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should start paying attention to what's going on behind the curtain! The role of CBS and "expert" decision-support systems in deskilling workers through automation of cognitive functions is designed to increase throughput. Workers are exploited and treated like widgets on a digitally controlled assembly line. As workers strug- gle to meet increasing productivity goals, they are subject to demor- alization by intensive surveillance and performance evaluations. Of course, the increased workload is not matched by an increase in real wages. "This is a missing piece of the economic jigsaw…that detracts from our understanding of the US economy" according to Head. In a chapter titled "Emotional Labor," Head details the relation- ships between power and knowledge in society, as expressed through language, which seems to underscore yet another perverse consequence of information technology: the "killing of the social contract." At once an Orwellian and Dickensian story of socioeco- nomic injustice underpinned by the inherent vices of capitalism, Head warns that "decades of income stagnation and decline for the majority of Americans threatens the fundamental American dream of equality and the belief that education and hard work will help overcome the barriers of birth and inheritance." The author takes on the question of "What is to be done?" in the final chapter which is aptly titled "Any Way Out?" In a modestly hopeful and challenging way, Head lays out his grounds for opti- mism. He explains how the economy's present course is unsustain- able and "as this becomes more and more apparent, the volatility will spill over to the public debate and open it up." He asserts, "If a clear majority of Americans are losing out in today's economy, as they are, the political task is to create a domi- nant coalition from among them. Progressives and their union allies should now bend every sinew to keep working class realignment underway and settle once and for all who the American workers' chief enemies really are." —DeAnn McEwen, RN Missing Microbes: How The Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling Our Modern Plagues By Martin J. Blaser, MD Henry Holt & Co., 2014 Dr. Martin Blaser pioneers micro-ecology research as the director of the Human Microbiome Program and former chair of medicine at New York University. Our microbiomes are a natural, symbiotic col- lection of bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and other microbes that play a critical role in our immunity and ability to combat disease. Formation of a healthy and robust microbiome, particularly dur- ing a child's early years, is key, says Blaser. Any disruption can have serious long-term consequences for one's health and digestion. But in this book, Blaser posits that overuse of antibiotics in our society is leading to widespread and long-term health problems. Excessive disinfectants and antibacterials often contribute to this disruption. Beyond just antibiotics, common medical practices—such as cae- sarean sections—also disrupt our microbiomes or prevent the healthy formation of one. Blaser theorizes that these procedures contribute to "modern plagues" such as obesity, Crohn's disease, coli- tis, food allergies, cancer, celiac disease, autism, and eczema. Missing Microbes is a great read for nurses, especially those interested in the over-reliance on antibiotics, c-sections, and other procedures that disrupt the microbio- me. Examples include prolonged illness and standard treatment failure. Nurses must be hyper vigilant to a broad range of hospi- tal-acquired infec- tions. Serious complications and even death can arise from drug-resistant microbes like Methi- cillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). With all the time spent caring for the ill, nurses are the most at-risk group for MRSA. 22 N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G J U LY | A U G U S T 2 0 1 4