J R Army Med Corps 2002; 148: 309-311 J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-148-03-20 on 1 September 2002. Downloaded from

BOOK REVIEWS

Sexual Health Matters in Primary Care. forward to follow in outline. The text is Gill Wakley & Ruth Chambers. Radcliffe endorsed with excellent diagrams, tables and 2001. £19.95 PB. Pp vi-198. ISBN No. 1- figures. 85775-414-X. Unfortunately the book then goes into detail about how to apply evidence-based Improving Sexual Health is a ‘Hot Topic’ on medicine with a more detailed use of stat- the agenda of both the Surgeon General and istics. I found myself lost and often found it the Government. This is a subject that our difficult to remember how far I had read. I practice and I are particularly interested in. suspect that the problem may well be in the In fact, I had already bought the book before subject rather than the book! The chapters I was asked to review it, as it looked like a are written by academic general practitioners useful resource, the author having already and this may make them a little removed written a large number of excellent primary from the practising clinician. I tried hard to care books. I have not been disappointed. follow it, but struggled. This very readable book looks at best This book would be good to borrow and is practice in sexual health. It is crammed full useful for understanding the terminology in of information, ideas, assessment tools and evidence based medicine. It would be part- lists of up to date resources, guidelines and icularly useful if you have to prepare a talk on useful websites. It includes chapters on the subject or have a GP Registrar wanting taking a sexual history and confidentiality, additional material. However, it is not a book provision of contraceptive services, chlamy- on “Evidence-based Medicine made dia and managing sexual dysfunction in simple”. I recommend it for “somebody primary care. Each chapter contains a review else’s” library, to which you have access. of the subject with reflection exercises and a Lt Col RG Simpson RAMC list of references. The book is particularly SO1 Primary Care written to be a resource for drawing up a AMD

personal or practice development plan in the http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ clinical management of sexual health and, to H Jones VC: The life and death of an assist this, gives easy to use templates and unusual hero. John Wilsey. Hutchinson examples. I also feel that many aspects of the 2002. £18.99. Pp xi-335. Illust. ISBN No. 0- book would be useful to GP registrars, 09-17935-6. particularly those preparing for MRCGP. If this book is anything to go by the other The reason I have written this book review books in the series would be well worth for the Journal of the Royal Army Medical reading. Of the other titles available, ‘Mental Corps is because it portrays, in the most Health Matters in Primary Care’ and accurate detail, an analysis of the regimental ‘Musculoskeletal Matters in Primary Care’ structure of the .The hero, “H” could be of particular interest to military Jones, himself stirs all sorts of emotions for on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. practices. those who served during this period of quite Dr CA Bodley Scott wrongly perceived military inactivity. Jones, BM FRCGP DRCGP MFFP like many other cold war soldiers had to Civilian Medical Practitioner thrive when and where active service opportunities arose. He was decorated MBE Evidence-based Practice in Primary following a tour in as a Care. 2nd Edition. Edited by Chris Silagy Brigade Major and, having supported and Andrew Haines. BMJ Books 2001. magnificently as a staff officer at HQLF at £25.00. PB. Pp vii–206. ISBN 0-7279-1568- Wilton, the Commonwealth Monitoring 1. Force in Zimbabwe, was advanced to OBE. Outstanding officers, (he was one several This BMJ book quickly endorses the need times), had to temper their ambition and for evidence based medicine in General natural verve and enthusiasm, with a degree Practice and Primary Care. Its introductory of tolerance and lip-biting, because of the chapters are easy to follow with good possible damning Annual Confidential definitions (you can quickly pick up the Grade of “E” for “Tact and Cooperation”. jargon!). I particularly liked the “five step “H” owned a yacht, the “Romanel”. The process for using evidence based approach in verve he demonstrated in sailing and motor General Practice”. Each step is straight- racing was also apparent in a variety of 310 J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-148-03-20 on 1 September 2002. Downloaded from

postings in which he was able to court life and would appear to have done so in the adulation from those serving him, his peers most dramatic fashion on the 28th May and and his superiors, while seriously antag- his extraordinary actions, for a whole string onising small numbers from all these same of cogent reasons, fully warranted a post- three groups. humous VC. The fact that the book is published now on Why should this book, written extremely the twentieth anniversary of his death is not well by General Sir John Wilsey, Commander due to commercial expediency. Wilsey has in Chief, Land Forces, put in a very great deal of research since he later, , 1993-1996, now retired from the Army in 1996, in association Chairman of the Western Provident Assoc- with a very busy job, and I find it hard to iation, appeal to members if the Army imagine that publication could have been Medical Services? achieved any quicker. He was a contemp- These tales of derring-do are worth orary of “H” in the Devon and Dorsets, but considering by all members of the AMS. It is “H” was 15 months his junior in the same masterly as a textbook of how the Army regiment.Wilsey was one of the three officers works, its confidential reporting system and from that regiment who attended the Staff its importance, the contacts made at Sand- College in 1973. The other two were “H” hurst and later Camberley, where only a few and Paddy King-Fretts, who later comm- AMS officers go and the regimental system anded a squadron of SAS in Dhofar and was with all its intrigues and strengths. It should chosen to command the Devon and Dorsets be compulsory reading for all young doctors, following Wilsey. During the Falklands War, prior to PGMO courses and all aspiring Wilsey was still commanding. Medical Support Officers, whether they be at Having not achieved designate command Sandhurst, as officers in other regiments or of his own regiment, Jones inherited 2 Para, corps or soldiers in the Army Medical just back from a two year tour in Northern Services. In my view, it beats Anthony Ireland, at Ballykilner, on the 3rd April 1981. Beevor’s, acclaimed book, “Inside the British As an incomer he had a difficult task ahead. Army”. He had to retrain the regiment into a war- Having been John Wilsey’s last substantive fighting, rather than peacekeeping role. He two-star Commander Medical, I commend it did so and some toes were trodden on in the to you. process.The regiment would never have gone RP Craig to the Falklands had it not been for his Major General (Rtd) burning ambition and the friends he had made in his previous job at Wilton. He The Medics Guide to Work and Electives managed to get 2 Para into 3 Commando Around the World. Mark Wilson. Arnold Brigade, resulting in the 3rd Battalion, the Publishers. £14.99. PB. Pp864. ISBN No. 0- http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ Royal Anglian Regiment being selected to 340-76098-2. replace 2 Para in a posting to Belize. Wilsey describes the feelings, emotions and Part medical traveller’s almanac, part idiot’s recollections of those who served at Darwin/ guide to stepping-out abroad, the title of this Goose Green in a manner which is totally rough-guide-to-a-medics-lonely-planet style plausible and lacking in partisanship. He book is self-explanatory. It presents a mixture published a photographic diagram, (p244), of well-researched facts, patronising tips and of “H”s dash up the re-entrant, which unintentional humour. purports to show his target trench and his Divided into three sections, the first of Argentinian killer, well to his right. I have these, ‘Getting Ready’, has three chapters. some doubts over this diagram. Surgeon The first of these, ‘Planning Your Elective’, on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Commander Rick Jolly is certain that “H” for a supposedly educated readership, is was killed by a single bullet, which caused an monstrously worrying. Much of the blurb is 8 mm entry wound behind his right clavicle irrelevant, however, like medical school in the supraclavicular fossa and a much lectures, there are occasional gems. Whilst larger exit wound of his left lower abdomen, providing useful advice on the subject of the direction of the wound track being funding and locating other helpful sources of possibly explained by a ricochet off the information, the author demonstrates an vertebral column. Such an entry and exit uncanny knack for stating the very obvious, wound could not have been produced by a “On the subject of danger, try to avoid war shot from a trench facing his back. It could, zones”.This also pervades chapter two, ‘Work- however, have been fired from the trench that ing Overseas’ where you are told not to forget “H” was attacking if he had ducked when to pack your stethoscope. To be fair, it does fired at. Alternatively, he could have been hit give an honest, balanced assessment of the before he turned left round the base of the pros and cons, risks and benefits of a gap year re-entrant. It certainly could not have been working abroad. The final chapter, ‘Your fired, as has been suggested, by one of his Health Whilst Abroad’ improves, with good own soldiers. advice on common traveller’s ailments and a The conclusion of this book is that Jones sensible approach to a first aid kit. The inspired many, many people throughout his feeling persists, though, that this book has 311 J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-148-03-20 on 1 September 2002. Downloaded from been written for GCSE students, not people Flanders, especially 38 CCS at Heilly. Not who possess a degree in medicine, “If you’ve content to use tried and tested methods of had your spleen removed it can be extremely wound treatment, Gask initially wanted to dangerous to go to countries where pneumo- set up a chest unit and start to open up coccus or malaria are common”. gunshot wounds of the chest. This work was The criticism must cease for Section 2, eventually mentioned in the Official Medical ‘Destinations’. Broken down into continents History of WW1. His other innovation was and island groups, it gives a brief, accurate the early treatment of wounds involving description of the highlights (both tourist excision and closure, rather then leaving and medical) of more than 100 countries, them to suppurate. His expertise was even- with comprehensive listings of each area’s tually recognised in 1917, by his appoint- hospitals, including areas of specialisation ment as Consulting Surgeon to Fourth Army and the social scene. It also details the visas and the books goes on to recount his travels and permits required, whom to write to and around the various medical units he had how soon in advance. responsibility for. The appendix is an excellent list of elective Gask outlines his early experiences of travel bursaries, embassies around the world blood transfusion with No 2 Canadian CCS and travel vaccinations. and informs readers how dramatically was My impression is that once you have the change after the infusion of blood. written down the email addresses you require The final pages of the book are given over for the area you plan to visit, the details on to various biographical notes, summaries of other countries become academic (unless the rest of his working life and his retirement you are planning to locum around the and also his recreations. There is a final world). I think this book would be a welcome appendix of biographical notes of the various addition to any medical library, but is too senior surgeons mentioned in the book. generalised and simplistic to rush out and A Surgeon in France is a very pleasant and buy. interesting read and should appeal to both In summary this book is a non-essential the general military historian and those with luxury travel item, but merits a look if clinical a interest. planning work abroad. PH Starling Capt Neil Hill RAMC Curator AMS Museum

