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Analgesia and anesthesia in obstetrics
Department
of Reviews
CONDUCTED
-.____
W.
BY GEORGE
KOSMAK,
and Abstracts M.D., NEW YORK -----L
Review
of New
B’ooks *
Obstetrics A
Guide
to Obstetrics in General Practice. By William C. W. Xixon, M.D., F.R.C.O.G., and Eric B. Hickson, 1\/I.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Dr. (Obst.) R.C.O.G. lrith 35 figures. London, 1953, Staples Press, Inc. $6.00.
F.R.C.S., 301 pages
Although more and more expectant mothers are being cared for by obstetrical specialists, many women are delivered by general practitioners. Therefore the book under discussion is timely. The style makes it easy to read and the material is arranged in a logical manner. The psychosomatic phase of pregnancy is emphasized but not given more attention than it warrants. However, the mental attitude of the patient is most important and it Even is refreshing to have this phase of obstetrics treated in a sensible manner. specialists could proiit from the reading of this portion of the book. Very little criticism can be made of the methods suggested for the handling of abnormal pregnancy and labor. The treatments are in conformity with present-day thinking and if followed would do much to decrease infant and maternal mortality. The need for analgesia and anesthesia is recognized, but the chapter on this phase of labor emphasizes the safeguards that should be employed by the general practitioner especially where trained anesthetists are not present. Considerable space is given to the problem of breast feeding and it is refreshing to find this phase of the puerperium given the attention it deserves. Our associates in England stress the importance of breast feeding much more than we do in this country. The care of the newborn, including the premature infant, is treated quite adequately for the general practitioner, covering forty-five pages. The subject of obstetric operations is covered very lightly, as it should be in this type of publication, for this phase of obstetrics should be for the most part relegated to the specialist. All in all this is a worth-while book and should find a wide demand. Analgesia and illustrations.
Anesthesia Springfield,
in Obstetrics. Ill.,
1953,
By J. P. Greenhill, Charles
M.D.
55 pages with
16
C Thomas.
One would expect any publication from this author to be worth while. This monoThe brevity of the book is unfortunate but this is in part comgraph is no exception. pensated for by the sage opinions of the author. ranging from two to twenty pagei The monograph is divided into eleven sections The section on hypodermic, oral, and rectal agents is particularly good since the each. *The
Advisory
Committee
on Policy
has
signed. 451
agreed
that
most
book
reviews
need
not
be
452 pharmacologv, the effect 011 the c’hild, ant1 tllcl c~ll’eci OII Ial~or The section on direct infiltration anesthesia is exc~ellent. of the monograph The major criticism lies in thr failllrr catheter techniflues of caudal anesthesia at111 :I scLc*tir)n on anesthesia for olWtrtricn1 (lifficnltit~~.
The Vitamins
in Obstetrics.
IZy Martial
1 )umont.
152 pages.
are
given
to infant
Paris,
for
V:ICII
include the resuscitation
195:;,
Alanson
drug. newer and
C c:ie.
Professor lfumont of the Faculty of Medicine at 1,yon has gathered into a 1110110graph of modest size a comprehensive ant1 critical sumrtlary of modern knowledge conHe has cerning the role of the various vitamins in normal an11 pathological pregnancy. provided a very thorough bibliograph>-, together with a summar!of the various technical Each of the vitamins is considered systematically, SO methods in use for vitamin assays. that, in effect, this book constitutes a welcome esteusion of the sometimes all too curThe style textl)ooks of obstetrics. tailed material available on this suljject in stantlartl of the work is admiral&. 1)umont writes cleart~and explicitly, so that anyone with a reasonable command of French will lind the information here provided readily accessible. The publishers have printed the work on excellent paper and in clearly legible type. All hmerican merlical libraries and those obstet.ric~ians 3~110 reail French with reasonable fluency should have this useful reftarenre l)ook OII their rhr~l~-c~.
