Manual of Gastro-intestinal Endoscopy

THis useful manual contains a description of endoscopy as it applies to gastroenterology. There are a few black and white figures, largely to illustrate technical procedure but none to illustrate the appearances seen, and in this respect it is severly lacking. But ,as a resum6 of a subject which is beginning to be of increasing importance it provides a good introduction. The author speaks from considerable personal experience and has many wise and helpful instructions to give the novice in this subject. He puts so much of his own personal practice into it that at times it gives the impression that it is the only way to do this sort of work. This does not on the whole detract from the book but adds to the helpfulness of the instruction given. The bibliography is adequate and taken from the literature of many countries. In each section there is a description of the indications, the instruments available, a number of sketches of the techniques required and warnings as to the dangers that may be encountered. There is more emphasis on oesophagoscopy than it merits in comparison with some of the other procedures. The writing loses a little by not being concise. The cost (70/-) for so small a paper back is exorbitant. bxt with these small criticisms one can safely say that it is a book that gastroenterologists should include in their libraries. H. W. R.