The previous edition of this book often disappointed me. I seldom found exactly what I needed when looking something up, but I did find useful information often enough to continue consulting it. This new fourth edition is only somewhat more satisfying.
According to the editors, about half this edition is new. It has a more international flavor, and what began as essentially a British effort is now almost half American. It also carries a new subtitle, "The Basis of Intensive Care," which does not mean that the editors have expanded their focus, but rather that the material presented "is not only the basis of anaesthesia but also the foundation of intensive care."
The first section deals with physics. For the most part, these chapters are well written and topics are clearly explained. Since most American anesthesia texts devote so little space to physics, this section is especially appealing. It would