Hospital-Acquired Infections: Guidelines to Laboratory Methods

This slim fascicle is an excellent summary and atlas of its subject, as would be expected by those who knew the first edition by Castleman alone, now long out of print.In addition to the valuable practical exposition there are interesting sections on the history of hyperpara- thyroidism and the possible functional cycle of parathyroid cells-the latter somewhat speculative.One may disagree with the authors on the emphasis on mitotic activity as the single most valuable point in diagnosing carcinoma, consider their restriction on the use of the term clear cell unnecessary, the description of colloid somewhat scrappy, and the treat- ment of tertiary hyperparathyroidism perfunctory.However, it is a book that all concerned with the practical manage- ment of hyperparathyroidism-physicians and surgeons as well as pathologistswill find invaluable.