Histological Appearances of Tumours

T.D., B.Sc.(Lond.), M.R.C.S.(Eng.), L.R.C.P.(Lond.). (Pp. xvi + 773; figs. 980. 90s.) Edinburgh and London: E. & S. Livingstone, 1956. TIJIE scope of this book is larger than the title would suggest. In the author's words, "This book is concer-ned not only with the histological and histogenetical aspects of tumours but also with the development of tissues and organs from which they arise; it describes the morphology of tumours and seeks also to present certain features of their behaviour and clinical effects which, it is hoped, will be of interest to surgeons and physicians as well as of ass:stance to the hospital pathologist." This is indeed an ambitious programme for any single author, even though intracranial neoplasms an(d ttumours of the female genital system are omitted. This is a valuable and useful contribution to surgical pathology. The author presents conflicting viewpoints fairly. The literature cited is modern and, despite such curious omissions as the failure of reference to the textbooks of Lever and of Allen from the section on skin, is in general balanced. The histology of the tumours is carefully described and almost all the illustrations are of very high quality and do show what they are said to show. In criticism it may be suggested that the work does not sufficiently reflect the author's experience and that the author's owvn views are often not stated. Partly for this reason senior workers may find the text rather wearisome. The illustrations are useful for bench reference, but the scarcity of cross headings and the individual presentation in the different chapters makes quick reference difficult and more emphasis might be placed on problems of differential diagnosis. There is little discussion of therapy or prognosis and few surgeons can be expected to read through the descriptive matter for occas onal illumination of their problems. Nevertheless, pathologists must be grateful to the author for assembling suclh a large segment of modern surgical pathology and for illustrating is so beautifully. J. E. M.