Paperback by Troubador, £9.99
Brought up in Stonehaven, Ron Stark studied medicine in Aberdeen during one of the darkest times in the city’s history – the typhoid epidemic of 1964.
Drawing on his own memories and experiences and cuttings from stories carried at the time in the Press and Journal and Evening Express, the story of how Aberdeen became a city under siege is fascinating.
Ron not only includes great human interest tales such as Butlins Holiday Camps refusing entry to Aberdonians and the city selecting a Typhoid Queen, but offers details of what was happening behind the scenes as medical staff worked flat out to find the source of infection. Hundreds of people worked tirelessly to stop the city becoming beleaguered. He also goes into great detail about how it was possible for one big tin of corned beef to become contaminated in the first place.
After working for the National Health Service, Ron spent much of his life in search of better treatments for various diseases. He also spent many years with a global pharmaceutical company where he gained a reputation as the company’s “Red Adair” because of his role in rescuing troubled projects.
One story relates to a small, young and enthusiastic team who were heading for crunch time, having taken on a challenge that had defeated academics and clinicians who were searching for a treatment that would stop patients with lung disease feeling short of breath. Some unlikely characters and unexpected events contribute to a nail-biting finish and final outcome.
The book’s focus is not so much on the science but on the stories behind the research and on the interesting people encountered in the health service, academia and the drug industry. While there is a lot of medical content, Ron’s manner and style of writing makes for an interesting and easy-to-read book.
From Farms to Pharma will be available for sale from June 28.