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Principles of Ambulatory Medicine
Mayo elin Proc, June 1991, Vol 66
specimens, as well as chapters on premalignant lesions, bronchogenic carcinomas, uncommon lung tumors, and tumors ofthe chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum. The material on clinical staging oflung cancer is particularly useful for those, like myself, who have never fully understood all the various staging systems. The chapters on cytologic findings, especially the material on false-positive results, are almost encyclopedic and rival similar chapters in books on cytology. The major strength of this book-and, undoubtedly, the reason I will use it as a resource--is the section on common bronchogenic carcinomas. This material is well illustrated and well referenced with abundant (overabundant?) electron micrographs. In the part on adenocarcinoma, 30 of 76 illustrations are electron micrographs. The chapter on uncommon lung tumors is somewhat abbreviated both in length and in illustrations, but a brief review was the authors' intent. The authors (and 1) recommend the extremely comprehensive review by David Dail in Dail and Hammar's Pulmonary Pathology. Tumors of the chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum are commonly included in discussions of lung tumors, although one could question their inclusion in a book such as this. The chapter on tumors of the chest wall and pleura includes an excellent discussion of mesotheliomas. The material on tumors of the mediastinum is abbreviated, and I am unsure of its usefulness. Throughout the text, the coverage of electron microscopic studies and immunohistochemical studies oftumors ofthe lung is comprehensive, a feature that makes this book an excellent resource for prior studies in this area. This book is not an atlas. In fact, it has no gross photographs. Nevertheless, the photomicrographs and electron micrographs are generally of excellent quality. I have a few minor disagreements with the text. For example, pulmonary blastoma is confused with pleuropulmonary blastoma in the chapter on uncommon tumors. Overall, I am pleased with this book and think it is definitely worth its price. Both general and pulmonary pathologists will find it useful be-
BOOK REVIEWS
657
cause its major strengths are its discussions of bronchogenic carcinomas, lesions encountered by all pathologists and clinicians who deal with pulmonary disease. Thomas V. Colby, M.D. Division of Pathology Principles of Ambulatory Medicine, 3rd ed, edited by L. Randol Barker, John R. Burton, and Philip D. Zieve, 1,487 pp, with illus, $99, Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins, 1991
Principles ofAmbulatory Medicine, currently in its third edition, has become one of the traditional texts of ambulatory medicine. This publication has helped establish a position in the market for this type of book by demonstrating its usefulness to many clinicians. Although this book is similar to standard medical textbooks in its coverage of the traditional organ system-related diseases and their pathogenesis, its unusual feature is that it also addresses many outpatient topics that standard medical texts omit. Thus, one can find information on common dermatologic problems, geographic tongues, shoulder pain, and assessment of independence in geriatric patients. Frequent symptoms such as dizziness and syncope are also included. Although this is a multiauthored book, the style is consistent throughout. The headings are easy to read and are logically arranged. The liberal use of tables clearly presents topics from drug interactions to common differential diagnoses and enhances ease of use. Although some topics are only briefly covered, they are well referenced, and the reference lists are up-todate. I was impressed to find that the most appropriate and recent reference was quoted for most controversial issues. Moreover, the index is excellent. In addition to its comprehensiveness, both brand names and generic names of many drugs are provided to enhance usability. As the field of ambulatory medicine is being better defined, it is encouraging to find that outstanding texts such as this one are keeping
658
Mayo Clin Proc, June 1991, Vol 66
BOOK REVIEWS
pace. This essential publication belongs in the libraries of internists and residents in ambulatory-care clinics. David N. Mohr, M.D. Division of Area Medicine
Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics, edited by Richard E. Behrman and Robert Kliegman, 743 pp, with illus, $35.50, Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Company, 1990 Education is not just the process whereby one accumulates facts. Understanding the application of acquired information is equally as important and is contingent on the organization, classification, and arrangement of facts in proper relationship to the topic being studied. Nelson Essentials ofPediatrics follows this guideline by introducing important pediatric problems and diseases in a readable, concise, well-edited, organized, and classified fashion; thus, basic facts are understood in relationship to clinical practice. The most striking aspect of this book is its practical presentation of material. Points of emphasis are appropriate, are presented logically, and are exactly what one needs for management in the clinical field. Titles and subtitles enable readers to find pertinent information quickly. A manageable reference list is presented after each section. The text is more than a manual, yet it can be read quickly and used as one. Because most discussions are truly limited to "essentials," assimilation of new material is easy. The useful charts, graphs, illustrations, and tables that are presented in each chapter add to the value of the book. As mentioned in the preface, some topics are covered only superficially-for example, the discussion on sudden infant death syndrome in the chapter on respiratory illnesses is too brief. I expected a more descriptive review of it in the chapter on neonatology, which, incidentally, is excellent. Developmental motor milestones are listed in only a facsimile of the Denver Developmental Screening Test chart, which is probably
