Obstetrical Anesthesia: Its Principles and Practice

The author has presented a survey of the principles underlying sound practice in obstetric anesthesia, including a description of the methods employed at the Boston Lying-in Hospital. This book is divided into 10 chapters that deal with historical background, reflex irritability, pain in labor, premedication, signs and stages of general anesthesia, respiratory and circulatory derangements, asphyxia neonatorum, selection of anesthetic agent and technique, and complications. An index is included. Bibliographic references appear at the end of each chapter and in some instances are extensive. Seventeen tables assist in clarification of the text. The author wisely discusses the psychological as well as the pharmacological management of patients, including the necessity for meticulous adherence to the basic principles of pharmacological therapeusis. The value of inhalation anesthesia is stressed. The brevity of the discussion of ethylene, as well as one reference quoted, suggest that the author may be unfamiliar with the safe method