John Humphrys
Hodder & Stoughton, £12.99
ISBN 0 340 770 457

"We are on the brink of what could prove to be a medical catastrophe. . . . The superbugs are with us.” Ominous words from John Humphrys, voice of Radio Four's Today programme, Sunday Times columnist and, we now discover, one time Welsh dairy farmer and angry agriculturalist. In a readable book that seeks to expose and condemn the “effect of modern food production methods on our health,” Humphrys attributes the evolution of multidrug resistant “superbugs” partly to overprescribing, but mostly to the alarmingly liberal use of antibiotics in poultry farming.

Those of us in the medical profession may find references to a potential “medical catastrophe” unduly alarming. We may also find his account of bacterial drug resistance unhelpfully simplistic: repeated exposure to antibiotics “may be the microbial equivalent of feeding spinach to Popeye,” we are told.

Clearly, Humphrys is not offering anyone an objective education in medical science. Instead, he provides a passionate polemic that draws on sentiment and anecdote as much as scientific evidence to berate methods of industrial farming and to call for an end to such environmental adulterations as excessive pesticide use, intensive fish farming and the genetic modification of foods. He suggests “a new way of going forward” using low input, sustainable farming methods to produce organic foods which, he claims, are better for our health as well as the environment. The essence of the argument is simple: today's “cheap” food production methods protect the financial interests of big businesses (agricultural, chemical manufacturers, genetic modifiers, etc), but put the population's health at risk— hence the “gamble” of the title.

Humphrys never satisfactorily proves a link between industrial farming methods and disease, nor between organic food and improved health. Rather, he exploits the assumed, but ambiguous relationship between diet and wellbeing. So is this opinionated, city weary Londoner merely lamenting the loss of an idyllic rural life and tossing in a few unfounded health concerns to justify his dreamy “back to nature” refrain?

Humphrys, of course, claims not. Indeed, he argues that the absence of scientific proof supports his case. The research into the health implications of food production methods has not been carried out, he asserts, because it is not in the interests of the industries or governments who fund most scientific research. No research; no evidence; no “proof,” claims John. Nevertheless, by exposing the vested interests—political and financial—that act to make his case unprovable, by raising many concerning questions and by appealing to our intuition, his case is convincing.

If nothing else, this book provides an enjoyable, informative, and thought provoking account of some of the food, health, and science issues in contemporary society. As such, it is valuable to medics in aiding our understanding of the health related knowledge and concerns that our patients will bring to consultations. Furthermore, if we believe what John Humphrys writes we may benefit our wellbeing by reading his book and acting on its suggestions. Certainly a notable sign of the times, the book may also prove to be a seminal work. I bought my first tin of organic beans today.