The Lungs in Systemic Diseases, by Eli H. Rubin and Stanley S. Siegelman, 312 pp, 149 illus, $20.75, Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 1969.
To sustain the patient whose respiration is failing, the physician often has to choose hurriedly from an array of oxygen masks, tents, and complex machines. The incisive book by Sykes, McNichol, and Campbell provides him with an interesting and highly readable guide. Its diagrams, drawings, charts, and photographs make reference easy. Though the equipment described is British, the American counterparts are readily identified.
In clear, precise descriptions of physiologic changes, the authors emphasize information obtained from tests that are performed quickly, without unduly disturbing the patient. After commenting on the fallibility of clinical judgment, they stress the use of blood-gas analyses to assess the patient's respiratory insufficiency and guide his treatment. They regard measurement of the patient's arterial carbon dioxide tension as fundamental, and also