Clinical procedures for medical assistants

presented in a clear format, with easy to read text and clearly labelled illustrations. There is emphasis throughout on patient care. The suggestion that planning, organisation and critical thinking skills should be developed for effective trauma radiography, will stimulate interest in many experienced radiographers. The first five chapters of the book provide information on relevant aspects of trauma care and include practical hints and guidelines. The sixth and main chapter of the book presents 131 adaptive techniques for radiographing trauma patients. These are described in an unorthodox way and must be learnt. Once learnt, however, the technique can be applied with any patient position. This book deals thoroughly and lucidly with the subject. It will be of practical value in preparing students and radiographers to meet the challenge of trauma and mobile radiography. It is a useful reference book and a welcome addition to school and clinical libraries. This book is a general respiratory teaching manual. It consists of lists of recommended American text books, few of which are in general use in the UK. It uses the knowledge from these to prepare sections on multiple choice and short questions related to basic sciences, diagnosis, investigation and therapy of respiratory conditions. It also supplies the answers. In therapeutic terms, it suffers from the different availability of drugs in the USA. Thus asthma is treated by "avoidance of allergens, cromyln sodium and steroids as needed for infection", and cardiogenic pulmonary oedema by "lasix, morphine and digitalis". Despite these criticisms, it is probably a valuable revision book for those interested in a full time career in respiratory medicine. CF STANFORD Clinical procedures for medical assistants. (Third edition). By Bonewit. (pp 606, figs, illus. £21.50). Philadelphia: W B Saunders, 1990. This book has little or no relevance to British medical practice as it is directed towards medical assistants who carry out a multitude of practical procedures in physician's offices throughout the United States. These "totipotent" practitioners usually have a nursing background, and are an essential link in ambulatory medicine, although the tasks they undertake may include physiotherapy, ophthalmology, pharmacy or radiology. We have no equivalent practice in the United Kingdom so that this book is unlikely to be of interest or use to paramedical personnel this side of the Atlantic. BJ ROWLANDS The Editor is grateful to the following who have provided unsigned referees reports on papers offered to the Ulster Medical Journal …