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The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA
716
signs and stages, preanaesthetic medication and drug uptake and elimination are described. The sections on individual drugs are written by H. L. Price and they contain much information on drugs such as ethylene and cyclopropane which are little used in the U.K. One does note, however, that the section on ether is reduced to less than one page and that on fluroxene to less than half a column. Enflurane and isofiurane are discussed also, but not in detail. It is surprising that the only non-barbiturate anaesthetics to be discussed are the neurolept narcotic combinations and the phencyclidines (arycycloalkylamines). Quite clearly this section does not replace the textbook limited to anaesthetics. These are all minor points and do not deter from a most excellent book which is well set out and contains an excellent index. If one were to make any criticism it would be to note that it is, as expected, orientated to the North American continent in drug terminology, in which respect it would benefit enormously by the addition of even a small glossary. It is a pleasure to own such a book. John W. Dundee
II. CONGRESS OF ANAESTHESIOLOGISTS (VIII. Symposium) with International Participation The Congress, organized by the Slovak Medical Society and the Slovak Society of Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation, will be held in Bratislava on May 25-27, 1977. Topics to be discussed include: Biochemical changes during anaesthesia and intensive care. Optimal monitoring equipment for anaesthesia and intensive care. Special new methods in anaesthesia and intensive care (acupuncture, electroanalgesia, hyperbaroxia, etc.). Postgraduate education and team work in anaesthesia and intensive care. Official languages of the Congress will be Russian, English, German, Czech and Slovak. Simultaneous translation will be provided. A leaflet giving preliminary information and including a form for preliminary registration for participation, which must be completed and returned by August 31,1976, can be obtained from: Congress Office, Slovak Medical Society, Mickiewiczova 18, 833 22 Bratislava, CSSR.
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Manitoba on June 9, 2015
The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 5th edn. Edited by L. S. Goodman and A. Gilman. Published by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York; Collier Macmillan Canada Ltd, Toronto; Bailliere Tindall, London; 1975. Pp. 1704. Illustrated; indexed. Price £18.00 (cased). It almost goes without saying that the latest edition of this classic textbook is the best pharmacology book available in the world today. In its 1700 pages of text it covers all available topics in detail, and yet remains easily readable. Not every anaesthetist, either trainee or consultant, will have a copy of the book, but all could benefit by reading the revised opening chapter on general principles which incorporates all the recent work on. pharmacokinetics. The section on biotransformation is too detailed for the needs of the anaesthetist, but this is followed by a very excellent discussion on "Time Course of Drug Effect: Pharmacokinetic Principles". Although it does not provide for all types of reader, there is much in this book which is of interest to anaesthetists. In 86 pages the history and theories of general anaesthesia,
716
signs and stages, preanaesthetic medication and drug uptake and elimination are described. The sections on individual drugs are written by H. L. Price and they contain much information on drugs such as ethylene and cyclopropane which are little used in the U.K. One does note, however, that the section on ether is reduced to less than one page and that on fluroxene to less than half a column. Enflurane and isofiurane are discussed also, but not in detail. It is surprising that the only non-barbiturate anaesthetics to be discussed are the neurolept narcotic combinations and the phencyclidines (arycycloalkylamines). Quite clearly this section does not replace the textbook limited to anaesthetics. These are all minor points and do not deter from a most excellent book which is well set out and contains an excellent index. If one were to make any criticism it would be to note that it is, as expected, orientated to the North American continent in drug terminology, in which respect it would benefit enormously by the addition of even a small glossary. It is a pleasure to own such a book. John W. Dundee
II. CONGRESS OF ANAESTHESIOLOGISTS (VIII. Symposium) with International Participation The Congress, organized by the Slovak Medical Society and the Slovak Society of Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation, will be held in Bratislava on May 25-27, 1977. Topics to be discussed include: Biochemical changes during anaesthesia and intensive care. Optimal monitoring equipment for anaesthesia and intensive care. Special new methods in anaesthesia and intensive care (acupuncture, electroanalgesia, hyperbaroxia, etc.). Postgraduate education and team work in anaesthesia and intensive care. Official languages of the Congress will be Russian, English, German, Czech and Slovak. Simultaneous translation will be provided. A leaflet giving preliminary information and including a form for preliminary registration for participation, which must be completed and returned by August 31,1976, can be obtained from: Congress Office, Slovak Medical Society, Mickiewiczova 18, 833 22 Bratislava, CSSR.
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Manitoba on June 9, 2015
The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 5th edn. Edited by L. S. Goodman and A. Gilman. Published by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York; Collier Macmillan Canada Ltd, Toronto; Bailliere Tindall, London; 1975. Pp. 1704. Illustrated; indexed. Price £18.00 (cased). It almost goes without saying that the latest edition of this classic textbook is the best pharmacology book available in the world today. In its 1700 pages of text it covers all available topics in detail, and yet remains easily readable. Not every anaesthetist, either trainee or consultant, will have a copy of the book, but all could benefit by reading the revised opening chapter on general principles which incorporates all the recent work on. pharmacokinetics. The section on biotransformation is too detailed for the needs of the anaesthetist, but this is followed by a very excellent discussion on "Time Course of Drug Effect: Pharmacokinetic Principles". Although it does not provide for all types of reader, there is much in this book which is of interest to anaesthetists. In 86 pages the history and theories of general anaesthesia,