Handbook of respiration: Complied by Philip L. Altman, John F. Gibson, and Charles C. Wang,...
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Book Review tIAxosooI< 01; RESPIKATION. Compiled by Philip L. Altman, John F. Gibson, and Charles C. \I’ang, Philadelphia and London, \V. B. Saunders Company. This handbook was prepared under the direction of the Committee on the Handbook of Biological Data, The National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council in the United States. It contains nearly 400 pages of information relevant to every aspect of respiratory physi- ology. Most of the data is in the form of tables. These enable relevant information to be sought and found quickly, and are of great service to those working in the field by giving them a quick source of reference on any Darticular toDic. The information has been carefullv compiled and ~ _ _ . appears to this reviewer to be reasonably comprehensive; the only deficiency is that in some of the tables insufficient information is given about methods used by the authors being quoted, and this makes it difficult for the reader to form a judgment of the significance of some of the variations reported. A particular instance of this is the table dealing with lung volumes, in which the posture of the experimental subjects is not mentioned. This makes comparison between the different sets of data difficult. However, this is a minor point of criticism in a most useful com- pilation of information. The reviewer could think of no aspect of respiratory physiology that does not receive at least a mention in this handbook, and a great deal of the collected data on respiration is extremely valuable to have. One section which has been excellently compiled and set out is that dealing with the effects of drugs on the respiratory system, and the reported results of the administration of many hundreds of compounds are tabulated here together with the sources of information, so that the reader is able quickly to find the information he is seeking. This handbook may be regarded as an essential addition to every reference library, and individual workers associated with the respiratory field will undoubtedly find it a most useful x-olume to have on their shelves. D. V. B. Announcements The American Heart Association and the United States Public Health Service has issued a joint statement recommending that persons with heart and blood vessel disease obtain vaccina- tions against influenza. The statement pointed out that the dangers of influenza are greater for patients with heart or lung disease than for others, and that the risk is particularly great among people with lung congestion due to heart disease. It was also emphasized that influenza vaccinations, which have been shown in epidemic areas to be effective in helping prevent the infection or in reducing its severity, do not produce local or general reactions that would be significantly hazardous to people with heart conditions. Vaccination is contraindicated only for those who have an allergy to eggs. In releasing the statement, Dr. Leroy E. Burney, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, and Dr. Francis L. Chamberlain, President of the American Heart Association, said, 477
Transcript of Handbook of respiration: Complied by Philip L. Altman, John F. Gibson, and Charles C. Wang,...
Book Review
tIAxosooI< 01; RESPIKATION. Compiled by Philip L. Altman, John F. Gibson, and Charles C. \I’ang, Philadelphia and London, \V. B. Saunders Company.
This handbook was prepared under the direction of the Committee on the Handbook of Biological Data, The National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council in the United States. It contains nearly 400 pages of information relevant to every aspect of respiratory physi- ology. Most of the data is in the form of tables. These enable relevant information to be sought and found quickly, and are of great service to those working in the field by giving them a quick source of reference on any Darticular toDic. The information has been carefullv compiled and ~ _ _ . appears to this reviewer to be reasonably comprehensive; the only deficiency is that in some of the tables insufficient information is given about methods used by the authors being quoted, and this makes it difficult for the reader to form a judgment of the significance of some of the variations reported. A particular instance of this is the table dealing with lung volumes, in which the posture of the experimental subjects is not mentioned. This makes comparison between the different sets of data difficult. However, this is a minor point of criticism in a most useful com- pilation of information.
The reviewer could think of no aspect of respiratory physiology that does not receive at least a mention in this handbook, and a great deal of the collected data on respiration is extremely valuable to have. One section which has been excellently compiled and set out is that dealing with the effects of drugs on the respiratory system, and the reported results of the administration of many hundreds of compounds are tabulated here together with the sources of information, so that the reader is able quickly to find the information he is seeking. This handbook may be regarded as an essential addition to every reference library, and individual workers associated with the respiratory field will undoubtedly find it a most useful x-olume to have on their shelves.
D. V. B.
Announcements
The American Heart Association and the United States Public Health Service has issued a joint statement recommending that persons with heart and blood vessel disease obtain vaccina- tions against influenza.
The statement pointed out that the dangers of influenza are greater for patients with heart or lung disease than for others, and that the risk is particularly great among people with lung congestion due to heart disease.
It was also emphasized that influenza vaccinations, which have been shown in epidemic areas to be effective in helping prevent the infection or in reducing its severity, do not produce local or general reactions that would be significantly hazardous to people with heart conditions. Vaccination is contraindicated only for those who have an allergy to eggs.
In releasing the statement, Dr. Leroy E. Burney, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, and Dr. Francis L. Chamberlain, President of the American Heart Association, said,
477
