Anesthesiology and Related Problems

In May, 1956 a conference was held at the New York Academy of Sciences on the subject "Anesthesia and Related Problems." The results of this conference are now presented in a series of 15 papers. On the whole these papers are characterized by an academic and objective approach to many of the clinical problems relating to anesthesia but because of their fundamental nature some of them can also be highly recommended to all those interested in applied respiratory physiology and acid-base balance. The careful analysis of W. A. Spencer of some of the variables affecting pulmonary ventilation is especially interesting, being supported as it is by careful measurements of respiration under various normal and abnormal conditions in the human. J. V. Maloney and J. L. Whittenberger introduce an important concept in the understanding of the mechanical factors involved in the physiological effects of positive pressure respiration during their discussion of pulmonary circulation in the presence of positive pressure, while Roberts and her associates from Cornell provide us with a complete and up-to-date summary on the acid-base changesaccompanying respiratory alkalosis. Roberts' data, while suffering somewhat from an unfortunate transposition of illustrations, describe in detail the metabolic responses to the various stages of respiratory alkalosis and propose a method for making the difficult differential diagnosis between severe endstage respiratory alkalosis and metabolic acidosis. Articles such as these three make this symposium valuable for the advanced student, while with few exceptions the remaining articles consist of fundamental reviews that will prove of value to the nonspecialist. NICHOLAS M. GREENE