As the editors state in their preface, this book is about growth and development as a background to pediatric practice and is intended for those who have chosen pediatrics as a career. Of some 60 contributors, most are European, but among them is a handful of well known names from the North American continent. The book is divided into four sections: "Nature and Nurture," with chapters on genetics, nutrition, and the effects of sexual differentiation and emotional disturbance on growth and development; "Climacterics," dealing with events and adaptations occurring at the time of birth and at puberty; "Growth and Development of Systems," by far the largest section containing chapters about virtually every organ system; and "Selected Topics," a potpourri containing chapters on epidemiology, oncology, development of circadian rhythms, and pharmacology of the fetus, infant, and child.
The editors admit to some variability in the quality of the chapters, and, indeed,