A Sceptic's Medical Dictionary* By Michael O'Donnell. Pp 209. RHO. London: BMJ. 1997.ISBN 0-7279-1204-6. Jonathan Spencer JonesNeurological Investigations* Edited by RAC Hughes. Pp. 511. £51. London: BMJ. 1997.ISBN 0-7279-1080-9. S LouwGenetics. A Popular Guide to the Principles of Human Heredity Parts 1, 2 and 3 (Videos). Animated Biochemical Productions. R1 200 (including postage, import duty and VAT). Westmead, Australia: Animated Biomedical Productions (Westmead Neurological Centre). 1997. P Beighto

van Niekerk, J

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SAMJI s 9 d mnotable contribution - art and culture. Here he assumed aless prominent role than Ros, but he was always ready toencourage the arts in Durban.Together they encouraged a badly needed interest in filmsas serious art. The Durban Film Festival became the premiersuch event in the country. He leaves behind his wife andconstant companion Ros Sarkin, and three children, Jeremy,Georgia and Andrew. His family can draw comfort from thefact that Teddy is in the thoughts of many of us whounderstood and appreciated the man and his deeds.Isidor (Okkie) GordonManpower Shortage 1971 - 2000 and Forensic Medicine-A Guide to Principles.He received many awards and honorary degrees. He waselected honorary fellow in the Faculty of Forensic Pathologyof the College of Medicine of South Africa in 1984 and wasawarded the Silver Award of the Medical Association ofSouth Africa in 1974.Gordon certainly had a very illustrious career. He had thecourage of his convictions, was always friendly, andprepared to accept a differing viewpoint based on honesty,truth and justice. I shall always treasure his advice,friendship and I certainly miss the lengthy, enjoyable,rambling conversations. He leaves a son, David, twodaughters, Gillian and June and four grandchildren.Okkie GardanBooksA Sceptic's Medical Dictionary*By Michael O'Donnell. Pp 209. RHO. London: BMJ. 1997.ISBN 0-7279-1204-6.* Book titles marked may be ordered directly from MASAMultimedia, Boo Department, Private Bag Xi, PineJands, 7430,tel. (021) 531-3081, fax (021) 531-4126, e-mail masact@iafricacomBest sellers'Aaronical. A high priestly, pontifical rolethat some doctors think appropriate fortheir profession . .. .'Thus the tone is set in this first entryin A Sceptic's Medical Dictionary, whichcontains new definitions of commonmedical jargon and verbiage, along withpublished examples to support these.And nothing - and no-one - is sacredas author Michael O'Donnell, a formerfamily doctor and currently a journalistand BBC radio broadcaster, demolishesthe holy cows of medicine with wit and irony.For example: 'Generalists. Doctors who treat what theyassume you have. As opposed to specialists who assumeyou have what they treat . .. .'Inevitably the book has a strong British slant, with anumber of phrases pertaining to the National Health Serviceand happenings on the British health front but it is of no lessenjoyment for this.The top three best selling books from the MASAMultimedia Book Department in the last monthwere:Procedures in General Practice edited by JohnStuart Brown. R297. BMJ, 1997. ISBN 0-7279-1035-3.Illustrated Signs in Clinical Medicine by K C McHardyet al. R80. Churchill Uvingstone, 1997. ISBN 0-443-05545-9.Resuscitation of Babies at Birth (Handbook). R143. BMJ, 1997.ISBN 0-7279-1179-1.Professor Y K Seedat of Natalwrites:Okkie Gordon passed away on12 April 1997 having suffered from achronic debilitating neurologicalillness. He was 84 years old.He went to school at the SA CollegeSchool, Cape Town and matriculatedin 1929. He qualified in 1935 fromthe University of Cape Town,obtaining the degree of MB ChB.During his student days he playedrugby for the University of CapeTown. Before coming to Durban heworked from 1938 to 1945 as a pathologist for the StateHealth Department and as Senior Lecturer, University ofCape Town. From 1946 to 1953 he was Senior GovernmentPathologist, State Health Department and Officer-in-Charge,State Pathology Laboratory, Durban. In 1953 he wasappointed the Foundation Professor of Pathology, Universityof Natal. In 1962 his post was redesignated to Professor ofPathology and Forensic Medicine at the University of Natal.He was elected Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in 1962, aposition which he held until 1971. He retired in 1978.Okkie was a legend in the South African medical arena. Hiscontributions to medicine, the struggle of the underprivilegedmedical doctors, his strong stand against the injusticesduring apartheid years, his constant efforts to preserve themedical school of the University of Natal should be recordedfor posterity. In 1958 he was deeply involved with thestruggle against planned government legislation to separatethe Durban Medical School from the University of Natal. Hishard work paid off. In 1970 he played a very significant rolein the struggle for equal pay for doctors of all races. As apathologist he was involved in the Steve Biko investigationand acted as an assessor in that case.He sat as a nominee of the University of Natal in theSouth African Medical and Dental Council from 1955 to1974 and was an elected member of the Council from 1975to 1979. He also sat in numerous health commissions andstate and provincial committees. From 1968 to 1969 he wasa member of the Committee of Enquiry into MedicalEducation in South Africa.He was an excellent researcher and made majorcontributions to the literature and thereby the profession.South African medicolegal research came to influenceforensic