide range
of research in the field, but they are unbalanced. William Osler
receives an entire chapter, while others who made equally important
contributions, like Seymore Hadwen, receive less detailed treatment.
Perhaps the greatest limitation is the statement made repeatedly at the
end of nearly every chapter that this was a very productive period in
parasitical research. These claims are relative and the larger question
of the value of this research for society is not addressed.

Nor is any attempt made to assess the merits of Canadian research
within the international field. Important questions remain: What links
did Canadian researchers have with others abroad? Did the special
climate or geography of Canada shape research goals? To what extent did
work on parasites in Europe, Africa, and America influence the work done
in Canada? It is only by assessing the place of Canadian research within
this larger framework that the true value of parasitology in this
country can be measured.