Miriam Gross - Farewell to the God of Plague: Chairman Mao’s Campaign to Deworm China

This book could not have been written without the help, support, and insight of a wide community of scholars, scientists, archivists, administrators, campaign participants, friends, and family. I was very lucky to have Peter Gillette as my earliest professional mentor. He reshaped my writing along more realistic lines and introduced me to the world of hospitals, medicine, and underserved communities. I have no doubt that my decision to study the history of public health was directly related to my experiences with Peter, and his example of combining humanitarian outreach with medical expertise influenced how I researched this campaign. During my Columbia masters program, I gained my earliest graduate mentoring from Madeleine Zelin and Thomas Bernstein, both of whom combined breadth of scholarship with inspirational teaching.

My greatest debt goes to Joseph Esherick and Paul Pickowicz, who created a spectacular modern Chinese history program at University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Joes critical inquiry and extensive knowledge shaped me as a scholar; Paul helped me to be a better writer and effectively argue my point; together they created a fantastic, multigenerational academic community of fellow students and faculty that will stand me in good stead throughout my academic career. I am particularly grateful to Ye Wa, a bosom buddy, who not only labored under the burden of helping me conquer my first academic Chinese, but also was the first person who told me about Maos snail fever campaign and worked with me at the beginning of my research. After the UCSD program, Joe and Ye Wa became colleagues and friends. My UCSD network was also critical to my success. Marta Hanson, now at Johns Hopkins, introduced me to the history of Chinese medicine; Andrew Scull widened my inquiry to public health, colonial medicine, politics, and society; and Martha Lampland familiarized me with the history of science and provided depth through her work on science in Hungarian Communist systems. All three have gone above and beyond as long-term mentors and inspirations. Marta Hanson, Suzanne Cahill, Lu Weijing, and Sarah Schneewind provided me with a grounding in earlier Chinese history and encouraged me to think beyond the modern period. Dick Madsen became both an academic mentor and personal friend. He helped me think about how moral and spiritual issues intertwine with politics. Finally, Gail Hershatter, my outside committee member from University of California, Santa Cruz, has been an unfailing mentor. Her incisive comments and knowledge about gender studies have served as an inspiration.

A series of fellowships enabled both my graduate experience and my work in China. I am very grateful for the UCSD Chinese History Fellowship; the University of California Pacific Rim Award; the Fulbright Institute of International Education Fellowship; the Social Science Research Council International Dissertation Fellowship; and two University of Oklahoma Junior Faculty Research Fellowships. Financial support was also provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Oklahoma. Thank-you all.

My work in China would not have been possible without my affiliation with Fudan University and the help of Gao Xi, my faculty mentor, a historian of Chinese medicine. Professor Gao shared her house, expertise, and connections, providing a true example of hospitality and mentoring. I cannot thank her enough. I also owe great thanks to the institutions, librarians, archivists, scientists, and museum directors who not only made this work possible but also helped me accomplish it. I extend special thanks to the Second Historical Archive, the Shanghai Municipal Archive, the Qingpu District Archive, the Jiangxi and Jiangsu Provincial Archives, the Beijing National Library, the Beijing Chinese Academy of Sciences Library, the Shanghai Municipal Library and its off-site book depository, Fudan Library, the Shanghai Institute of Parasitic Diseases, the Qingpu Department of Health, the Rentun Schistosomiasis Control Exhibition, the Yujiang County Songwenshen Memorial Hall and archive, the UC Berkeley East Asian Library, and the UC Berkeley Center for Chinese Studies. All of you made a special effort to work with the sometimes difficult requests of this foreign researcher.