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Reviews of New Books
Reviews and Abstracts EDITED BY LOUIS
M.
HELLMAN,
M.D.
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS Lehrbuch der Geburtshilfe. By Prof. Dr. Heinrich Martius, co-author, Prof. Dr. H. Hartl, illustrated by Kiithe Droysen. Thieme Verlag. $14.20.
731 pages, 768 :figures.
Stuttgart, 1959, Georg
This volume is the fourth edition of the standard textbook of obstetrics in many German-speaking medical schools. The third edition of the work, issued in 2 volumes shortly after the war, was poorly printed though scientifically excellent. The present edition has been brought up to date and its format has been restored to the high quality of the first 2 editions. The volume remains a fine textbook, reflecting the extensive experience of its distinguished author. Since the last edition, advances in obstetric practice have necessitated fairly ex· tensive revisions of the text together with the addition of several new features. Among these are lucid sections on afibrinogenemia and amniotic fluid embolism, fetal sequelae of maternal diabetes, hypoxemic damage in newborn infants, and neonatal pediatrics. In addition to these new features, the book provides a complete coverage of topics included in the standard textbooks of obstetrics. The book is divided into sections on normal obstetrics, abnormal pregnancy states, coincidental maternal complications, multiple pregnancy, puerperium and lactation, and the physiology and pathology of the newborn. Of special excellence are the clear descriptions of nidation, fertilization, and basic embryology and endocrinology. An1erican obstetricians n1ay question the volun1e's ern~ phasis on external mensuration; for example, after giving elaborate directions for measuring Baudeloque's diameter, Martins admits its negligible clinical importance but recommends its measurement routinely as a means of obliging the obstetrician to pay more careful attention to the shape of the pelvis. Rurely there must be less wasteful means to this praiseworthy end. Martins presents excellent tables of the sequential events occurring during pregnancy. The section on medicolegal cases regarding the length of pregnancy reviews the German cases and is an interesting supplement to the English and American cases usually reviewed in textbooks in English. The fliscussion of extrauterine pregn~mey is espeeially carefully done, and the therapeutic. indications are clearly described and illustrated. On the other hand, the discussion of eclamptic toxemia of pregnancy is uncharacteristically superficial and lacking in elinieal detail. The section on the mechanism of labor is also incomplete and sketchy. Prof. Marti us' exposition of the clinical management of meehanical problems of delivery demonstrates the author's special interest in this subject-an interest he has displayed impressively in his handbook on obstetric operations. The estimation of pelvic capacity is discussed more from the purely clinical than from the roentgenologic viewpoint; the descriptions of as~·mmetrically and absolutely 1149
11!)0
ROOK REVIE\YH
\rn. I. Obst. & Gvnec :'\(,,·ember, .19~9
contracted pelves are much fuller than tho~e u~ually eueountered in textbooks writtHn in EngliHh, prohabl~· because of the tendency of obstetric treatiseH on thi~ sul>jed in (lprrnan to draw extensively on the famous Viennese co.llection of Breus !lll l'nited State~. Other cases in point are hiR recommen•latiom< of tlre u;;!' of Pitocin in placenta previa and his stated belief that the Hraxton Hieh version way still have us(• ful applications. A short section on antibiotic~ in eounertion with the di~cussion of the treatment of puerperal se,p~i~ is up to llatt>, and it repres•mt>< a point of view <'lost• to that of current American practice. The sectiorr Oll pediatric~ of the newboru i;; full anll wt>ll written; especially lucid are the expositions of Rh ineornpatihilities and the prohll'ms of prelJlaturi ty. 'rhis Pdition of Prof. Martins' book iH h0autifully bouwl in a durable liu<'u r·ovPr, n.nd it is ..!Parly printt>d on <>x<;ellent papPI'. Tlw photographs are uniformly !;OOn present astonishingly unrealistic representation~ of the t•,onditionH rlepictcd. Aside from such minor objection~ as ure indieated above, this book represent>~ the matured thinking of one of the world's ruost H to ltr. an important r•ontriltutioll to ohstt'tri<· litr>raturP.
Longitudinal Studies of Child Personality.
By llr. Alan A. Htone, co-author, Dr·. Gloria Cochran Onque. :114 pages. Cambridge, Hlfifl, The Commonwealth Pnnrl by the Harvartl Fniversity Press. if;5.00.
