Aimed at general practitioners and internists, Cardiac Diagnosis is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and can provide the non- specialist with adequate depth of understanding. Uneven balance in the early chapters is partly due to contributions by eight co-authors. Yet, these are individually excellent —notably Chou's synopsis of vector-cardiography, with appropriate caveats about its usefulness; the superb coverage, by Adolph, of cardiac catheterization and angiography; and the chapter on curable forms of hypertension by Gaffney, Hanenson, and Loggie.
The most distinctive feature of the book is Noble Fowler's presentation, with his customary simplicity, clarity, and force, of the many aspects of cardiology for which he can refer to his own experience to provide statistical data and practical advice. These include outstanding sections on valvular heart disease and cyanotic congenital heart disease, a good chapter on continuous murmurs, and one on innocent murmurs which epitomizes the author's common sense approach, and a