Textbook of Virology for Students and Practitioners of Medicine

MEDICINE. By A. J. Rhodes, M.D., F.R.C.P.(Edin.), F.R.S.C., and C. E. van Rooyen, M.D., D.Sc.(Edin.), M.R.C.P.(Lond.), F.R.C.P.(C.), with the assistance of contributors. Fourth Edition. (Pp. xvi + C0t; illustrationis, 152; tablCs, (1. 108s.) BaltimorC: Williams & Wilkins CO., 1963. THE fourth editioni of this textbook has been almost completely rewritten. Although the total number of pages is less than in the previous edition, a new format with double columns to a page and a larger page size has very greatly increased the content of this fourth edition. It is, however, still a manageable textbook. Another major change is that virus inifections are arranged according to the biological properties of the causative viruses. While this makes for a more systematic approach to the subject and will be welcomed by science students, the arrangement in earlier editions in which infections were arranged according to clinical, pathogenic and epidemiological features of the disease was in many ways more attractive to medical students and practitioners. Thus, for example, in the third edition in the section on eye diseases, there were sequential chapters on trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis and other forms of viral infections of the conjunctiva while in the fourth edition one has to search for information on epidemic keratoconjunctivitis and conjunctivitis due to Newcastle Disease virus, and trachoma and inclusion blenorrhoea are now grouped (admittedly in their rightful taxonomic place) with the other members of the basophil group of viruses. Among the contributors to this edition are the following: D. M. McLean (arborvirus group), A. J. Beale (poliomyelitis), D. B. W. Reid (statistical methods), K. R. Rozee (cell culture methods in virology) and L. Simmeritch (induction of tumours by viruses). The reviewer feels that there is a certain imbalance in the space devoted to the various subjects. Thus while there are ninety-four pages devoted to arborviruses and fifty-one to poliomyelitis, influenza receives only twenty-two, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) one quarter of a page. While the former provides an admirable and up-to-date survey of the arborviruses and will be of value to those with interest in this group of viruses, it seems excessive for a textbook for students and practitioners of medicine, and RSV is certainly more important to students and practitioners than the probable vector of Wesselbron virus which receives more attention. WVhile there are lists of many virus diseases of animals, there is practically no informatioln in the text about any of them, so the textbook, while giving an excellent outline of the fundamental properties of the various groups of viruses of man and animals, falls short in the information which a student would require about some of the viruses of animals. The third edition of this book was undoubtedly a "best buy" for medical students anid practitioners. The fourth edition has, the reviewer thinks, become too big and too detailed for this market although an excellent book for science students and specialists. The illustrations are very good, the text clearly written and accurate and the bibliographies of value to general readers. G. W. A. D.