DrR. Stone and Onque have performed a data is given. Tht• paper;; arp e~~<>ntially limitPd to those iu the English lang·uagt> and t.lr(' hulk of th•· paper·~ orig,inate from thr Unit. A stated few papt>rs are from FralH~l'. 'l'hiH iH a valual>ll' work for· som·ep material. As irr all sw·h workH, Oil(' ma,v question certain omi~s.ion~. 'l'hu~, pap<>rs that are based upon or that arP foru~<:>rl upon neurologir studie~ of the neonate that may reveal brain damage arP hu-gely omitted. The sequelae of ~ueh injury upon the rlev;oloping personality and subsequent hehavior are wPll known and significant. Also studieH of "pecial groups such as tlw Amerie.an Negro do not seem to he adequately represenh•rl. In "pit<' of tlefi<•.iencies, howt>vPr, this is cxtrPmely useful referen<'<' work.
Enfermedades de la vulva. By 1Jr. U. Calandra, co-author, Jh-. R. 8amrnarino. 230 figures.
421\
page~.
Buenos Aires, 1959, Ediciones M. Segura.
AI\ the authors point out in the prologue, this book was written to fill a gap in the literature; it is a conciRe and complete book on di~ea~eR of the vHh'a, 'l'h•.• hook
Spani~h
Volume 78 Numher
~
BOOK REVIEWR
11 :'il
is divided into 17 chapters and has the subdivisions of anatomy, benign and malignant tumors, embryology, inflammatory processes, and disturbances in physiology. A special chapter is devoted to the urethral meatus. The book describes the pathology, etiology, and clinical aspects of uiseases of the vulva from original description to modern times. 'fhere iH nothing startling in the book, hut at the same time all available information about each disease entity is clearly stated and easily understood. The type is clear. The black and white photographs are well reproduced and ha \'C been chosen with care by the authorK. Unfortunatelr, the reproduction of the color plate~ is poor.
Practical Obstetric Problems.
By Ian Donald. Second edition, 712 pages, 1-to illustrations, 4 tables. Chicago, Hl59, Year Book Publishers, Inc. $11.00.
This second edition of Practical Obstetric Problems has undergone l'xtensive alterations ant! reVIsiOns. The author has omitted such subjects as ovulation, menstruation, cmw.eption, infertility, diagnosis of pregnancy, and early development of the ovum. This tPxtbook is to serve a~ a guide to the practicing clinician. It deals with special cases in obstetrics, such as those of the elderly primipara, the grande multipara, and patients with bad obstetrical histories. The chapter on vomiting, heartburn, and hiatal hernia goes into great detail and points out the importance' of these minor disorders. The new additions of afibrinogenemia, cervical incompetance, vitamin K and its relation with kernictt'rus in the prematur~>s, x-ray placentography, and pelvimetry are discussed, and the techniques used for conditions rt'quiring •1etails of procedure ( fonl'ps, breech extraction, ~Psarean section, etc.) are discussed. The chapter on infer.tions in obstetrics is good and it covers the subject adequately. The author's views on puerperal sepsis, breast infections, and thrombosis are of special interest. The outstanding chapter in the text is Antibiotics-Their Use and Misuse. The ~hapter is broken down into the requir!'mPnts for successful trt'atment, the development of resistance to antibiotics, the value and risks of combined antibiotics, and the use of antiIJiotics in practice. The latter deals with the unit, stability, range of activity antihaeterial action, resistance, mode of administration, and toxicity of various antibiotics.
Proceedings of the Second World Congress on Fertility and Sterility.
Is, Italy, 1956, International Fertility Assoeiation.
We have received for review the Proceedings of the Second World Congr·ess on Fertility a.nd Sterility which took place in Naples, Italy, on May 18 to 26, 1956. This work was edited by Dr. G. Tesauro, who has done a splendid job. Inasmuch as each volume occupies about 1,500 pages, it is impossible to do an extended review of the proceedings, but the sectional titles are as follows: Endocrine, Metabolic and Hematological Factors in Fertility and Sterility; Endocrine Therapy in Female Sterility; Diagnosis of Ovulation and Its Disorders; Treatment of Disorders of Ovulation; Tubal Physiology and Its Disorders; Evaluation of New Methous of Diagnosis and Medical Treatment of Female Sterility; Occupational, Toxic and Psychological Factors in Fertility and Sterility; Experimental and Clinical Investigations in Female Sterility; Diagnosis of Spermatogenesis and Its Disorders; New Methods of Diagnosis of Male Sterility; Surgery in Male Sterility; and Problems in Animal Reproduction. The proceedings are presented in 2 volumes totaling 2,948 pages with summaries in the official languages of the Congress: English, l''rench, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Gynecology and Gynecologic Nursing. edition, 501 pages, 249 drawings. $5.00.
By Norman Miller and Hazel Avery. Fourth Philadelphia, 1959, W. B. Saunders Company.
