3o4 BRITISH JOURNAL OF PLASTIC SURGERY

The general standard of papers is very high, in particular some concerned with the reconstruction of defects following excision. The editor has a useful paper on children's tumours which is very full and copiously illustrated. Emphasis is made of the fact that the quality of a patient 's remaining life may be greatly improved by palliative surgery, even of a major type.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy and their place in management are well discussed and, interest- ingly, mention is made of pre-treatment consultation between radiotherapist and surgeon. This form of collaboration has been carried out in several centres in this country for 2o years and longer, and is undoubtedly of benefit to the patient.

There are a few papers which are of a less high standard. Whilst they demonstrate, to be fair, reasonable results they totally neglect better methods developed, documented and widely used over the past IO years.

The general format of the book is excellent and is well up to previous publications of C. V. Mosby. The volume should be in every library and should be regarded as essential reading for those dealing

with head and neck cancer, but at its price I doubt whether it is an economic proposition for an individual to purchase.

W. H. R.

S t u d i e s o n I m p l a n t a t i o n o f A n o r g a n i c B o n e i n C y s t i c J a w L e s i o n s . By ERIK HJORTING- HANSEN. Pp. 198, w i t h 199 i l lus t ra t ions . ( C o p e n h a g e n : M u n k s g a a r d , 197o. ) D a n - K r . 75.oo.

This is the most comprehensive publication to date on the use of anorganic bone in dental-oral surgery. The author has made a systematic series of investigations into the use of bone implants both in animal and human studies. The first chapter deals with a general review of the subject matter including the historical background to transplantation of bone. The second and third chapters are concerned with the clinical, radiographic and histological findings, and the surgical procedures involved in the use of various types of anorganic bone as an implant material for filling defects created in association with the surgical treatment of periapical jaw lesions in man. Chapters 4 and 5 deal specifically with experimental work on rabbits and dogs designed to study the healing response of local tissues subjected to anorganic bone implants. A detailed summary at the conclusion of the text is helpful, concise and instructive. The bibliography extends to 15 pages and is most comprehensive. The standard of printing and the radiographic reproductions are excellent, but the soft back covers detract a little from the overall appearance of the publication.

The assessment of results in a study such as this is questionable because of the differential standards in interpretation of findings. This is nevertheless a valuable work of its kind and is of undoubted interest to the clinician. Much has still to be done, particularly in respect of the local reaction of tissues to auto- genous, homogenous and heterogenous grafts. The influence of such factors as antibiotic therapy ; surgical technique ; mode of application ; auto-immune response of tissues and the changing organismal flora in the oral cavity are but some of those which merit especial investigations. The information available in this book provides a sound basis upon which to develop this work.

W. D. M.

P r o c e e d i n g s o f a n I n t e r n a t i o n a l S y m p o s i u m o n P h a r m a c o l o g i c a l T r e a t m e n t i n B u r n s . E d i t e d b y A. BERTELLI a n d L. DONATI. Pp . x i + 3 7 3 . ( A m s t e r d a m : E x c e r p t a M e d i c a F o u n d a t i o n , 1969.) £ IO, 9s.

This volume presents the proceedings of an International Symposium held in Milan in November 1968. The articles are grouped into six sections comprising physiopathology, transfusion therapy, antireactional therapy, chemotherapy, immunology, and special problems. Several seem to show little relation to the title and, as is common with publications of this type collecting together the work of many authors, there is some repetition. It does however bring together, many of the concepts of present day, care of burned patients along with some laboratory experimental investigation of that care. There are many papers on the use of protease inhibitors, such as Trasylol, indicating their value in patient care on rather slender evidence. The perennial problem of control of infection and septicaemia is widely covered but the silver nitrate, sulfamylon, gentamycin argument continues as before.

The section on transfusion therapy is disappointing, most of the papers merely reviewing present methods and contributing little that is new.

There are a few thought-provoking articles, such as Sevitt 's on thromboembolism, and Feller's on the complications from pharmacological agents. Time after time, however, the statement made by Schoenenberger that " no reproducible, internationally valid tool exists for judging accurately the depth and extent of burn injuries " is all too obvious and it is doubtful if some of the claims made would stand up to any form of controlled clinical trial.

The book is useful for reference and gives information about methods and investigative procedures which might not otherwise reach international readers. I t is well edited and produced and the subject index prepared by Dr Horsten is a valuable addition.

A. B. S.

Printed in Great B r ~ i n at THE I)&RIEN PRESS LTD., Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh