February 1958 Book Reviews 109 Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.34.388.109 on 1 February 1958. Downloaded from if he ever sees, or has occasion to examine, a female of production is generally high, though there are patient of any age, from a week to 90 years. various small but tiresome misprints of English At the end of the book are 17 plates of beautiful names. Potts is no longer in a position to object colour illustrations and an index which enhances to this, but Dennis-Browne, Fairbanks and Seddorn the work's value as a book of reference. may be a little vexed. There are, altogether, 26 chapters which range from the Psychosomatics of , which rightly has pride of place, to Pitfalls in Gynaecolo- gical Diagnosis, which reminds us of the mistakes we can all make. SORANUS' GYNECOLOGY The new chapter on Pediatric Gynaecology is Translated with an introduction by OwsEI TEMKIN, especially valuable and the authors have been right M.D. Pp. xlix + 258. London: Geoffrey to include a chapter on the diagnosis of breast Oxford ponditions, for no gynaecological examination is Cumberlege, University Press. I955. really complete without examination of the breasts. 40s. The only shame about this book is that no-one The translation of Soranus' Gynecology is in England thought of doing it first! obviously a labour of love. E.E.P. It is most interesting to see how up-to-date some of the ideas of a gynaecologist who lived in the time of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian can be. (98-138) ORTHOPAEDIC IN INFANCY AND Soranus was a Greek who later went to Rome. CHILDHOOD His book covered most of the symptoms which still present as gynaecological symptoms. Not all By ALBERT BARNETT FERGUSON JN., B.A., M.D. the treatments are hopelessly out of date. Pp. xii + 508, with 504 illustrations. London: For instance, the dilute acid treatment of a pro- Bailliere, Tindall & Cox Ltd. 1957. lapsed with ulceration, after the

replacing Protected by copyright. Although the title of Dr. Ferguson's book may uterus and packing the with a tampon, is make us wonder when we can expect a work on still good treatment. ' Paediatric Surgery in Children,' it is difficult to There has clearly been great team work in pro- see what else he could have called a book dealing ducing this translation from the Greek, with with the straightening of children. The exclusion plentiful reference to German literature bearing of fractures has enabled Dr. Ferguson to produce a on the times. book which is short enough to be easily readable E.E.P. and long enough to present the subject with a reasonable amount of detail. The arrangement of the first six chapters on a regional basis has all the advantages of this method in ease of access to a ESSENTIALS OF MODERN particular problem and is on the whole successful. SURGERY In the next three chapters, which deal successfully Edited by R. M. HANDFIELD-JONES, M.C., M.S., with affections of bone, and of muscle and with F.R.C.S. and SIR ARTHUR E. PORRITT, K.C.M.G., neurogenic affections, there is some inevitable C.B.E., M.A., M.Ch., F.R.C.S. Fifth edition. of what has before but this Pp. xv + 1,276, with 649 in repetition gone is never illustrations, many http://pmj.bmj.com/ obtrusive. In the final chapter Dr. Ferguson colour. Edinburgh: E. & S. Livingstone Ltd. deals concisely and well with malignant tumours of I957. 75s. bone. Five other well-known men-four ortho- H. J. & P., as this text book is so well known, paedic surgeons and one paediatrician-contribute reached its 19th birthday this year and celebrated it sections on various aspects of the subject. These with a fifth edition. are valuable contributions which enhance the value The book has been thoroughly revised and much of the book without producing any marked uneven- new subject matter introduced without losing the ness or introducing any contradictory teaching. essential character of the book. It is still a text Dr. Ferguson's descriptions of clinical states are book of surgery contained within one volume and on September 29, 2021 by guest. detailed and instructive and the methods oftreatment has continued to lay emphasis on the fundamental advised are logically developed from consideration principles of surgery. It is, therefore, a necessary of the underlying . The tendency in part of the library of every undergraduate or treatment is in general conservative and it is agree- graduate student of surgery. able to find that in this respect much traditional The chief virtues of this book lie in the careful dead wood has been cut away. English readers may presentation of its subject matter which is well be surprised to find relatively little space given to defined and classified as well as being well written. bone and joint tuberculosis and in particular to Each subject is given a solid pathological foundation Pott's Paraplegia. More space could with ad- from which diagnosis and treatment are deduced. vantage have been given to the treatment of the Common disorders are dealt with at length and latter condition. rarities but briefly mentioned. A notable exception The illustrations are excellent and the references is ulcerative colitis, an increasingly important dis- given are numerous and well chosen. The standard order which is rather peremptorily dismissed.