teaching and practice far and wide. Okkie was theauthor of numerous books, including World HealthSAMJ Volume 88 No.6 June /998But - not wishing to be charged with 'hyperexegesis' - Imust leave you to check out whether a patient could be 'offhis trolley' in a 'Bottomley ward'.Highly recommended!Jonathan Spencer JonesNeurological Investigations*Edited by RAC Hughes. Pp. 511. £51. London: BMJ. 1997.ISBN 0-7279-1080-9.This is an outstanding production by 26prominent neurologists,neuroradiologists and other specialistsinvolved in specialised investigations ofthe nervous system. Most authors arefrom the UK. The book is the third in aseries produced by the Journal ofNeurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatryand meets up to the stated intention inthe introduction, that it 'provides thecomprehensive guide needed by allwho look after neurological diseases... to provide a sound diagnostic basis for practice andresearch'.Sixteen chapters address the merits of investigativetechniques including electro-encephalography, variousimaging techniques, nerve conduction studies,electromyography and interpretation of biochemicalinvestigations. Other chapters address investigationalapproaches to disorders of balance, peripheral neuropathy,muscle disease, neurogenic bladder and inherited metabolicdisorders.All chapters are very well referenced, most with over 100references and the book generally provides a balancedperspective.It should be said however that this is a book for thegeneralist and those actively involved in research in anyparticular area will, as one might expect in a book of thisnature, find it of insufficient depth.For the generalist the book is well illustrated, a pleasure toread with the evident reward of being brought up to date inareas of the literature otherwise not readily available.SLouwGenetics. A Popular Guide to thePrinciples of Human HeredityParts 1, 2 and 3 (Videos). Animated BiochemicalProductions. R1 200 (including postage, import duty andVAT). Westmead, Australia: Animated BiomedicalProductions (Westmead Neurological Centre). 1997.The three video tapes, totalling just over one hour, reviewcurrent concepts concerning medical genetics. The qualityof the graphics is excellent and the presentation is lucid.The first tape deals with cytogenetics, DNA structure: celldivision and embryology. In the second tape, the applicationof Mendel's laws is described with examples from thehuman genetic situation. Cytogenetic disorders are alsobrought into focus, but there is no mention of multifactorialinheritance or environmental influences. The third tape is amixed bag containing brief discussions of diverse topicsincluding gene therapy, cancer genetics and recombinantmolecular technology. Immunogenetics and the HumanGenome Project are also mentioned, as are ethical issues.The first two tapes would be suitable for school childrentaking biology at the matric level and would also be ideal forpre-clinical medical students (who often seem to forget mostof the biology that they learned during their matric year).These tapes would also be relevant in the teaching of nursesand paramedics. The third tape lacks focus and would besuitable for a general medical audience with time on theirhands!The cost of the three tapes is reasonable in terms of thecontent and graphics, but as they would probably only beused once in any annual teaching course, they would be anexpensive luxury in the South African context.PBeightonBooks receivedThe receipt of these books is acknowledged, and this listing mustbe regarded as sufficient return for the courtesy of the sender.Books that appear to be of particular interest will be reviewed asspace permits. The SAMJ does not publish unsolicited reviews.Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary.· Fifth Edition. Edited byElizabeth A Martin. R76.95. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.1998. ISBN 0-19-280075-2.Side Effects of Drugs Annual 20 - 1996.· Edited by J KAronson. Pp. xxi + 502. NLG3901US$240.75. Amsterdam: ElsevierScience. 1997. ISBN 0-444-82532-0.Managed Care, Outcomes, and Quality. A Practical Guide.• BySteven F Isenberg. Pp. xxii + 343. DM149. Stuttgart: GeorgThieme Verlag. 1998. ISBN 0-86577-687-3.Operative Cancer Surgery. Volume 2. Breast, Endocrine andSpinal Cord. Edited by lan Burn. Pp. vii + 79. Illustrated. £75.London: Farrand Press. 1996. ISBN 1-85083-029-0.Healing Photon. The Science and Art of Blood IrradiationTherapy. By Kenneth J Dillon. Pp. iv + 180. US$22. Washington:Seientia Press. 1998. ISBN 0-9642976-5-5.1,2-Dichloroethane.· Concise International ChemicalAssessment Document No. 1. IPCS. Pp iv + 28. SwFr13. Geneva:WHO. 1998. ISBN 92-4-153001-4.3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine.· Concise International ChemicalAssessement Document No. 2. IPCS. Pp iv + 21. SwFr13.Geneva: WHO. 1998. ISBN 92-4-153002-2.1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane.· Concise International ChernicalAssessment Document No. 3. IPCS. Pp iv + 28. SwFr13. Geneva:WHO. 1998. ISBN 92-4-153003-0.Methyl Methacrylate. • Concise International ChemicalAssessment Document No. 4. IPCS. Pp iv + 40. SwFr16. Geneva:WHO. 1998. ISBN 92-4-153004-9.Limonene.• Concise International Chemical AssessmentDocument No. 5. IPCS. Pp iv + 32. SwFr13. Geneva: WHO. 1998.ISBN 92-4-153005-7.0-Toluidine. • Concise International Chemical AssessmentDocument No. 7. IPCS. Pp iv + 8. SwFr13. Geneva: WHO. 1998.ISBN 92-4-153007-3.Volume No. 6 June 1998 SAMJ

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