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Ophthalmic Pathology of Animals. An Atlas and Reference Book
540
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
tion raised frequently among practition ers and residents in academic centers. The book is easily readible, and can serve as a useful reference for the physician who seeks to practice with due care in light of the legal standard to which medi cal practioners must adhere. J O H N P. M I T C H E L L
Ophthalmic Pathology of Animals. An Atlas and Reference Book. By L. Z. Saunders and L. F. Rubin. Basel, Switz erland, S. Karger AG, 1975. Clothbound, 258 pages, table of contents, index, 535 black and white figures. $68.75 The literature of veterinary ophthalmic pathology, as the authors aptly point out in their preface, has existed mainly as numerous but scattered reports. Thus, it is a welcome event when significant por tions of that literature are presented in one volume with the knowledge, experi ence, and expertise of the authors as a central factor. To compile all of the infor mation concerning ocular disease in the many animal species (domestic, wild, lab oratory) would be a most formidable task and the authors deliberately have not at tempted to do so. They have instead se lected a number of conditions representa tive of those either commonly encoun tered or significant to a certain species. In so doing, they correlate pertinent clinical data to the gross and histopathologic characteristics. The cited references are also not all inclusive for the field. However, there is a good portion of the non-United States literature (chiefly German) represented in their selection, a factor that is important in a field as diverse as this. It is unfortunate that an apparent lapse of almost two years occurred between the final draft of the text and its publication, inasmuch as pertinent references (a single
APRIL, 1976
1974 reference is the extent beyond 1973) and disease conditions encountered since the end of 1973 are absent from the atlas. The atlas is profusely illustrated (al most 50% of the pages are devoted to photographs) and the quality of the pho tomicrographs is excellent. There is a concise and interestingly presented histo ry of veterinary ophthalmic pathology that brings together data pertinent to the development of the field. There is also a ten-page section on the removal of eyes and their preparation for microscopic study. This material has been published in various portions previously, but it is useful to have it all together in this atlas. Unfortunately, this section continues to advance the feeling that only histologie sections produced by the recommended techniques (especially fixation) will be acceptable for study and that others (for example, formalin) are valueless. This viewpoint has caused potentially valua ble material to be discarded by the practi tioner who, not being set up to properly fix ocular tissue, believed it a waste of time and an affront to the ocular patholo gist to submit material in an unacceptable fixative. This atlas will be of use to anyone involved or interested in animal ophthal mic pathology. R O Y W.
BELLHORN
Advances in Uveal Surgery, Vitreous Surgery, and the Treatment of Endophthalmitis. By Gholam A. Peyman and Donald R. Sanders. West Nyack, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975. Clothbound, 238 pages, table of contents, index, 162 black and white figures. $18.50 Recently, the ophthalmologist busy with the sick has been asked to grapple simultaneously with the problems of pro fessional excellence and what is termed
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
tion raised frequently among practition ers and residents in academic centers. The book is easily readible, and can serve as a useful reference for the physician who seeks to practice with due care in light of the legal standard to which medi cal practioners must adhere. J O H N P. M I T C H E L L
Ophthalmic Pathology of Animals. An Atlas and Reference Book. By L. Z. Saunders and L. F. Rubin. Basel, Switz erland, S. Karger AG, 1975. Clothbound, 258 pages, table of contents, index, 535 black and white figures. $68.75 The literature of veterinary ophthalmic pathology, as the authors aptly point out in their preface, has existed mainly as numerous but scattered reports. Thus, it is a welcome event when significant por tions of that literature are presented in one volume with the knowledge, experi ence, and expertise of the authors as a central factor. To compile all of the infor mation concerning ocular disease in the many animal species (domestic, wild, lab oratory) would be a most formidable task and the authors deliberately have not at tempted to do so. They have instead se lected a number of conditions representa tive of those either commonly encoun tered or significant to a certain species. In so doing, they correlate pertinent clinical data to the gross and histopathologic characteristics. The cited references are also not all inclusive for the field. However, there is a good portion of the non-United States literature (chiefly German) represented in their selection, a factor that is important in a field as diverse as this. It is unfortunate that an apparent lapse of almost two years occurred between the final draft of the text and its publication, inasmuch as pertinent references (a single
APRIL, 1976
1974 reference is the extent beyond 1973) and disease conditions encountered since the end of 1973 are absent from the atlas. The atlas is profusely illustrated (al most 50% of the pages are devoted to photographs) and the quality of the pho tomicrographs is excellent. There is a concise and interestingly presented histo ry of veterinary ophthalmic pathology that brings together data pertinent to the development of the field. There is also a ten-page section on the removal of eyes and their preparation for microscopic study. This material has been published in various portions previously, but it is useful to have it all together in this atlas. Unfortunately, this section continues to advance the feeling that only histologie sections produced by the recommended techniques (especially fixation) will be acceptable for study and that others (for example, formalin) are valueless. This viewpoint has caused potentially valua ble material to be discarded by the practi tioner who, not being set up to properly fix ocular tissue, believed it a waste of time and an affront to the ocular patholo gist to submit material in an unacceptable fixative. This atlas will be of use to anyone involved or interested in animal ophthal mic pathology. R O Y W.
BELLHORN
Advances in Uveal Surgery, Vitreous Surgery, and the Treatment of Endophthalmitis. By Gholam A. Peyman and Donald R. Sanders. West Nyack, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975. Clothbound, 238 pages, table of contents, index, 162 black and white figures. $18.50 Recently, the ophthalmologist busy with the sick has been asked to grapple simultaneously with the problems of pro fessional excellence and what is termed