Mononucleosis in a patient with listeriosis.

This book is by American authors for American readers, and it should be made clear at once that those who find themselves irritated by unexpurgated American idiom and spelling will certainly have some difficulty with this work, but perseverance is rewarded by some good medicine and philosophy, and the personalities of the authors come through clearly in the end. As its title implies, this is an effort to stem the rather uncritical rush to mechanization and the laboratory which has characterized transatlantic medicine for some decades, and although this laudable effort may not achieve its aim, its message is at least loud and clear. In an era of increasing sophistication of method, a return to basic truths is always salutary. Among much that is acceptable and non-controversial, British eyebrows will occasionally be raised at some quite basic differences in approach between the two countries. One reads, for instance, the whole chapter on migraine without finding the slightest hint that this syndrome might be psychosomatic-allergy alone is discussed as a cause, and a non-allergic diet-whatever that may beis the only suggestion for treatment. Asthma, too, is approached in precisely the same way, no reference whatever being made to stress factors. It is perhaps because of, and not in spite of, such differences that this book makes good reading, and could in fact serve well as 'Bedside Medicine' for those dedicated few who like to be lulled to sleep by an account of a good syndrome rather than a whodunnit-but oh, those sesquepedalianisms! Consider the following: " Thus, for this group of patients the designation ' dyschondroplasia possibly latent pseudohypoparathyroidism', would seem preferable over the form pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism ". Yes indeed. An excellent book this, to borrow from the library and browse through at leisure, for there is much in it that is wise and well-observed, but it is perhaps a little too discursive to merit a permanent place on the busy doctor's shelves.