not the most helpful for medical students. In addition, the text is not entirely free of typographic errors-for example, the instructive portion of the Denver Developmental Screening Test graph, which should be on the opposite page, appears out of sequence several pages later. Such errors, however, are rare. A positive aspect is that some chapters are more thorough than advertised, such as the one on cardiology. Books intended to be texts should be completely and accurately indexed. The index in this book is good but not perfect. The word "goiter" is referenced to a paragraph on iodine in the chapter on nutrition, but no page reference is provided for its excellent description in the chapter on pediatric endocrinology. Nelson Essentials ofPediatrics has generated considerable interest among physicians, residents (house officers), and students, as expected from a book with such an auspicious title. The text has potential to be a valuable aid to busy pediatricians. Mayo residents in pediatrics relate well to this book. Perhaps their preexistent knowledge enables them to become readily oriented to the succinct descriptions and tables. Medical students, however, are not as enthusiastic. For the past year, second-year Mayo medical students have been encouraged to use this text as one of their reference sources during their rotation in the Department of Pediatrics. For them, an encapsulation of such diverse clinical material without in-depth explanations may simply offer an exercise in memorization. Overall, I enjoyed reviewing Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics. This text has many exceptional qualities and should easily find a niche in both academic and clinical fields. Roy F. House, Jr., M.D. Department of Pediatrics BOOKS RECEIVED Comprehensive Neurology, edited by Roger N. Rosenberg, 920 pp, with illus, $220, New York, Raven Press, 1991 Diagnosis ofHeart Disease, by Noble O. Fowler, 429 pp, with illus, $79, New York, Springer-Verlag, 1991
specimens, as well as chapters on premalignant lesions, bronchogenic carcinomas, uncommon lung tumors, and tumors ofthe chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum. The material on clinical staging oflung cancer is particularly useful for those, like myself, who have never fully understood all the various staging systems. The chapters on cytologic findings, especially the material on false-positive results, are almost encyclopedic and rival similar chapters in books on cytology. The major strength of this book-and, undoubtedly, the reason I will use it as a resource--is the section on common bronchogenic carcinomas. This material is well illustrated and well referenced with abundant (overabundant?) electron micrographs. In the part on adenocarcinoma, 30 of 76 illustrations are electron micrographs. The chapter on uncommon lung tumors is somewhat abbreviated both in length and in illustrations, but a brief review was the authors' intent. The authors (and 1) recommend the extremely comprehensive review by David Dail in Dail and Hammar's Pulmonary Pathology. Tumors of the chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum are commonly included in discussions of lung tumors, although one could question their inclusion in a book such as this. The chapter on tumors of the chest wall and pleura includes an excellent discussion of mesotheliomas. The material on tumors of the mediastinum is abbreviated, and I am unsure of its usefulness. Throughout the text, the coverage of electron microscopic studies and immunohistochemical studies oftumors ofthe lung is comprehensive, a feature that makes this book an excellent resource for prior studies in this area. This book is not an atlas. In fact, it has no gross photographs. Nevertheless, the photomicrographs and electron micrographs are generally of excellent quality. I have a few minor disagreements with the text. For example, pulmonary blastoma is confused with pleuropulmonary blastoma in the chapter on uncommon tumors. Overall, I am pleased with this book and think it is definitely worth its price. Both general and pulmonary pathologists will find it useful be-
BOOK REVIEWS
657
cause its major strengths are its discussions of bronchogenic carcinomas, lesions encountered by all pathologists and clinicians who deal with pulmonary disease. Thomas V. Colby, M.D. Division of Pathology Principles of Ambulatory Medicine, 3rd ed, edited by L. Randol Barker, John R. Burton, and Philip D. Zieve, 1,487 pp, with illus, $99, Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins, 1991