Nurses desirous of adding quality to the care they minister to female patients are a;lviRetl to read this volume. The all-incluRive eontent iH arranged in a logical faHhion,
]]!)~
ROOK REVIEWR
Am. J. Obst. & Gynec. Nov
with each entity receiving its due emphasis. Considered in the content are those common, everyday problems with which the public expects nurses to be acquainted. Rtress is placed on the application of fundamental nursing principles to the gynecological patient. 'rhose basic nursing procedures essential to gynecology are reviewed in detail and supported by clear illustrations. The "total patient" is interwoven throughout most of the content. All aspects composing total care are discussed in a thought-provoking manner. This text merits a place on the reserve shelf in the nursing library.
Diseases of Women.
By Dr. F. W. Roques, co-authors, Dr. John Beattie and Dr. Jos. Wrigley. Tenth edition, 556 pages, 209 figures. Baltimore, 1959, Williams & Wilkins Company. $8.00.
A group of 10 leading British obstetrician-gynecologists l1ave collaborated to produr.P the tenth edition in 40 years of this concise, yet thorough, textbook of gynecology. Its popularity over these years is probably due to its easy readability and its thoroughne~s. The book is well organized and each subject is systematically covered in regard to definitions, pathology, symptoms, diagnosis, nnd treatment. The first portion of the book extensively reviews the anatomy and physiology of the female 1·eproductive tract but at times becomes somewhat repetitious. The gamut of gynecological disorders is covered, and includes a well-written summary of the menstrual disorders and a chapter on urological disorders in the female. The book concludes with a short presentation of the gynecological operations with descriptions of the techniques sufficient for the student i o orient himself to the procedurl's. Photographs are noticeable hy th(•ir absent>~> annee to any literature or experimental work and the failure to note which of tlw authors is reRpon~ihle for which section.
A Handbook of Obstetrics and Gynecology for Nurses. By Dr. D. Clyne. figures. Baltimore, 1958, Williams & Wilkins Company. $4.00.
:!0·!
page~, ;);~
The objective of compiling a "tidily tabulated answer book" has been fulfilled by the author. Outstanding is the use of numerous, simple sketches which explain many facts presented, instead of having them buried in a jungle of obscure verbiage. The content of this handbook emphasizes the technical and physical aspects, that is, the condition presented by the patient rather than the patient with a condition. Present-day nursing philoRophy SU}Jports the latter viewpoint. This book is helpful to those nurses seeking a quick referenCE' concerning snch factual data as definition of termH, cause~ of conditions, ciinical manifestations, and methods of treatment. Reproductive Physiology. By A. V. Nalbandov. ~71 pages, 3/l figures, 56 tables. Francisco, 1958, W. H. Freeman and Co. $6.75.
San
A compilation of lectures on the physiolog-y ef reproduction of animals prepared for students of agriculture, zoology, and veterinary and human medicine are presented. There are 12 chapters dealing with the comprehensive problems of sex, including the anatomy and physiology, with emphasis on the endocrine system in relation to these subjects. The photomicrographs, gross photographs, schematic drawings, and graphs are exceptional, and, for a text, unusually clear and easily comprehensible. To the practitioners eoncemed with human fertility and sterility, this informative book is a strong incentive to those who do not always see the rffects of their therapy and who might question the potency of their armamentarium. The bibliography is accurate and simplified. To all, even those with only curiosity in the subject, this book is strongly recommended.
M.
HELLMAN,
M.D.
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS Lehrbuch der Geburtshilfe. By Prof. Dr. Heinrich Martius, co-author, Prof. Dr. H. Hartl, illustrated by Kiithe Droysen. Thieme Verlag. $14.20.
731 pages, 768 :figures.
