Diseases of Children. Fifth Edition

This is the fifth edition of this pediatrics text, whose first edition appeared in 1964. Dr. Jolly, of the Charing Cross Hospital in London, has been joined by a new co-author, Dr. Malcolm Levene, of the University of Leicester Medical School, for this edition. Their work, Diseases of Children, is clearly a British-authored text. References to public health issues, health statistics, immunization schedules and so on are drawn primarily from the United Kingdom. The text contains many specific suggestions which inform the reader of the authors' approach to the patient, parents, and community issues. These references are interesting and informative but clearly represent the experience of physicians working in the United Kingdom. This, and the authors' use of British terminology (e.g., "Cot Death' instead of "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome [SIDS]) may be initially disconcerting to the American reader. The clarity of exposition and highly readable style of the authors, however, more than compensate for the initial unfamiliarity of some of the terminology and cultural references. Although the book is clearly British, authors Jolly and Levene have taken care to address international issues, paying special attention to the problems of infants and children in developing countries. For example, while advocating breast feeding for all infants, the authors stress that the benefits will be different depending on sociocultural factors. In Western communities, the authors stress the potential benefits for the mother-child relationship. For infants in developing nations, however, the authors stress the risk of gastroenteritis from improperly prepared bottle feedings as the primary reason for breast feeding. They go on to speak out against the advertising and sociocultural forces which have encouraged the use of bottle feeding among the world's poor. Sections on parasitic, mycobacterial, and other infectious disease as well as oral rehydration therapy are also included. Diseases of Children is not a comprehensive textbook with exhaustive references. Rather, it is an intermediate-sized text of pediatrics, which is comprehensive in the range of topics covered. The work is generously illustrated with photographs, radiographs, and diagrams, including several color plates. Its clear exposition and forthright style have resulted in an unusually accessible text. Diseases ofChildren will be a valuable addition to the library of pediatricians and family practitioners. The book may be more valuable, however, for the medical student or non-specialist, who will find that the authors' maintenance of a uniform tone and style throughout will ease their encounter with new or unfamiliar material.