cover image Family Diseases: Are You at Risk?

Family Diseases: Are You at Risk?

Myra Vanderpool Gormley, Gormley. Genealogical Publishing Company, $21.95 (184pp) ISBN 978-0-8063-1254-5

This compact book is a primer on both inherited disease and genealogy, but emphasizes the latter, as might be expected from the author, a genealogist. Gormley provides sketchy, anecdotal information on genetic research, but leaves diagnosis and detailed medical explanations to the experts. Instead, she offers a summary of resources for genealogic investigations, explaining how to utilize state records and home computers to ferret out information on otherwise unsuspected defects and illnesses that could affect present and future generations. Most readers will, unsurprisingly, find themselves urged to take the usual precautions against familial obesity, heart disease, diabetes, alcoholism or cancer; a small percentage may discover they're at risk for one or more of the dozens of rare disorders and birth defects mentioned more briefly. And those who unearth family histories of genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell anemia or hemophilia may benefit from genetic counseling when planning a family. (Aug.)