Preventive Medicine in World War II, Vol. IX. Special Fields

Preventive Medicine in World War II, Vol. IX; Special Fields, ed. by R. S. ANDERSON, E. C. HOFF, and P. M. HOFF, Washington, D. C. Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, 1971, pp. xxii, 650, illus., $8.00. The latest volume to be issued on the medical history of the United States army in World War II is that on 'Special Fields in Preventive Medicine'. The special fielas are those subjects which did not fit readily into other volumes and, as one might expect, cover a very wide range-e.g. training, health education, medical intelligence, enemy prisoners ofwar, etc.-but all are relevant to preventive medicine. Each special field is dealt with by its own experts, but all are written with honesty, clarity and authority, so that they are a pleasure to read. The volume is full of commonsense, and the mistakes as well as the successes are included so that the lessons learned remain with the reader; it is a book we can all profit from, even though the appeal of the various special fields will differ in accordance with our different interests and experiences. This volume is worthy of its predecessors in the series, for not only is its production of the same high standard, but the contents, despite the many different contributors, are ofa uniform excellence, for which the editorial staff deserve every credit. ALASTAIR MACLENNAN