René Dubos was a distinguished microbiologist whose pioneering work with soil-dwelling bacteria paved the way for the development of life-saving antibiotic drugs. Widely acclaimed for his discovery of tyrothricin, a chemical substance capable of destroying dangerous staphylococcus, pneumococcus, and streptococcus bacteria in both humans and animals, Dubos later turned to the study of tuberculosis and the role of physiological, social, and environmental factors in an individual's susceptibility to infection. In the 1960s, Dubos's interest in the effects of the total environment on human health and well-being prompted him to give up his laboratory work at New York's Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research to concentrate on writing and lecturing on ecological and humanitarian issues.

Over the years, Dubos produced a number of popular books on scientific subjects, including So Human an Animal, the 1968 Pulitzer-Prize winner for general nonfiction, and Only One Earth: The Care and Maintenance of a...