Neuromuscular Disorders (the Motor Unit and Its Disorders)

THIS volume is a collection of papers given at a meeting of the Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease in December, 19,58. Like its predecessors in the series of research publications sponsored by the Association, it is not merely the proceedings of a congress, but is a true symposium with predetermined subjects and contributors. The result is a volume of great significance to all interested in muscle and its disorders, particularly to clinicians. There is no doubt that the clinical aspect of muscle disorders has been emphasised, but in its wide sense. This is all to the good when other symposia on muscle are primarily anatomical, physiological or pharmacological. The material has been arranged into parts dealing with the basic structure and function of muscle, experimental pathology, histopathology, revolving around the main section on clinical problems. One's first reaction to the date of publication, over two years after the meeting, is to be apprehensive lest the book be no longer up to date. This fear is almost groundless. Advances in the knowledge of muscle in some of its aspects has indeed been rapid, but the material is widely scattered and its collection into one volume is useful. As a reference work, the volume, like its predecessors, is likely to be utilized for many years to come. Ihe contributors are mainly drawn from the United States, and most of the better known schools of medicine are represented. Knowledge in the basic sciences is excellently summarised as in the chapters on neuromuscular transmission by del Castillo and the ultrastructure of the muscle fibre by Hodge. New work is described in experimental pathology by both Denny Brown and Betty Banker. Although the histopathology of muscle disease is dealt with by Adams, much descriptive pathology is of necessity included in many of the clinical chapters. There is, therefore, much repetition, and some controversy, reflected to some extent in the verbatim discussions. Although the volume would be shorter with the discussions omitted, their inclusion is healthy if not economical. Among the outstanding clinical chapters Shy's paper on metabolic and endocrinological aspects, and Grob and John's contribution on disorders producing transient paralysis contain much that is new. A fresh approach to myastheniia is provided by Rowland and others who entitle their chapter "Myasthenic Syndromes." "Congenital Neuromuscular Disorders" by Dodge will be surprisingly helpful to the neurologist in his clinic. Walton, one of the few …