Cardiac Catheterization and Angiography By David Verel and Ronald G. Grainger (review)

Cardiac Catheterization and Angiography. By David Verel and Ronald G. Grainger. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1978. Pp. 239. $29.50. Drs. Verel and Grainger have now written the third edition of a book on cardiac catheterization and angiography which was first published in 1969, and once more the foreword has been written by Sir John McMichael, who in reviewing the history of cardiac catheterization deals largely with the work of Dr. Werner Forssmann (1929) but surprisingly ignores the earlier work of Bleichroeder (1904). The aim of the book is described by the authors as a "primer," that is, an introductory manual, and, indeed, the book as a whole will satisfy only those who wish a short introductory text to a diagnostic field which is becoming more and more complex. It is therefore unlikely to appeal to the individual requiring a detailed text on the subject for the purpose of his training, nor can it in truth be used as a standard text of reference. With these shortcomings in mind and considering the modest aims of the book, it can certainly be recommended for those who require an introductory text. The information is clearly presented, the methods and techniques described with great clarity and admirable brevity. Unfortunately, newer concepts and techniques are not described in sufficient detail or are omitted altogether. The important subject of data collection and handling using automated techniques and computer systems, for example, is barely mentioned. Thé whole subject of the investigation of coronary arterial disease is poorly done—a great shame, since most adult cardiac catheterization laboratories these days concentrate to a large extent on the investigation of patients with presumed obstructive coronary arterial disease. For reasons which are not entirely clear, a chapter on echocardiography has been included. Once more, the level of information presented is not of the highest order and newer methods again are omitted, for example, the use of two-dimensional echocardiography . Perhaps the most useful part of the book is the atlas with which it concludes, illustrating many of the common congenital and acquired cardiac lesions as demonstrated by angiocardiography. In the main, the choice of illustrations is excellent, the clarity is good, and the labeling clear. In summary, therefore, this book will appeal to those seeking an introductory text to cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography but who do not require great detail. Leon Resnekov Department ofMedicine University ofChicago Molecular Genetics: An Introductory Narrative. 2d ed. By Günther S. Stent and Richard Calendar. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman & Co., 1978. Pp. xiii+750. $22.50. From the beginning in 1900-1902 when Mendel's laws of heredity were rediscovered , genetics developed with almost breakneck speed. In the first 3 decades, many botanists and zoologists involved in genetic problems eventually preferred to be known as geneticists. Then, four events during 1943-1953 iniPerspectives in Biology and Medicine ¦ Summer 1979 | 627 ...