Stuttgart, 1959, Georg
This volume is the fourth edition of the standard textbook of obstetrics in many German-speaking medical schools. The third edition of the work, issued in 2 volumes shortly after the war, was poorly printed though scientifically excellent. The present edition has been brought up to date and its format has been restored to the high quality of the first 2 editions. The volume remains a fine textbook, reflecting the extensive experience of its distinguished author. Since the last edition, advances in obstetric practice have necessitated fairly ex· tensive revisions of the text together with the addition of several new features. Among these are lucid sections on afibrinogenemia and amniotic fluid embolism, fetal sequelae of maternal diabetes, hypoxemic damage in newborn infants, and neonatal pediatrics. In addition to these new features, the book provides a complete coverage of topics included in the standard textbooks of obstetrics. The book is divided into sections on normal obstetrics, abnormal pregnancy states, coincidental maternal complications, multiple pregnancy, puerperium and lactation, and the physiology and pathology of the newborn. Of special excellence are the clear descriptions of nidation, fertilization, and basic embryology and endocrinology. An1erican obstetricians n1ay question the volun1e's ern~ phasis on external mensuration; for example, after giving elaborate directions for measuring Baudeloque's diameter, Martins admits its negligible clinical importance but recommends its measurement routinely as a means of obliging the obstetrician to pay more careful attention to the shape of the pelvis. Rurely there must be less wasteful means to this praiseworthy end. Martins presents excellent tables of the sequential events occurring during pregnancy. The section on medicolegal cases regarding the length of pregnancy reviews the German cases and is an interesting supplement to the English and American cases usually reviewed in textbooks in English. The fliscussion of extrauterine pregn~mey is espeeially carefully done, and the therapeutic. indications are clearly described and illustrated. On the other hand, the discussion of eclamptic toxemia of pregnancy is uncharacteristically superficial and lacking in elinieal detail. The section on the mechanism of labor is also incomplete and sketchy. Prof. Marti us' exposition of the clinical management of meehanical problems of delivery demonstrates the author's special interest in this subject-an interest he has displayed impressively in his handbook on obstetric operations. The estimation of pelvic capacity is discussed more from the purely clinical than from the roentgenologic viewpoint; the descriptions of as~·mmetrically and absolutely 1149
11!)0
ROOK REVIE\YH
\rn. I. Obst. & Gvnec :'\(,,·ember, .19~9
contracted pelves are much fuller than tho~e u~ually eueountered in textbooks writtHn in EngliHh, prohabl~· because of the tendency of obstetric treatiseH on thi~ sul>jed in (lprrnan to draw extensively on the famous Viennese co.llection of Breus !lll
Longitudinal Studies of Child Personality.
By llr. Alan A. Htone, co-author, Dr·. Gloria Cochran Onque. :114 pages. Cambridge, Hlfifl, The Commonwealth Pnnrl by the Harvartl Fniversity Press. if;5.00.
DrR. Stone and Onque have performed a
Enfermedades de la vulva. By 1Jr. U. Calandra, co-author, Jh-. R. 8amrnarino. 230 figures.
421\
page~.
Buenos Aires, 1959, Ediciones M. Segura.
AI\ the authors point out in the prologue, this book was written to fill a gap in the literature; it is a conciRe and complete book on di~ea~eR of the vHh'a, 'l'h•.• hook
Spani~h
Volume 78 Numher
~
BOOK REVIEWR
11 :'il
is divided into 17 chapters and has the subdivisions of anatomy, benign and malignant tumors, embryology, inflammatory processes, and disturbances in physiology. A special chapter is devoted to the urethral meatus. The book describes the pathology, etiology, and clinical aspects of uiseases of the vulva from original description to modern times. 'fhere iH nothing startling in the book, hut at the same time all available information about each disease entity is clearly stated and easily understood. The type is clear. The black and white photographs are well reproduced and ha \'C been chosen with care by the authorK. Unfortunatelr, the reproduction of the color plate~ is poor.
Practical Obstetric Problems.
By Ian Donald. Second edition, 712 pages, 1-to illustrations, 4 tables. Chicago, Hl59, Year Book Publishers, Inc. $11.00.
This second edition of Practical Obstetric Problems has undergone l'xtensive alterations ant! reVIsiOns. The author has omitted such subjects as ovulation, menstruation, cmw.eption, infertility, diagnosis of pregnancy, and early development of the ovum. This tPxtbook is to serve a~ a guide to the practicing clinician. It deals with special cases in obstetrics, such as those of the elderly primipara, the grande multipara, and patients with bad obstetrical histories. The chapter on vomiting, heartburn, and hiatal hernia goes into great detail and points out the importance' of these minor disorders. The new additions of afibrinogenemia, cervical incompetance, vitamin K and its relation with kernictt'rus in the prematur~>s, x-ray placentography, and pelvimetry are discussed, and the techniques used for conditions rt'quiring •1etails of procedure ( fonl'ps, breech extraction, ~Psarean section, etc.) are discussed. The chapter on infer.tions in obstetrics is good and it covers the subject adequately. The author's views on puerperal sepsis, breast infections, and thrombosis are of special interest. The outstanding chapter in the text is Antibiotics-Their Use and Misuse. The ~hapter is broken down into the requir!'mPnts for successful trt'atment, the development of resistance to antibiotics, the value and risks of combined antibiotics, and the use of antiIJiotics in practice. The latter deals with the unit, stability, range of activity antihaeterial action, resistance, mode of administration, and toxicity of various antibiotics.
Proceedings of the Second World Congress on Fertility and Sterility.
