The Body's Battle Against Pollution by J., Smith, Terrance L., Olinescu, Radu Hertoghe - used book

For much of the time since the industrial revolution, environmental pollution had been accepted as a necessary, if unfortunate, consequence of civilization. Tall smokestacks belching black smoke were seen as markers of progress, producing desired goods and wealth. Gradually people began to realize a high price was being paid for this form of progress. Toxic Chemicals settled out of the air. The water was not only unfit to drink, but often smelled so bad that no one wanted to be near it. Oil spills coated beaches, killing fish, birds, and other sea creatures. The air, water and even land were being destroyed and public opinion began to change. While some parts of the world have made great improvement in their local environmental quality, other parts of the world have not even begun to address the problem. It can take a long time for public opinion to become strong enough to force change. Even then, there are many barriers to change: economic interests, political interests, including the resistance of totalitarian regimes, and lack of education on the part of the population. Many books have been written, both scientific and popular, on the sources of pollution and on pollution's biological, economic, and social effects. This book addresses the question; if pollution is so widespread, how is it that life had been able to survive on earth? The answer is in the defensive systems of the body which are able to give at least partial protection from the free radicals that result when the body metabolizes many types of chemical pollutants, and that even allow us some degree of adaptation. But, amazing as the body's defenses are, they can be overwhelmed. When this happens, a wide variety of diseases can result.