Textbook of Operative Surgery, by Eric L. Farquharson, ed 3; 951 pp, 1,000 illus, $23.50, Edinburgh and London: E. & S. Livingstone Ltd. (Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Co.), 1966.
The spate of surgical books appearing in recent years has literally deluged the professional public with a variety of "standard texts" upon which to draw. The two veterans discussed here have survived the rigors of a first and second edition and are currently being presented anew to the surgical reader.
The first, by Gius, although an example of a work predominantly written by one man, was accomplished with assists from coauthors on sections of highly specialized interest. Moreover, editorial criticism of the text in numerous additional areas was provided by colleagues, the final outcome demonstrating a well-balanced and polished digest. The book is extremely readable and concise and can be successfully completed by the medical student on a six- or eight-week