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Book Review Indian Pediatrics 2002; 39:321 |
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Book Review |
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Several excellent textbooks are available on pediatric diseases and there is considerable information available on various aspects of diagnosis. However, there has been lack of pictorial and illustrative aids, which many of the conditions lend themselves to. Apart from actually seeing a clinical case, the second best method of learning about such diseases is to study pictures depicting their gross, radio-logical or microscopic features. There has been a definite need for a good atlas relevant to clinical problems of children in this region. The book ‘Pediatric Atlas’ goes a long way in fulfilling this need. It is obvious that the book is a product of material carefully collected over several decades, reflecting rich clinical experience of the author. Contribu-tions from other clinicians have been generously accepted for widening the scope and for the purpose of completion. The book is neatly divided into 15 sections including neonatology, developmental Pediatrics, nutritional disorders and systemic diseases. Pictures related to individual systems have been categorized, and incorporate most of the important diseases where the diagnosis is based upon appearance or where characteristic images are associated. The student’s knowledge will definitely be enhanced by visualising a comprehensive overview of common as well as relatively infrequently seen conditions, particularly in the chapters on conenital malformations and skeletal system. Inclusion of some rare diseases posing as a spot diagnosis makes an interesting reading. Pictures of X-rays, scans and hemato-logical slides cover a significant portion of the illustrations. In the sections on blood films and dermatology, colour plates have been used where appropriate. The chapters on tuber-culosis and nutritional disorders will be particularly useful to students as these are not adequately covered in Western textbooks. Surprisingly, in spite of good paper, the quality of printing of some photographs is not quite up to the mark and the clarity of many pictures is compromised. In odd cases the diagnostic feature is not clear (Fig. 3B and 14 H in respiratory system are identical with different diagnosis). Some conditions have unnecessary repetition of pictures from different cases which could be deleted in the next edition. It would also be prudent to include brief descriptions of illustrations more liberally, highlighting the points to be noted and the main associated features of the disease. ‘Pediatric Atlas’ is a welcome and useful additon to the still inadequate list of pediatric books by Indian authors and is recommended for going through by undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as practitioners of Pediatrics.
Dr. Daljit Singh, |
