Diseases of the Skin

Abstract

as junior author. One has only to review the first chapter to realize the enormous strides made in research on the finer details of structure and function of the skin within the brief period of one decade. Here and there the authors have included to advantage short, pithy discussions on basic matters relating to pruritus, allergy, and immunology, heredity, auto-immunity, and autosensitivity. The body of the book consists of 38 sections, as before, each one followed by up-to-date references to the literature. Material has been rearranged for purposes of emphasis, and new entities and rare syndromes have been added. The index is exhaustive. A new format and a slightly larger page, with two columns to the page, improve readability and effect an over-all saving of 128 pages. The illustrations are superb and, even though they are reduced from 777 to 605, about 40% of them are new. More than 100 are photomicrographs on histopathology. The fact that all are in black and white in a modern text on dermatology is regrettable, but this is purely a matter of economics ; at present there is no happy way of utilizing the best in color illustration for educational purposes alone, without some degree of compromise. A text cannot be all things to all men. Since this one is directed chiefly to the attention of students and practitioners, it is good to see the emphasis that is placed on spelling out the details of the clinical features and treatment of the commoner dermatoses, such as acne, der¬ matitis and eczema, drug eruptions, psoriasis, warts, superficial pyogenic and fungous in¬ fections, and dermal and epidermal tumors and neoplasms. Histopathologic coverage is not detailed, but it is adequate. The more sophisticated reader can look elsewhere for such details. A number of sections will appeal to an audience beyond the confines of this country. These include sections on leprosy, spirochetoses, deep fungi, deficiency states, exotic affections, and the especially brilliant discussion of diseases caused by animal parasites. In line with the current trend in dermatology toward lessened emphasis on the use of ionizing radiation in treatment, especially in the management of benign dermatoses, the authors have moved the chapter by Braestrup on fundamental physics and the one on practical details, dosage schedules, and so on, to the back of the book. It is stated that "radiotherapy for benign dermatoses should be reserved for people over 40 for whom other treatment measures have failed.