A Surgeon in France. The Memoirs of ABC of Clinical Genetics 3rd Edition. George E Gask CMG DSO FRCS, 1914- Helen M Kingston. BMJ £17.95. PB. Pp v – 1919. With biographical notes by his son Dr 120. £17.95. ISBN No. 0-7279-1627-0. John Gask. Liskeard Books. 2002. Illust. Pp 148. ISBN No. 1901103013. Again another successful and useful http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ publication by BMJ publication covering all This book is based on the diaries kept by aspects of clinical genetics, albeit in a George Gask during his service as a military condensed presentation. surgeon during World War 1. Born in January The basic science of genetics is covered, 1875 Gask qualified at the early age of 23 including the structure of DNA and chromo- and began a steady rise to become, by the somal analysis. Clinicians, especially paedia- outbreak of war, a respected and successful tricians, are well served with the scientific surgeon. When war broke out he was explanation for Mendelian inheritance both climbing in the Italian Alps and being a usual and unusual, the risk estimation of Captain in the Territorial Force, made his genetic disorders and carrier detection. way home by a long and circuitous route, and There are useful, though condensed, on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. on his arrival found his mobilisation papers chapters on common clinical disorders and awaiting him. His unit was 1st London the scientific explanation for these disorders. General Hospital based in Camberwell. The clinicians, especially paediatricians, will For the next 18 months Gask juggled with find the chapters on genetic assessment, working at Camberwell and various other genetic counselling, prenatal diagnosis and military hospitals and his ever-increasing dysmorphology very useful. Recent advances private practice. Many of Gask’s senior in Genetics such as gene mapping, gene clinicians joined the army including Sir therapy and gentics of cancer are discussed. Arthur Bowlby and D’Arcy Power; their In short, this book, which covers over 100 paths would cross throughout his wartime pages, is very useful for paediatricians and service. Throughout this account Gask does other clinicians, for understanding the basics not mince his words, especially with regard of genetics and its clinical application and to officers of the RAMC, many who he should be available in all medical set-ups regarded as weak, and those who he felt which care for children. could not stand the strain of command. Col B Moorthy MD FRCP FRCPCH It is from 1916 that the book really Consultant Paediatrician becomes interesting as it recounts the various MDHU Frimley Park Hospital CCS and hospitals in which Gask worked in