JOIN CDA NEWS INDEX POLITICS DISPENSING EDUCATION FEATURES BOOKS SMALL ADS GP FEES LIGHT BITES
|
|
What
shall we do with mother? This is a book for carers and those who know very well that as time passes they will surely become carers, assuming their elderly parents' life is spared long enough. If it is spared then you may become one of the 2 million carers in the UK who are over 65 when you take on this vital role and this book helps prepare the family for the days ahead. Rosie Staal starts the meat of the book with the death of the husband and the inevitable feeling of despair. As the daughter says, "What shall we do with you, mother?" Bereavement and how to deal with it is discussed with the help of several anonymous anecdotes. Then comes the inevitable dilemma of "Your place or mine?" and the suggestion that the decision must not be rushed because home has all the memories - good as well as sad. Inevitably, time passes and frailty arrives, possibly with dementia. More anecdotes and discussion advises the fit or not-so-fit offspring how to manage. The next stage is mum's dependence on her family followed by the "Closing scenes" as her life draws to a close. Rosie Staal's book is not a sad book, there's humour amongst the anecdotes, but it does its purpose, it gets you thinking about a subject few care to think about until it is thrust upon them. Oh, and by-the-by, you Ofcaps (Offspring Caring for Aged Parents" save the NHS £57 billion every year in lost income, pension rights and prospects of employment, so "Who cares for the carers?" she asks. What shall we do with mother? by Rosie Staal, 180pp ppbk. White Ladder Press 2006, price £9.99, ISBN 978-1-905410-03-3 ------------------------------------- Doctors'
Latin - a miscellany of Latin and Greek Phrases As he says, Keith Souter is a part-time GP, oddly enough from this writer's home town. The rest of his time over the past few years must have taken up by collecting everything medical with vaguely Latin orgins. This fascinating, small book lists everything, ranging from Ovid, who apparently said "Mensque pati durum sustinet aegra nihil" to the prolific Anon who intoned, some centuries ago "Per scientiam ad salutem aegroti". No, I'm not going to translate, you will have to buy the book. They are both very pertinent even now but I bet neither was ever written on a prescription form for "trained pharmacists" to read. Together with the well-known or not so well-known sayings, Keith Souter has include many common anatomical terms. Did you know, for instance, that "jejunum" came from the Latin "jejunus" for "empty" or that "foetus" was deived from the Roman word "fetus" meaning "spawn". Whether you wanted to know is another matter. It is a fascinating and light-hearted book, to be delved into rather than read. There are even some professional mottos included but my favourite quotation is not a motto but should be - for all pathologists. It was uttered by no less a mortal than Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (AD 30-99), a friend of Pliny we are told. "Medicina mortuorum sera est". Buy the book! Doctors' Latin - a miscellany of Latin and Greek phrases - by Keith Souter. 196 pp hardback, Robert Hale, 2006, price £10.99 ISBN-10 0-7090-7950-8 ------------------
Posture
Poise and positive Health As
the Foreword says, the message of the book is to help readers understand
that the way they move and use their bodies affects their well-being,
thoughts and emotions and it succeeds admirably in that aim. Not in our back yard - How to run a protest campaign. Antony Jay. White Ladder Press.
Not in our back yard - How to run a protest campaign. Antony Jay. 100 pp ppbk. White Ladder Press. £7.99 ISBN 0-9548219-4-7
THE ART
OF HIDING VEGETABLES - SNEAKY WAYS TO FEED YOUR CHILDREN HEALTHY
FOOD. Karen Bali and Sally Child This
title must attract the great majority of parents. After well, who
hasn’t had or got a refractory child absolutely and miserably
determined not to eat all the nutritious food put in front of him?
But it goes higher than that.