A Modern
Practice
with l~L(l Company.
of Obstetrics.
line drawings $7.00.
and
By D. M. Stcartl 3 appen~lices.
anal (:. \V. 2’. JXurnett, X.1). J
S&Y pages C n’ilkins
It is apparent frorrl the small numl)er of Jmges that this book is equivalent to a synopsis of obstetrics, hut, despite its brevity, it is fairly complete and concise. Although some important subjects are discussed irr chapters only two pages in lengtll, enough information is presented to acquaint the student or mi(lwife with the t.opic. to prepare him, or her, for examinat.ion. Xuch of the text i:: in outline form, the drawings are clear, discussion not and facts are straightforwardly presented, with little or no theoretical references. The text and treatment are in line with IIIO(IOI~~ ol)stetrics, an11 thrle is littlr, with which one Call disagree. Not only is this book l~cxntifully writ.ten, xvith trvo-column format and clear type, hut each chapter is prefaced 1)~ an apt quotation from one of Slhabespoare’s plays. From the title page there is, “There’s for thy lahonr” (Henry \‘, II’. vi. 170). The two-page chapter on antepartum hemorrhage has “0, heavc~rr ! look how our daughter bleeds!” (Romeo and .luliet, \‘. iii. 202). The chapter on the thircl stage of labor is prefaced by: “Follow her close; give her good watch” (Hamlet, I\‘. v. 75). For the chapter on maternal injuries: “Behold the wounds, the most unnatural wounds” (Henry \‘I, Part I, III. iii. 50). I’or obstetric operations: “wax from his nlother’s womb Untimely ript.” (Macbeth, V. viii. 14.) Heading the chapter on abnormal uterine action is: “1 will deliver you. . . Meantime, have patience.” (Richard LII, T. i. 115.) For abnormal presentation in pregnancy and labor : “‘twill l~ariily Comn out. Ha ! Ilots on’t, ‘tis come at last” (Pericles, IT. i. 117). Many more pertinent rluotations ~0~1~1 Ire requutetl would space permit. The frontispiece is an extract from the 1752 ~Villiam Smol lie 2’r~ ufisi. 0)~ tke Theory n)Ld P?YWtic~c of XLdKiifCry. outlining “The Requisite Qualifiixtions of AWOUcheurs, Mitlwives and Nurses who attend l,ring-In \Vomen.” The hook will make good reading for those who woul~1 like to reyiew an ol)stetrical text, as well as for students and others prepnriug for cxanrinxtiori.
Obstetrica Aires,
Practica 1953,
Version.
Editorial
“El
13~. .luan J,eon. Ateneo” Libreria.
This is one of a series of fascicles in obstetrics, and, as snch, is x-pry well
1 (IL’ Jba.grs
on obstetric written and
practice. illustrated.
with
!Ni illustrations. It
Iherlos
is a manual on version Every type of version is
of Reviews
CONDUCTED
-.____
W.
BY GEORGE
KOSMAK,
and Abstracts M.D., NEW YORK -----L
Review
of New
B’ooks *
Obstetrics A
Guide
to Obstetrics in General Practice. By William C. W. Xixon, M.D., F.R.C.O.G., and Eric B. Hickson, 1\/I.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Dr. (Obst.) R.C.O.G. lrith 35 figures. London, 1953, Staples Press, Inc. $6.00.
F.R.C.S., 301 pages
Although more and more expectant mothers are being cared for by obstetrical specialists, many women are delivered by general practitioners. Therefore the book under discussion is timely. The style makes it easy to read and the material is arranged in a logical manner. The psychosomatic phase of pregnancy is emphasized but not given more attention than it warrants. However, the mental attitude of the patient is most important and it Even is refreshing to have this phase of obstetrics treated in a sensible manner. specialists could proiit from the reading of this portion of the book. Very little criticism can be made of the methods suggested for the handling of abnormal pregnancy and labor. The treatments are in conformity with present-day thinking and if followed would do much to decrease infant and maternal mortality. The need for analgesia and anesthesia is recognized, but the chapter on this phase of labor emphasizes the safeguards that should be employed by the general practitioner especially where trained anesthetists are not present. Considerable space is given to the problem of breast feeding and it is refreshing to find this phase of the puerperium given the attention it deserves. Our associates in England stress the importance of breast feeding much more than we do in this country. The care of the newborn, including the premature infant, is treated quite adequately for the general practitioner, covering forty-five pages. The subject of obstetric operations is covered very lightly, as it should be in this type of publication, for this phase of obstetrics should be for the most part relegated to the specialist. All in all this is a worth-while book and should find a wide demand. Analgesia and illustrations.
Anesthesia Springfield,
in Obstetrics. Ill.,
1953,
By J. P. Greenhill, Charles
M.D.
55 pages with
16
C Thomas.
