Human Physiology

Students and teachers often express a need for an introductory text of physiology, one which is more readable than longer, standard texts, yet which will at the same time guide the beginning student into more effective use of a comprehensive treatise. This need is well satisfied by publication of the third edition of Human Physiology. Written as it is by a group of distinguished teachers and scholars, and carefully edited by Winton and Bayliss, this book can be of great help to any student who owns it. Perhaps a word of advice may be offered as to how the book may be utilized. Many medical students apparently buy text-books expecting to use them both while pursuing their course work in medical school, and also later while practicing medicine. It is not at all certain that one book can serve both of these functions; most teachers would probably say that it cannot, although they can sympathize with the student's feeling that he has not received full value from a book unless it can ultimately take its place on a reference shelf. Human Physiology is not intended as a reference book for physicians. Many students may prefer to read the text through during their summer vacation before they enter medical school; others will find its use invaluable throughout their first course in physiology. The fact that the previous edition was published in 1935 has been a major limitation of this text's usefulness in recent years. Now that it has been thoroughly revised and rewritten, a new generation of students may discover the important place it can fill in their education. -JOHN R. BROBECK