A fairly recent President of the THE
CALL-UP - A
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SERVICE. Tom
Hickman This is THE book for anyone who was involved in or connected with National Service or who has any interest in British Military History. I am sure that, soon, it will be declared to be the definitive book on National Service for the period 1945-1963. Many other books have been written, on the topic, but most of them have been personal or anecdotal accounts of an individual`s service. It is now over 40 years since the end of conscription and that is the length of time that it usually takes for people to be able to talk about their “less good” experiences. Families have, by then, given up asking about parental exploits whereas grandchildren are keen to know but are blocked from enquiring… just at the time when the person concerned is ready to expand on his role as a conscript. Hickman`s research has been massive and he gives a truly valuable account of the political and administrative background to conscription and throughout the book, he illustrates his theme with brief extracts taken directly from the 90 personal submissions he received and indirectly from 48 separately published accounts. In 1954, which was about half way through the era, there were 224,000 conscripts in the Army who formed 50.8% of its total force though in 1952 they had formed 61%. The RAF had 69,000 forming 27.1% of theirs whereas the Royal Navy, which had never required large numbers and only took those who were already in the R.N.V.R., had only 7,800 which was only 5.8% of its total force. There are accounts from those who spent their 18 months or two years as store-men, kitchen hands and a series of other basic jobs and who felt the whole time to have been a useless interruption of their lives. The boredom they experienced led some along the trail of excess alcohol intake, fights, time in cells and sexually transmitted diseases. These are balanced by the reports on some who saw lots of action, achieved promotion and were decorated. The prime example of this is the (now) Sir William Purves who started as a Private in the Black Watch where he was subjected to bullying but kept going, was commissioned into his home regiment (Kings Own Scottish Borderers) and as a nineteen year old Second Lieutenant was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for bravery under fire in Korea and was the only National Service man to be awarded the DSO. During the period, National Servicemen were involved in 57 recognised actions round the world and 395 of them died as a direct result of these conflicts and several thousand perished from accidents or disease. Although thousands received campaign medals constant efforts to establish a formal National Service Medal have been blocked by successive Governments. The National Service Veterans Association continues the struggle to achieve this but, in the meantime and through Award Productions Ltd., they have approved a Commemorative Medal which can be worn, on the left chest under one`s campaign medal or on the right side, if there are no others. Half the proceeds, from the sale of this medal, go the British Legion Poppy Fund. Medical aspects are well covered from health standards at recruitment through to care in action. There are several extracts from “The Conscript Doctors” ed Dr. John Blair (2001) The book concludes with excellent footnotes clearly related to their relevant passages and an excellent bibliography which gives references to 62 books, lectures, articles or broadcasts. On a personal note, reading this book makes me so glad that I had previously joined the R.N.V.R., so, when my call up time arrived, I was accepted for the Royal Navy as an Able Seaman, Commissioned in six months and that led to eighteen months in the Mediterranean serving in small ships that gave activity, travel and experiences that I would not otherwise have encountered. Dr. John A.J.Macleod, ------------------ |
MEDICAL
CHEQUERS. “A
Doctor`s Life” by Robin Hull. Published by
Wordwise at £9.95....ISBN 978-0956062000 This
is a book for all but particularly for students in the health
professions so perhaps the defence Unions or a pharmaceutical company
would distribute it. It gives the lay person an inside view of how a
doctor acquires his knowledge and attitudes. The Second World War
bombing of the south of Dr.
John A.J.Macleod. ----------------------------------- SILVER
Another delightful book
from Dr. Robin Hull who, this time, uses his long experience of General
Practice under the NHS to add to a cunning mystery that has involved the
small Scottish Island of Laigersay. His own working experience, in
addition to a long period in English General Practice, had involved
locum work in several Floating through the
book is the mystery associated with a small uninhabited adjacent Dr. John A. J. Macleod,
Lochmaddy. Steve Savage Publishers. ISBN 978-1-904246-27-5 £8.50.
