Mechanics of the Circulation

International

Journal of Cardiology,

21 (1988)

363

363-366

Elsevier IJC 00806

Book Reviews Coronary Artery Surgery in the Nineties Editor: F. Unger Springer-Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg/New 3-540-17690-X

York,

1987;

264 pp.;

DM128;

Activation, Metabolism and Perfusion of the Heart Editors: S. Sideman and R. Beyar Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht/Boston/Lancaster, 1987; 737 pp.; E140.75, $182; ISBN O-89838-871-6 Mechanics of the Circulation Editors: H.E.D.J. ter Keurs and J.V. Tyberg Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht/Boston/Lancaster, $86.00; ISBN o-89838-870-8

ISBN

Dfl.395,

1987; 281 pp.; g65.00, Dfl.180.00,

What is the place of the Symposium proceedings in the world of publishing? This question stimulated a heated discussion between the two European editors of the Journal. I must admit to a strong personal bias in favour of “proceedings”, having edited several myself. I am in favour, however, only if they are processed properly. These volumes represent the very best and the very worst of the genre. First of all, the worst! The book on coronary arterial surgery is the proceedings of a symposium held in Salzburg in 1985. The book appeared some time in 1987. Many of the chapters are very short. Indeed, some are represented only by their abstract. Such volumes should not appear. The only way to ensure that they do not is to make sure they are not profitable. No one, therefore, not even libraries, should buy this sort of book. Then, in contrast, we have an example of the very best. “Activation, Metabolism and Perfusion of the Heart” is the edited proceedings of the 3rd Henry Goldberg International Workshop on simulation and modelling of cardiac systems held at Rutgers Medical School, New Jersey, in 1986. It starts off with the verbatim statements of greeting by the various dignitaries present, which gave me awful forebodings of potential transcripts of the spoken word to come from the faculty. Far from it. The faculty represent all the acknowledged experts in the chosen fields. Each has taken his task seriously and produced a careful manuscript, well illustrated and referenced, that is the model of an up-to-date review. This makes the book essential reading for all who have any interest in the field of simulated action of the heart. At f140.75 it is not cheap. but it should certainly be in the library. The third offering, “Mechanics of the Circulation”, stems from a satellite symposium of the 30th Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, held in Banff, Canada in 1986. This, too, gathers together a faculty of acknowledged experts who have meticulously prepared the chapters so as to give an up-to-date review of the state of their art. 0167-5273/88/$03.50

0 1988

Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (Biomedical Division)

364

As with the Rutgers symposium, there is also a p&is of the discussion of the various panels, although less extensive in the Banff book. The book concerned with mechanics of the circulation is much slimmer and, hence, much cheaper. It can be recommended for departmental and library purchase, while the interested individual could also find it of value. How do these books resolve my initial question? They show that, as in most instances, it is difficult, if not impossible, to make “blanket” statements. If we judged proceedings on the basis of the book concerned with coronary arterial surgery, we would ban them all. That would deprive us of the excellent reviews contained in the books from Martinus Nijhoff. These volumes make no attempt to disguise the fact that they are edited proceedings. But the evidence is there that they have been edited, and that the invited faculty have taken their job seriously, producing manuscripts that are far more than a mere transcript of their spoken word. The answer, therefore, lies in the hands of the consumer. If libraries purchase only those volumes that are worth reading, then the publishers would have to evaluate more stringently the works they produce and disseminate. I do not anticipate the demise of conference proceedings! Dept. of Paediatrics Cardiothoracic Institute Brompton Hospital London SW3 6HP, U.K.

Robert

Contemporary

Issues in Cardiovascular

Series

A.N.

Editor: F.A.

Editor: Bruce Davis

Pathology (Cardiovascular

H. Anderson

*

Clinics, vol 18/2;

Brest)

F. Waller

Company,

Philadelphia,

1988;

422 pp.;

$93.75;

ISBN

o-8036-9031-2

As the Editors indicate, two earlier volumes of “Cardiovascular Clinics” appearing in 1972 and 1973 were devoted to cardiovascular pathology and were edited by the doyen of cardiac pathologists, Jesse E. Edwards. Bruce Waller has now inherited the mantle of specialist editor and, after a gap of 14 years, has assembled an excellent review of pathologic topics of clinical interest. From my seat in the Old World, it was disappointing to note the almost total domination of the authorship by Americans and Canadians (there is one Chinese author), and also to find no discussion of congenital cardiac malformations. But, having said that, one cannot quarrel either with the quality of the chapters produced or with their undoubted topicality and relevance. The book is divided into four parts. The first, containing five chapters, is devoted to atherosclerotic ischaemic heart disease (the Editor is clearly unaware that coronary heart disease is a tautology - coronary arteries do not exist except within the heart). An important review in this section is the commendably brief but authoritative discussion of the relationship of coronary thrombosis and acute myocardial infarction. Here again, however, there is a tendency to ignore important recent European work, although it may well not have been published when Lie constructed his chapter. The next part, with four chapters, concerns the important topics of myocarditis and cardiomyopathy, including significant discussions of the role of the cardiac biopsy (Marboe and Fenoglio). the Dallas criteria (Fallon) and transplantation (Billingham). Part 3, with four chapters. is concerned

* European Editor, Internatmtcrl

Journal of Cardmlogv