Br. vet . J. (1984) . 140, 220
BOOK REVIEWS BOOK REVIEW EDITOR : G . F . BRANDER
Calf Management and Disease .Notes . By A. H .
Andrews. Published by A . H . Andrews, 11 Aran Close, Harpenden, Herts . Pp . 284 . Price £6 .50 incl. pkt and post . In the Foreword to this book, the author defines the object of his text . It is written, he states, primarily for veterinary students and, perhaps the practitioner. Here one must question the author's modesty, for this text deserves a wide readership for its content and presentation undoubtedly merit the attention of the practitioner, agricultural adviser and veterinary academic . Essentially the book covers conditions encountered in Great Britain in calves up to the age of about three months . The text-a crisp, economic style of writing, is basically a very well documented and detailed set of 'student' notes . The author states that, and the reader will appreciate why, his book is not intended to compete with heavier tomes on animal husbandry and disease. Any such deficiencies are, however, offset by the book's style which enables rapid assimilation of information and its up-to-date, comprehensive bibliography on calf management and disease . The last sections of Dr Andrews' book are particularly noteworthy . The tables on differential diagnosis, read in conjunction with the detailed notes earlier in the text and supplemented with the bibliography, provide a very sound basis for making a diagnosis or assessing any further investigation required . This section is followed by an extremely useful table on drugs and doses . The book concludes with a comprehensive index which in itself, epitomizes the author's object in writing it . Inevitably, there are minor points in the book which might be questioned but the overall result of Dr Andrews' extensive survey of the literature, his clinical expertise and, by no means least, his experience as a teacher in presenting information, are patent in this
highly recommended text . At £6 .50 (including postage) it is extremely good value . One hopes that others will be stimulated to prepare comparable veterinary texts especially on dogs and cats for surely there is a need by students, practitioners and others for such concise informative writing . R. G . DAi .ION
Red Blood Cells of Domestic Mammals . Eds . N. S.
Agar and P . G . Board . Pp . 420 . Elsevier Science Publishers B .V . 1983 Amsterdam & New York . $130 .75 Both the scope of the subject matter and the depth of treatment applied in the various chapters of this book emphasize the enormous progress made in understanding all aspects of erythrocyte biology . Although the aim has obviously been to produce a volume of considerable value to postgraduates and specialist readers, most chapters contain excellent historical and critical reviews which make the greater proportion of the data presented accessible to the general reader. A particularly good example of this occurs in the chapter on haemoglobins and globin genes ; this contains a review of the background for understanding the synthesis of haemoglobin which would serve as an excellent introduction to eukaryotic gene control and operation to those unacquainted with this rapidly advancing frontier of biology . The subject matter of the book ranges from the physical chemistry and chemistry of red cells, their metabolism and molecular biology, the blood groups and erythrocyte enzymes to the very practical area of storing and preserving erythrocytes . This volume will be of great value to any enquiring veterinarian and indeed to all involved in animal physiol. ogy-W F . H . JARRETT