The insider's guide
to pregnancy - real mum's tell it how it is It has to be said that the "mum's tell it" bits are just that, bits, small phrases - but none-the-less pithy and helpful for that. he vast majority of the pages are full of information and useful advice. The guide is a very clearly set out book, crisp section headings with around 100 concise sub-sections covering the whole fascinating subject in some detail. Flicking through it the reader will be positively tempted by the page headings to stop and browse. It is a time-trap but certainly not a time waster. The advice given is often anonymous but frequently by a midwife. Somehow the editor has resisted the temptation to involve a consultant gynaecologist or even a GP. Ah, well, the reader is advised to check with their GP for the factual accuracy of the content. I doubt that there will be much need for that. If the newly pregnant woman reads this book she will be well informed, indeed - and, perhaps, less fearful and anxious about the journey upon which she has embarked. A book to be recommended by any midwife - or even, dare I say it - GP. The insider's guide to pregnancy, editor Stephen Giles, 232 pp ppbk, White Ladder Press, March 2007, price £9.99 ISBN 978 1 905410 11 8. --------------------- Living with the
Black Dog The black dog in question is no family pet, of course. Depression is its other name and this book sets out to tell the reader how to cope with a depressed partner. It is a book to be read through or to pick up and put down. It is certainly not a book which may be used as a quick reference. Its most glaring fault is that the Contents page lists the chapter numbers but fails to give a clue as to what the chapters deal with. In fact it is a complete waste of space. Even when you turn to the indicated page numbers for chapters, the chapters themselves don't even indicate to the turmoiled mind what they contain. I suppose that is one way of tempting one to read on - or just put the book down in frustration. On reading the chapters one discovers a pattern of anecdotes about the author's husband's descent into depression, interspersed with much sound advice on how she lived with and treated him. Nowhere could I find anything to show the author's qualification, other than vivid first hand experience, to write on this tortuous and sad subject. She did give a personal web site which I have to say, preferring the information to be in print - after all, that is why one buys books - I didn't follow up. However, the publisher's press material reveals that she is a hypnotherapist and life coach. It is not a long book, just 125 effective pages ending appropriately with a page on the Black Dog's Dinner. Living with the Black Dog by Carole Carr, 134pp ppbk. White Ladder Press 2007, price 7.99 ISBN 978 1 905410 10 1
The
Menopause Bible Consulting editor Dr Robin N Phillips We
seem to have a ‘bible’ for every area of our lives, so why not for
the menopause? Dr Robin Phillips has come to the rescue with Your
Menopause Bible, compiled by experts in many related fields and
published by Carroll & Brown. And ‘bible’ it is – full of
information and good advice for any women either approaching or
experiencing the menopause. Dr
Phillips sensibly realizes that all women are not the same and each one
will want to approach the menopause in a different way. In this book he
provides the necessary tools for women to determine and design their own
individualized programme tailored to their own specific needs. The book
starts with a six-part menopause questionnaire which covers symptoms,
sex, emotions, physical 1, exercise and physical 11 for the reader to
fill in. When you have determined your areas of concern the
questionnaire directs you to the relevant chapters. The
chapters cover, what happens during the menopause; self help for
symptoms; health and nutrition; sex and sexuality; exercise; supportive
lifestyle; safeguarding your
health; hormone therapy and interestingly for a medical book, natural
alternatives to hormone therapies. The
layout of the book is clear and easy to follow. Each subject starts with
a large heading at the top of the page. It is impossible not to know in
which section of the book you are. Each section is made up of symptoms,
causes and remedies. There are some excellent pictures and diagrams
which are easy to read and understand – helpful if your brain isn’t
quite it’s usual sharp self. As if this wasn’t enough there are also
stand-alone features within each section including the ‘wise woman’
and ‘ways to …’ (for
instance, avoid vaginal infections). The
whole approach of the book is tremendously upbeat and any women
alighting on this book for the first time will sigh with relief when she
finds that the answers to her own particular areas of concern have been
presented in such an accessible format. The Menopause Bible - Contributing Editor Dr Robin Philips 256pp ppbk, Carroll & Brown, 2005, price £19.99, ISBN 1-904760-12-0 ©
Kate Lodge 2005 ---------------Medical Firsts - from Hippocrates to the Human Genome - Robert E AdlerThis is a "must read" book for any with an interest in medical history. Amongst its many virtues is that it is very readable, being well-written with chapters long enough to both inform and to create an interest to look further. To make that easier Robert Adler has included an extensive Chapter reference section. The chapters are arranged neatly in terms of both history and eminent medical personality. Hippocrates starts the story followed by the ancient researches of Herophilus who discovered the prostate, the spermatic duct, the fallopian tubes and the ovaries as far back as 300BC, He then went on to teach obstetrics. He and his colleague Erasistratus made enormous advances in anatomy only to have them condemned for a thousand or more years by religious bigotry. The author then passes on to the stories of the Roman general Marcus Varro who fought under Pompey and was a prolific writer. he concluded that many diseases were caused by animaliculae and the environment. Once again this was a theory which fell on stony ground to be revived many centuries later by John Snow, amongst others, who was responsible for preventing a cholera outbreak in London. The entire book is fascinating and informative. It should be in school libraries for potential medical students to gen up on the history of medicine before those terrifying interviews. Reading this book will give any student the ascendancy over the interviewers. Medical Firsts from Hippocrates to the Human Genome; Robert E Adler 232pp hardback, Wiley 2004, price £15.95, ISBN 0-471-404175-7 -------------------------- PRACTICE
– BASED TEACHING.
