In the informal language of letters to public officials, Efraim Racker argues in favor of basic research as the most effective path to the treatment of disease. He contends that knowledge of the fundamentals of biological and biochemical processes is essential if we are to gain an understanding of disease processes. He then shows how this understanding is necessary for a rational approach to the prevention and cure of disease. Originally published in 1979. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.