Principles ofAmbulatory Medicine, currently in its third edition, has become one of the traditional texts of ambulatory medicine. This publication has helped establish a position in the market for this type of book by demonstrating its usefulness to many clinicians. Although this book is similar to standard medical textbooks in its coverage of the traditional organ system-related diseases and their pathogenesis, its unusual feature is that it also addresses many outpatient topics that standard medical texts omit. Thus, one can find information on common dermatologic problems, geographic tongues, shoulder pain, and assessment of independence in geriatric patients. Frequent symptoms such as dizziness and syncope are also included. Although this is a multiauthored book, the style is consistent throughout. The headings are easy to read and are logically arranged. The liberal use of tables clearly presents topics from drug interactions to common differential diagnoses and enhances ease of use. Although some topics are only briefly covered, they are well referenced, and the reference lists are up-todate. I was impressed to find that the most appropriate and recent reference was quoted for most controversial issues. Moreover, the index is excellent. In addition to its comprehensiveness, both brand names and generic names of many drugs are provided to enhance usability. As the field of ambulatory medicine is being better defined, it is encouraging to find that outstanding texts such as this one are keeping
658
Mayo Clin Proc, June 1991, Vol 66
BOOK REVIEWS
pace. This essential publication belongs in the libraries of internists and residents in ambulatory-care clinics. David N. Mohr, M.D. Division of Area Medicine
Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics, edited by Richard E. Behrman and Robert Kliegman, 743 pp, with illus, $35.50, Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Company, 1990 Education is not just the process whereby one accumulates facts. Understanding the application of acquired information is equally as important and is contingent on the organization, classification, and arrangement of facts in proper relationship to the topic being studied. Nelson Essentials ofPediatrics follows this guideline by introducing important pediatric problems and diseases in a readable, concise, well-edited, organized, and classified fashion; thus, basic facts are understood in relationship to clinical practice. The most striking aspect of this book is its practical presentation of material. Points of emphasis are appropriate, are presented logically, and are exactly what one needs for management in the clinical field. Titles and subtitles enable readers to find pertinent information quickly. A manageable reference list is presented after each section. The text is more than a manual, yet it can be read quickly and used as one. Because most discussions are truly limited to "essentials," assimilation of new material is easy. The useful charts, graphs, illustrations, and tables that are presented in each chapter add to the value of the book. As mentioned in the preface, some topics are covered only superficially-for example, the discussion on sudden infant death syndrome in the chapter on respiratory illnesses is too brief. I expected a more descriptive review of it in the chapter on neonatology, which, incidentally, is excellent. Developmental motor milestones are listed in only a facsimile of the Denver Developmental Screening Test chart, which is probably
not the most helpful for medical students. In addition, the text is not entirely free of typographic errors-for example, the instructive portion of the Denver Developmental Screening Test graph, which should be on the opposite page, appears out of sequence several pages later. Such errors, however, are rare. A positive aspect is that some chapters are more thorough than advertised, such as the one on cardiology. Books intended to be texts should be completely and accurately indexed. The index in this book is good but not perfect. The word "goiter" is referenced to a paragraph on iodine in the chapter on nutrition, but no page reference is provided for its excellent description in the chapter on pediatric endocrinology. Nelson Essentials ofPediatrics has generated considerable interest among physicians, residents (house officers), and students, as expected from a book with such an auspicious title. The text has potential to be a valuable aid to busy pediatricians. Mayo residents in pediatrics relate well to this book. Perhaps their preexistent knowledge enables them to become readily oriented to the succinct descriptions and tables. Medical students, however, are not as enthusiastic. For the past year, second-year Mayo medical students have been encouraged to use this text as one of their reference sources during their rotation in the Department of Pediatrics. For them, an encapsulation of such diverse clinical material without in-depth explanations may simply offer an exercise in memorization. Overall, I enjoyed reviewing Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics. This text has many exceptional qualities and should easily find a niche in both academic and clinical fields. Roy F. House, Jr., M.D. Department of Pediatrics BOOKS RECEIVED Comprehensive Neurology, edited by Roger N. Rosenberg, 920 pp, with illus, $220, New York, Raven Press, 1991 Diagnosis ofHeart Disease, by Noble O. Fowler, 429 pp, with illus, $79, New York, Springer-Verlag, 1991