The Crimean doctors: a history of the British Medical Services in the Crimean War

STEPHEN ASHWAL (ed.), Thefounders of child neurology, Norman Neurosciences Series 1, San Francisco, Norman Publishing in association with the Child Neurology Society, 1990, pp. xii, 935, illus., $95.00 (0-930405-26-9). Ashwal has undertaken the mammoth task of bringing together biographical sketches, written by over 100 medical specialists, of 124 individuals who have made important contributions to the relatively new field of child neurology. A detailed introduction to the development of child neurology is followed by five chapters arranged chronologically from before 1800 through the evolution of paediatrics and neurology during the nineteenth century, to the present century when child neurology emerged as a speciality. For the reader not familiar with the history of medicine each chapter is preceded by an overview of medical and paediatric progress in the period covered. The result is the most comprehensive biographical work on the history of child neurology up to the present time. Wherever possible, black and white photographs have been provided and illustrations of the classical medical conditions described. With such a large number of contributors differences in writing style are inevitable. Nevertheless, the cohesion of the whole leads to easy reading. While each author's contribution is well referenced, the need to refer to the introduction for references cited in each chapter's overview may prove irritating to some readers. The omission of chapter numbers is confusing as they are given in the list of credits. In spite of these minor deficiencies this book is an important one which will be of use and interest to medical historians and clinicians interested in the history of child neurology.