Aids to Psychiatry

THIS little book contains a wealth of most useful information for the nurse. The illustrations have been wvell chosen, although it seems a pity that in some of them so much has been crowded into a rather small space, and it might havc *been better to use a whole page. The section dealing with nurses' duties in the theatre has been clearly written, and perhaps the most important comment is that the nursc's efficiency depends on her ability to anticipate the surgeon's next step in a particular operation. The importance of this cannot be overemphasized. The steps to be taken in a case of cardiac arrest are fully and clearly enumerated and should be carefully studied by every nurse. rhe chapter on traumatic surgery is also worthy of serious study and some help will be found in the chapter on plaster of paris technique, although one felt that this chapter could havc been a little longer. Altogether, this should prove a very useful edition in the "Aids Scrics." THE author is too modest when he simply claims that thc book is written for the resident casualty surgeon. The book should prove a great stimulus to t;C mature orthopxdic surgeon, especially if "fixed in his thinking"-there is much in the book to force him to re-examinc his pet ideas, and maybe even to alter them in the light of Mr. Charnley's persuasivc presentation. The nature of fracture repair is extremely well described aind the differences between union in cancellous and cortical fractures cxccllcntly prescnte(l. That part dealing with the mechanics of reduction and conservative treatment of fractures demonstrates that, in so far as mechanical principles can be applied to the intricate biological process of fracture healing, Mr. Charnley's ideas arc well in advance of those underlying conmmoin practice in many casualty departments. In Chapter XV, on fractures of the tibial shafts, the author attempts to explain somc of the baffling problems of delayed union and nion-union, and puts forward a rational basis for prophylactic bone grafting in certain anatomical tvpcs. throughout the book the conservativc approach in treatmcnt is stressed and the dangers of the depression of osteogenic activity in the fragments of fractures by the operative exposure of long bones is emphasised. This is an excellent book which will be read, anid I hopc reread several times, by all surgeons who have to treat injured limbs, with interest to themsclvcs …