BOOK REVIEWS 497

and stimulate further thought. Even those that I questioned caused me to look up the original papers for clarification.

Any veterinary surgeon with an interest in sheep will enjoy this book and with only a little lateral thinking, will have a deeper understanding of many practical subjects such as why anthelmintics in feed blocks show such variable efficacy, why sheep eat (or don ' t eat) poisonous plants, why mis- mothering occurs and whether ram libido tests are worthwhile, for example. A final extensive chapter provides a scientific behavioural background to sheep welfare which introduced a number of new con- cepts into my thinking, at least. I am sure that my knowledge and understanding of sheep has been extended by this book and have already started looking at them on farms and in fields in a different way!

M.J. C ~ O N

Embryonic Development and Manipulation in Animal Production: Trends in Research and Applications

Edited by A. Lauria & F. Gandolfi London: Portland Press. 1992. 296 pp. £60.00 (hard)

This book comprises the proceedings of the first Congress of the Italian Society of Embryo Transfer and the International Sym- posium on Embryo Technology in Domestic Species which was held in Milan in June 1992. Topics covered include applied embryo transfer, embryo manipulation and transgenics, in vitro fertilization and culture of embryos, maternal control of early embryonic development and gamete matu- ration with a major emphasis on farm animals.

Most of the chapters give an in-depth review of one specialized area and are writ- ten by an internationally-recognized expert. With one or two exceptions, each chapter contains completely up-to-date information with many of the references coming from the 1990s. In general each contribution is well written and some of the chapters such as the one by Brackett on in vitro fertiliz- ation in farm animals make compelling reading! These are areas of research which have grown exponentially over the last dec- ade and are expected to make rapid pro- gress in the near future.

Many of the authors highlight potential pitfalls and limitations in present and future research. For example, Dr Wilmutt con- cludes that the rate of progress in embryo multiplication can be expected to slow down after the next five years as the biologi- cal limits of what can be achieved are reached.

Comprehensive topical reviews such as those contained in this book are compulsory reading for those who wish to keep abreast of modern basic and applied technology in animal reproduction. Although probably containing too much detail for the under- graduate or practicing veterinarian, I would recommend this book for anyone who has a specialist interest in embryo technology.

E. WATSON

Biology, Ethics and Animals Rosemary Rodd Oxford, Clarendon Paperbacks. 1992. 272 pp. £10.95 (paper)

The challenge for society to come to grips with the problems of animal welfare has stimulated a wide variety of responses, rang- ing from wanting to change the size of hen cages, to wanting to change the world. This book covers virtually that whole spectrum. Veterinarians who read it may feel it should have been entitled Ethics, Biology and Ani- mals to reflect the emphasis on ethical ques- tions about animals, but for those interested in that aspect of animal welfare, the book is well worth its modest cost of £10.95.

As both a biologist and a philosopher, Rosemary Rodd sets out to bridge the gap between those philosophers, who have chal- lenged us to do some soul searching about animals and animal biologists who are expected to respond appropriately. The gap exists partly because biologists are unsetded by the intrusion of philosophical ideas into their world, but also because some philo- sophical proposals do not make biological sense. This book endeavours to clear up some of the latter problems, and the science of animal welfare will be the better for it.

The book develops a detailed case for ani-. mal rights, as well as providing some practi- cal ethical guidance about animal exper- iments, agriculture, and other aspects of animal management. However, the reason- ing which is used to conclude that animals

498 BRITISH VETERINARY JOURNAL, 149, 5

have rights seemed as unconvincing here (at least for this biologist reviewer) as when presented elsewhere. The author also misses some important points, for example in fail- ing to note that if one extends rights to all animals, a not unreasonable proposition given her earlier arguments, her guidelines for agriculture, vegetarianism and pest con- trol become biologically untenable. She also unwisely perpetuates the view that 'pain is evil', when veterinarians (and most biologists) know that a loss of pain percep- tion would be biologically and therapeuti- cally disastrous.

The writing style is relatively easy to read, even if the arguments presented require considerable concentration. The vocabulary may at times reqtfire a dictionary, and a glossary of terms for non-philosophers as well as the one provided for non-biologists would have been useful. Although this reviewer cannot report that the book clears up more than a few of the many disputes about what is an appropriate basis for ani- mal welfare, it does make a significant con- tribution to tmderstanding the ground shared by the biological verities and the philosophical concepts which confront people who venture into the field of animal ethics.

K..IOI,NSOX

Urolog@ ,Surgery of the Dog and Cat Elizabeth A. Stone & Jeanne A. Barsanti Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger. 1992. 260 pp. £49.00 (hard)

The authors of this book are well- respected veterinary urologists. Elizabeth Stone is a surgeon and Jeanne Barsanti an internal medic and both have published extensively on aspects of veterinary urology. Although they are the main authors of the book, they have enlisted contributions from four other veterinary surgeons (M. B. Mahaffey, D. L. Barber, S. C. Haskins and S. D. Gilson).

The book is divided into two sections, on general principles and specific urological techniques. The first section deals with the differential diagnosis of urological pre- senting signs, with an extensive review of radiographic and ultrasonographic examin- ations, anaesthesia and general surgical principles, including surgical approaches. In the second section, specific urological

techniques are described for the treatments of canine and feline urethral obstruction, urolithiasis, urinary tract trauma, congenital and prostatic disorders and urinary tract neoplasia. Each disorder is approached in the same way, beginning with diagnosis and medical management followed by surgical therapy and then post-operative care and complications.

This book is illustrated with 189 figures, most of which are comprised of a number of components. The lavish illustrations are either black and white photographs or line drawings and the latter are a credit to the medical illustrator, Barbara Davison Degraves.

The book is well-written with excellent descriptions of pathophysiology and surgical techniques. Most techniques are illustrated by line drawings, re-enforced occasionally by black and white photographs. Line drawings have the disadvantage of failing to show the actual situation encountered during surgery and often depicting surgery on normal- looking tissues and organs. However, the authors of this book and the illustrators have endeavoured to overcome this prob- lem by the excellent quality of the illus- trations and the details given in the accompanying text.

When reading many veterinary surgical texts, one frequently forms the impression that the authors have read a lot but not actually done much and are unaware of the problems associated with particular tech- niques. This is certainly not true of Stone and Barsanti who are to be commended for adhering to the principle expressed in their preface of describing selected techniques that have worked for them. Invariably, other veterinary urologists may have differing views on treatments but the advice offered in this book is sound.

The book is well edited and there are few errors or inconsistencies. Indeed, the reviewer could find only two; there is inconsistency between the text and dia- grams relating to the extent of the incision in perineal urethrostomy in cats and phenyl- propanolamine is described as an alpha- adrenergic blocker. The printing quality is good with the exception that the ends of some words are missing in a paragraph on page 194. The binding is firm and should stand up to the rigonrs of a book which is referred to frequently.