I
We have received for review the Proceedings of the Second World Congr·ess on Fertility a.nd Sterility which took place in Naples, Italy, on May 18 to 26, 1956. This work was edited by Dr. G. Tesauro, who has done a splendid job. Inasmuch as each volume occupies about 1,500 pages, it is impossible to do an extended review of the proceedings, but the sectional titles are as follows: Endocrine, Metabolic and Hematological Factors in Fertility and Sterility; Endocrine Therapy in Female Sterility; Diagnosis of Ovulation and Its Disorders; Treatment of Disorders of Ovulation; Tubal Physiology and Its Disorders; Evaluation of New Methous of Diagnosis and Medical Treatment of Female Sterility; Occupational, Toxic and Psychological Factors in Fertility and Sterility; Experimental and Clinical Investigations in Female Sterility; Diagnosis of Spermatogenesis and Its Disorders; New Methods of Diagnosis of Male Sterility; Surgery in Male Sterility; and Problems in Animal Reproduction. The proceedings are presented in 2 volumes totaling 2,948 pages with summaries in the official languages of the Congress: English, l''rench, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Gynecology and Gynecologic Nursing. edition, 501 pages, 249 drawings. $5.00.
By Norman Miller and Hazel Avery. Fourth Philadelphia, 1959, W. B. Saunders Company.
Nurses desirous of adding quality to the care they minister to female patients are a;lviRetl to read this volume. The all-incluRive eontent iH arranged in a logical faHhion,
]]!)~
ROOK REVIEWR
Am. J. Obst. & Gynec. Nov
with each entity receiving its due emphasis. Considered in the content are those common, everyday problems with which the public expects nurses to be acquainted. Rtress is placed on the application of fundamental nursing principles to the gynecological patient. 'rhose basic nursing procedures essential to gynecology are reviewed in detail and supported by clear illustrations. The "total patient" is interwoven throughout most of the content. All aspects composing total care are discussed in a thought-provoking manner. This text merits a place on the reserve shelf in the nursing library.
Diseases of Women.
By Dr. F. W. Roques, co-authors, Dr. John Beattie and Dr. Jos. Wrigley. Tenth edition, 556 pages, 209 figures. Baltimore, 1959, Williams & Wilkins Company. $8.00.
A group of 10 leading British obstetrician-gynecologists l1ave collaborated to produr.P the tenth edition in 40 years of this concise, yet thorough, textbook of gynecology. Its popularity over these years is probably due to its easy readability and its thoroughne~s. The book is well organized and each subject is systematically covered in regard to definitions, pathology, symptoms, diagnosis, nnd treatment. The first portion of the book extensively reviews the anatomy and physiology of the female 1·eproductive tract but at times becomes somewhat repetitious. The gamut of gynecological disorders is covered, and includes a well-written summary of the menstrual disorders and a chapter on urological disorders in the female. The book concludes with a short presentation of the gynecological operations with descriptions of the techniques sufficient for the student i o orient himself to the procedurl's. Photographs are noticeable hy th(•ir absent>~> annee to any literature or experimental work and the failure to note which of tlw authors is reRpon~ihle for which section.
A Handbook of Obstetrics and Gynecology for Nurses. By Dr. D. Clyne. figures. Baltimore, 1958, Williams & Wilkins Company. $4.00.
:!0·!
page~, ;);~
The objective of compiling a "tidily tabulated answer book" has been fulfilled by the author. Outstanding is the use of numerous, simple sketches which explain many facts presented, instead of having them buried in a jungle of obscure verbiage. The content of this handbook emphasizes the technical and physical aspects, that is, the condition presented by the patient rather than the patient with a condition. Present-day nursing philoRophy SU}Jports the latter viewpoint. This book is helpful to those nurses seeking a quick referenCE' concerning snch factual data as definition of termH, cause~ of conditions, ciinical manifestations, and methods of treatment. Reproductive Physiology. By A. V. Nalbandov. ~71 pages, 3/l figures, 56 tables. Francisco, 1958, W. H. Freeman and Co. $6.75.
San
A compilation of lectures on the physiolog-y ef reproduction of animals prepared for students of agriculture, zoology, and veterinary and human medicine are presented. There are 12 chapters dealing with the comprehensive problems of sex, including the anatomy and physiology, with emphasis on the endocrine system in relation to these subjects. The photomicrographs, gross photographs, schematic drawings, and graphs are exceptional, and, for a text, unusually clear and easily comprehensible. To the practitioners eoncemed with human fertility and sterility, this informative book is a strong incentive to those who do not always see the rffects of their therapy and who might question the potency of their armamentarium. The bibliography is accurate and simplified. To all, even those with only curiosity in the subject, this book is strongly recommended.