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The falling sickness. A history of epilepsy from the Greeks to the beginnings of modern neurology
UTTERWORTH I N E M A
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Book Reviews
A Guide to Understanding and Living with Epilepsy, b y Orrin Devinsky. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1994, 345 pp. Price: $15.95.
troduction to the complete care of persons with epilepsy. David G. Vossler, M.D.
Publications on various aspects of epilepsy are available to the lay public. These include personal accounts and social and medical information regarding the condition. This book reviews the entire range of epilepsy-related issues that are important to the individual or to the family of an individual with a seizure disorder. The book is divided into six parts: background medical information about epilepsy, diagnosis and treatment, epilepsy in children and in adults, legal and financial issues, and resources for persons with seizure disorders. Each part is divided into several concise chapters, each of which contains detailed information. The chapter on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is particularly good not only because it describes recently released medications and newer concepts in pharmacologic therapy, but also because it reviews investigational compounds. Newer techniques such as focal resections for infantile spasms, multiple subpial transection, and vagal nerve stimulation are described in the surgical therapy chapter. Occasional photographs, illustrations, tables, and brief case reports amplify points made in the text very well. The author does not shy away from using technical words, but each is defined in lay terminology. The recent emphasis on quality of life in epilepsy is an appropriate theme discussed t h r o u g h o u t the text. Glossaries of terms and AEDs, two-color plates containing photographs of medications commonly used in the United States, and lists of referrences and resources complete the book. This is a short, yet comprehensive review that is designed for the layperson. It will not only serve that purpose well, but it will also be very educational to other health care professionals as an in-
J. Epilepsy 1995;8:90-91 © 1995by Elsevier Science Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010
Epilepsy Center Swedish Medical Center Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
The Falling Sickness. A History of Epilepsy From the Greeks to the Beginnings of Modem Neurology, 2nd ed., by Owsei Temkin. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1971, Softshell Books edition, 1994, 467 pp. Price: $24.95. This book is a reprinting of the second edition of a scholarly account of the history of epilepsy in Western civilization from ancient times until the beginning of modern neurology. First published in 1945 and revised in 1971, the book is a true classic. Although it is extensively referenced and contains many original quotes, the book is beautifully written, quite readable, and should be available to all epileptologists. The reprinting in paperback format should make decisions regarding purchasing easy. Gregory L. Holmes, M.D.
Department of Neurology Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, U.S.A. Foundations of Modem Neurology, A Century of Progress, by Robert B. Aird. N e w York: Raven Press, 1994, 299 pp. Price: $85.00. It is often forgotten that neurology is a relatively new discipline that did not truly develop into a self-sustaining clinical discipline until long after World War II. Before then, as noted by Professor Aird, neurologists could not survive financially unless they held academic positions or combined a
0896-6974/95/$10.00 SSDI 0896-6974(94)00002-H
N
N
Book Reviews
A Guide to Understanding and Living with Epilepsy, b y Orrin Devinsky. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1994, 345 pp. Price: $15.95.
troduction to the complete care of persons with epilepsy. David G. Vossler, M.D.
Publications on various aspects of epilepsy are available to the lay public. These include personal accounts and social and medical information regarding the condition. This book reviews the entire range of epilepsy-related issues that are important to the individual or to the family of an individual with a seizure disorder. The book is divided into six parts: background medical information about epilepsy, diagnosis and treatment, epilepsy in children and in adults, legal and financial issues, and resources for persons with seizure disorders. Each part is divided into several concise chapters, each of which contains detailed information. The chapter on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is particularly good not only because it describes recently released medications and newer concepts in pharmacologic therapy, but also because it reviews investigational compounds. Newer techniques such as focal resections for infantile spasms, multiple subpial transection, and vagal nerve stimulation are described in the surgical therapy chapter. Occasional photographs, illustrations, tables, and brief case reports amplify points made in the text very well. The author does not shy away from using technical words, but each is defined in lay terminology. The recent emphasis on quality of life in epilepsy is an appropriate theme discussed t h r o u g h o u t the text. Glossaries of terms and AEDs, two-color plates containing photographs of medications commonly used in the United States, and lists of referrences and resources complete the book. This is a short, yet comprehensive review that is designed for the layperson. It will not only serve that purpose well, but it will also be very educational to other health care professionals as an in-
J. Epilepsy 1995;8:90-91 © 1995by Elsevier Science Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010
Epilepsy Center Swedish Medical Center Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
The Falling Sickness. A History of Epilepsy From the Greeks to the Beginnings of Modem Neurology, 2nd ed., by Owsei Temkin. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1971, Softshell Books edition, 1994, 467 pp. Price: $24.95. This book is a reprinting of the second edition of a scholarly account of the history of epilepsy in Western civilization from ancient times until the beginning of modern neurology. First published in 1945 and revised in 1971, the book is a true classic. Although it is extensively referenced and contains many original quotes, the book is beautifully written, quite readable, and should be available to all epileptologists. The reprinting in paperback format should make decisions regarding purchasing easy. Gregory L. Holmes, M.D.
Department of Neurology Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, U.S.A. Foundations of Modem Neurology, A Century of Progress, by Robert B. Aird. N e w York: Raven Press, 1994, 299 pp. Price: $85.00. It is often forgotten that neurology is a relatively new discipline that did not truly develop into a self-sustaining clinical discipline until long after World War II. Before then, as noted by Professor Aird, neurologists could not survive financially unless they held academic positions or combined a
0896-6974/95/$10.00 SSDI 0896-6974(94)00002-H