Constructing Scientific Knowledge: The Understanding of the Slow Virus, 1898-1976 (original) (raw)

Because of my earlier affiliation with USC, that service has borne the brunt of my requests. They have been unfailingly helpful and always successful, even to the point of obtaining deteriorating copies of books from the United Kingdom. Frankly, I was frequently worried, fortunately in vain, that someone would tell me 'no more'-that I had already used up more than my quota of requests; thankfully that never happened. Ms. Lorna Cahill of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in London arranged for me to visit her archive. Fortuitously, she was in the process of collating and preparing letters and notes that were useful to my research. She was indefatigable and continually surprised me with new finds during my visit. Likewise, the staff members of the library service at the Royal Society of Medicine and those of the Wellcome Library also provided materials and advice during my visit to London. Thanks also go to the librarians and staff of the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Science Library of Oxford University for their efforts on my behalf. It goes without saying, of course, that I could not have even begun, let alone actually carried out, the research and writing without the expert instruction and guidance of Professors Joseph November, Allison Marsh, Ann Johnson, and Colin Wilder at the University of South Carolina. They mentored me through every step, guiding my thinking iv and writing and always keeping me focused on the task at hand when my reading and writing began to wander, which was all too frequent. My understanding of the philosophical issues involved in studying the historical development of scientific knowledge has also benefited immensely from the coursework and informal discussions of philosophers, Heike Sefrin-Weis, Tarja Knuuttila, and George Khushf, also at the University of South Carolina. Further afield, Jeremy Greene of the Johns Hopkins Institute for the History of Medicine also provided advice and encouragement. Even so, I suspect they all believe, though too polite to admit it, that my education was, and likely remains, severely compromised by having practiced medicine far too long and having become far too scientifically biased for even their valiant efforts to overcome. Finally I am, as always, indebted and grateful to my long-suffering wife, Mary T, who never failed to provide needed prodding, praise, and persuasion as well as expert proofreading and editing skills throughout the process.