One would expect any publication from this author to be worth while. This monoThe brevity of the book is unfortunate but this is in part comgraph is no exception. pensated for by the sage opinions of the author. ranging from two to twenty pagei The monograph is divided into eleven sections The section on hypodermic, oral, and rectal agents is particularly good since the each. *The
Advisory
Committee
on Policy
has
signed. 451
agreed
that
most
book
reviews
need
not
be
452 pharmacologv, the effect 011 the c’hild, ant1 tllcl c~ll’eci OII Ial~or The section on direct infiltration anesthesia is exc~ellent. of the monograph The major criticism lies in thr failllrr catheter techniflues of caudal anesthesia at111 :I scLc*tir)n on anesthesia for olWtrtricn1 (lifficnltit~~.
The Vitamins
in Obstetrics.
IZy Martial
1 )umont.
152 pages.
are
given
to infant
Paris,
for
V:ICII
include the resuscitation
195:;,
Alanson
drug. newer and
C c:ie.
Professor lfumont of the Faculty of Medicine at 1,yon has gathered into a 1110110graph of modest size a comprehensive ant1 critical sumrtlary of modern knowledge conHe has cerning the role of the various vitamins in normal an11 pathological pregnancy. provided a very thorough bibliograph>-, together with a summar!of the various technical Each of the vitamins is considered systematically, SO methods in use for vitamin assays. that, in effect, this book constitutes a welcome esteusion of the sometimes all too curThe style textl)ooks of obstetrics. tailed material available on this suljject in stantlartl of the work is admiral&. 1)umont writes cleart~and explicitly, so that anyone with a reasonable command of French will lind the information here provided readily accessible. The publishers have printed the work on excellent paper and in clearly legible type. All hmerican merlical libraries and those obstet.ric~ians 3~110 reail French with reasonable fluency should have this useful reftarenre l)ook OII their rhr~l~-c~.
A Modern
Practice
with l~L(l Company.
of Obstetrics.
line drawings $7.00.
and
By D. M. Stcartl 3 appen~lices.
anal (:. \V. 2’. JXurnett, X.1). J
S&Y pages C n’ilkins
It is apparent frorrl the small numl)er of Jmges that this book is equivalent to a synopsis of obstetrics, hut, despite its brevity, it is fairly complete and concise. Although some important subjects are discussed irr chapters only two pages in lengtll, enough information is presented to acquaint the student or mi(lwife with the t.opic. to prepare him, or her, for examinat.ion. Xuch of the text i:: in outline form, the drawings are clear, discussion not and facts are straightforwardly presented, with little or no theoretical references. The text and treatment are in line with IIIO(IOI~~ ol)stetrics, an11 thrle is littlr, with which one Call disagree. Not only is this book l~cxntifully writ.ten, xvith trvo-column format and clear type, hut each chapter is prefaced 1)~ an apt quotation from one of Slhabespoare’s plays. From the title page there is, “There’s for thy lahonr” (Henry \‘, II’. vi. 170). The two-page chapter on antepartum hemorrhage has “0, heavc~rr ! look how our daughter bleeds!” (Romeo and .luliet, \‘. iii. 202). The chapter on the thircl stage of labor is prefaced by: “Follow her close; give her good watch” (Hamlet, I\‘. v. 75). For the chapter on maternal injuries: “Behold the wounds, the most unnatural wounds” (Henry \‘I, Part I, III. iii. 50). I’or obstetric operations: “wax from his nlother’s womb Untimely ript.” (Macbeth, V. viii. 14.) Heading the chapter on abnormal uterine action is: “1 will deliver you. . . Meantime, have patience.” (Richard LII, T. i. 115.) For abnormal presentation in pregnancy and labor : “‘twill l~ariily Comn out. Ha ! Ilots on’t, ‘tis come at last” (Pericles, IT. i. 117). Many more pertinent rluotations ~0~1~1 Ire requutetl would space permit. The frontispiece is an extract from the 1752 ~Villiam Smol lie 2’r~ ufisi. 0)~ tke Theory n)Ld P?YWtic~c of XLdKiifCry. outlining “The Requisite Qualifiixtions of AWOUcheurs, Mitlwives and Nurses who attend l,ring-In \Vomen.” The hook will make good reading for those who woul~1 like to reyiew an ol)stetrical text, as well as for students and others prepnriug for cxanrinxtiori.
Obstetrica Aires,
Practica 1953,
Version.
Editorial
“El
13~. .luan J,eon. Ateneo” Libreria.
This is one of a series of fascicles in obstetrics, and, as snch, is x-pry well
1 (IL’ Jba.grs
on obstetric written and
practice. illustrated.
with
!Ni illustrations. It
Iherlos
is a manual on version Every type of version is