The Mast Cells

21s.) London and Edinburgh: E. & S. Livingstone, 1960. THFRE iS little doubt that the cellular theory of tissue structure owes a great deal to Theodor Schwann (1810-1832) and this book devotes a chapter to his contribution. This is entirely superficial and fails to assess his really important contribution which Virchow was subsequently to make the basis of modem pathology. Schwann's stature is much more competently dealt wvith in Sir Roy Cameron's "Pathology of the Cell." This monograplh contains chapters dealing with the structure of the peripheral nerve, st-ructure of the peripheral nerve fibre, the ultra-structure of Schwann cells, development and tissue culture of Schwann cells, Schwann cells at nerve endings, the Schwann cell in degeneration an(i regeneration and neoplasms of Schwann cells. One feels that the subject scarcely justifies a monograph. A few papers in the appropriate scientific journals would have met the case. Furthermore, the cobbler should keep to his last, and the statement that "the late invasion of nerve trunks by tumours in man has long been known and commented ulpotn" would not be generally accepted. Some tumours show a most curious tendency to spread along nerves, others don't. This monograph, however, brinigs together a great deal of information about the Schwann cell. XVe agree with the author that we still have a great deal to learn about it. J. H. B.