This is the book that I wished I had been able to have beside me during my 27 years of tutoring young doctors, medical students and school pupils in this remote island practice. Richard Hays is Dean of the innovative James Cook Medical School in Townsville Australia and was the world`s first general Practitioner to be a Dean. This medical School was the first established as a multi disciplinary School in a rural setting and the emphasis is on practice-based teaching for all subjects. He has worked in many countries in a wide number of different situations and all this comes to fruit in this fine and precise book. He takes one through the adapting of a mature practitioner`s skills to the role of teacher and mentor. He covers the physical arrangements for the consultation in varied settings and illustrates the tutoring with specific case examples. The process of encouraging and supervising projects is well covered and he concludes with a section on the assessment of your teaching and strong suggestions for an on going personal learning programme. PRACTICE
– BASED TEACHING.
--------------------
Another in the Haynes Manual Series by Ian Banks. A slight deviation, if I may use the word, from motor cars but as Chapter 2 on Kama Sutra there is a good connection. This is a hands on, down to earth, let's get on with it book with no holds barred. Just what you would expect from Ian Banks. No part of sex is omitted, all are brought into the light, examined and light-heartedly but well discussed. Everything from bodily functions to having an orgasm on the bonnet of the car is here. By the by, Citroen owners are said to have the advantage of bonnet height here. Just the information expected from a Haynes Manual. How things work - or why they sometimes don't - is explained not forgetting the very serious and topical subject of STIs. The whole is well written to "out" all the taboos which have unaccountably grown into one of life's greatest pleasures which, let's face it, we all take part in. And, no, masturbation does not cause blindness. The book is illustrated throughout with expressive cartoons by Jim Campbell who draws an excellent likeness of Ian under the dedication. As for Hilary, well, when can we meet? Go on, you know you want it. Get it. The Sex Manual, Ian Banks, no page numbers but there are a lot, hard-back, Haynes Manuals, price £12.99, ISBN 1 84425 086 5
This excellent baby manual is a must for all potential parents, the author hopes that readers will get into the book before baby is born. Better to be prepared than caught on the hop. In her introduction she tells from her own experience of the daunting nature of suddenly being responsible for a "tiny, fragile and infinitely precious thing". The scary bit of actually giving birth is well covered and much anxiety should be relieved by the knowledgeable and reassuring words. Mind you, as a man and a father four times over, it would take more than a few words to reassure me. I was quite happy with my part in the proceedings both before and during the birth . The style of the book is very down-to-earth and friendly, without being in the slightest bit patronising. I particularly like the bit addressed to fathers present during the birth: "Your partner will be feeling great emotions and a great deal of pain. If her way of dealing with this involves hurling abuse at her nearest and dearest, feel flattered that this means you". What changes? The illustrations are appropriate and in a slightly naive style but virtually, I regret to say, anonymous being by The Image Works". Surely the artist deserves a name? Babies for beginners is a comprehensive book which no parent or even grandparent should be without. It is a good read and there is much commonsense within. The breast v. bottle controversy is tackled although no advice one way or the other is given. As a medic this reviewer comes down firmly in favour of the breast. The whole business of baby care from winding, changing the nappy down to getting baby to sleep is covered. Playing, weaning, teething - it's all there - tick points, discussion, myths. I could go on but better you buy it and read it. It's certainly not a dry instruction manual - it's different. Babies for beginners, Roni Jay 150pp paper back, White Ladder Press 2004, price £6.99 ISBN 0 9543914 3 8 ----------------------- Repeat Prescription - Further tales of a rural GP, Dr Michael Sparrow This man knows what he's talking about, was my first reaction when slightly into this book. My second was that he might also be writing my biography in his introduction with his approach to arriving in the surgery early in the morning: "Try smiling at the receptionists...they'll be so taken aback by this approach...". Then, about videoing consultations "Make sure you've dressed appropriately...would you really want to be caught on film in that?". If Dr Sparrow (and it is his real Name) is to be believed he was born just down the road from here on a grass verge. I'm tracking it down right now! The story is not fiction (is it?) but it is was well written as any fiction book and I found it difficult to put down to do some real doctoring. Dr Sparrow has coped with many major incidents in his time - and caused more than a few by not giving the authorities the respect to which they think they must be due. Quite right he was, too. No review can do this book justice. It's the second of his books and I'm searching out the first. All I can say, as a country doctor of 35 years standing is read it and enjoy it. It's good. Repeat Prescription, Further tales of a rural GP, Dr Michael Sparrow, 296pp paperback, Constable & Robinson, £7.99 ISBN 1 84119 822 6 |
The
Sex Manual, Dr Ian Banks
Babies
for Beginners - Roni Jay