754
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
The book opens with an introduction containing anatomic, physiologic, and pathophysiologic information. The first chapter is a brief historical survey, followed by three chapters on methodology and epidemiology, symptoms and visual signs, respectively. Four chapters deal with differential diagnosis. Succeeding chapters cover cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis treatment, Uhthoffs syndrome, subsequent visual signs, prognosis for development of multiple sclerosis, methods for detecting optic nerve demyelinization, and the relationship of optic neuritis to multiple sclerosis. In the discussion on the relationship between optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis in Chapter 13, the authors attempt to delineate the criteria for identifying a demyelinizing process affecting the nerve. They properly point out that in many cases the diagnosis of optic neuritis is one of exclusion. They tend toward the definition of Nettleship that optic neuritis is "a failure of sight limited to one eye, often accompanied by neuralgic pain about the temple and orbit and by pain on moving the eye." They express doubt that bilateral involvement within a short span of time should be included, or that retrobulbar neuritis, without edema of the optic disk should be equated with optic neuritis. The terms, "atrophy and pallor," as applied to the appearance of the optic disks, are used interchangeably throughout the book. However, considerable degrees of pallor may remain after an attack of neuritis even with no demonstrable residual optic atrophy as determined by sophisticated analysis of visual function. Many of the figures are poorly labelled, lack titles, or have incomplete or absent legends, necessitating reference ti, the text to determine their significance. Nonetheless, the authors have expended much time and effort in the
MAY, 1980
compilation of the data recorded in this text. ROBERT W. HELLENHORST Eduard Pernkopf Atlas of Topographical and Applied Human Anatomy, Volume 1. Edited by Helmut Ferner. Translated by Harry Monsen. Baltimore, Urban and Schwartzenberg, Inc., 1980. Hardcover, 302 pages, preface, table of contents, index, 108 black and white figures and 231 full color figures. This is Volume 1 of a three-volume atlas. The second concerns the thorax, abdomen and extremities, and the third contains the index. This atlas beautifully illustrates the structures of the skull, brain, eye and orbit, and other major sections of the face, the perinasal sinuses, oral cavity, ear, neck, pharynx, and larynx. The section on the skull is well done. It provides valuable correlations between roentgenograms of the skull and their anatomic landmarks. Additionally there are arteriograms of the external carotid artery and its branches and internal carotid angiograms, vertebral angiography, phlebograms, and pneumoencephalograms. Many of the plates are exquisitely diagrammed and labeled and are a joy to study. Unfortunately, not all of the plates dealing with the eye are accurate. One plate shows the inferior oblique muscle inserting superior to the equator. In another the superior oblique muscle appears to be inserting on the nasal side of the superior rectus muscle. An illustration of the lymph channels of the head shows tractus lymphaticus orbitalis, with anterior as well as posterior orbital lymph drainage. These, however, are but minor points, and they do not subtract from the overall value of the atlas with its fine correlation of radiology and anatomy. FRANK W. NEWELL