The body at war

This book uses a large variety of actual cases to illustrate the role of human defence mechanisms. The author explains how vaccines work and introduces the reader to the world of bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses. He also looks at the immunology of pregnancy and tries to explain why mothers do not reject the babies in their wombs. The book speculates on the manner in which the mind influences the working of immune systems and examines the system's role in combatting a wide range of illnesses such as arthritis, stress, depression, allergies and communicable diseases.