Material prepared from taped lectures by more than 30 clinicians for a University of California postgraduate course forms the basis of this compact handbook of endocrinology. Updated ten years after the original publication, the second edition outlines methods of testing various functions of each organ, including appropriate indications and interpretations. Since the contributors in many cases summarize their own research work, the chapters cover the biochemical principles both accurately and authoritatively.
The practical applications for diagnostic investigation provide essential expertise for a well-rounded internist, and apply to every specialty field in which he consults, but are often too complex for the general practitioner. One must understand the feedback systems operating in normal pituitary and adrenal function before he may assess the pathological changes in disease. Unfortunately, the most common cause of adrenal insufficiency, exogenous corticoid administration for therapeutic purposes, is hardly mentioned. The academic professors would render both patients and