BOOK REVIEWS
the question: 'If your community does not radically reduce its
fertility, it is going to starve-cor face the other tragedies of
entrapment?' We think they should be. President Chiluba of
Zambia was recently asked how many children he had. He replied,
somewhat overstating his continent's fertility: 'I have nine, I am
just like any other African' . 19 No African leaders appear to realize
what is in store-not for them, but for their communities, if
African mothers continue to have six children or more. Why don't
they realize this? Because nobody dare tell them. We reckon that
much public discussion of entrapment could hugely reduce fertil-
ity. This would at least mitigate the three entrapment tragedies. To
lack the integrity to recognize entrapment is to share in the
responsibility for such slaughter.
Meanwhile, slaughter has already started in Kenya, so far only
up to 20 people at a time, the Kikuyu versus the Masai at Kajiado,
and the Kalenjin at Molo, with the Kikuyu at risk being trans-
ported to camps (name of eyewitness supplied to the editor). Time
is indeed running out fast.
The world faces a dilemma-either it thinks seriously about
I-child families, or it accepts the tragedies of entrapment. If it is
argued that I-child families would appeal to those of an authori-
tarian bent, we argue that the other horn of the dilemma, which is
to deliberately let the status quo persist, or to let the dilemma
decide itself by default, would appeal to those of a sadistic bent,
since it would allow the tragedies of entrapment to multiply. If it
is argued that I-child families are impractical, we argue that there
is no practical ideal solution. If there was, there would be no
dilemma. We have, however, now got to the point at which they
appear to be theoretically necessary to avoid the three tragedies.
Any substantial progress towards the I-child nonn will mitigate
those tragedies. Some middle way has to be found between the
human rights abuses of Rwanda which stem in large part from no
population control. and those occasional ones" reported from
China which are the result of too much zeal for it. UNICEF has a
role-perhaps the central one-in opening the dialogue and in
securing for the poor of the world more time to stabilize their
populations, with all the implications this has for northern lifestyles.
Based on a lecture by M. King at the Colston Symposium /995, The University of Bristol, UK
Book Reviews
Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors,
Editors and Publishers. E. J. Huth (ed). Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, 1994,825 pp. Rs /099.
Scientific editors in Europe as well as in the United States of
America have got together to form powerful and effective associa-
tions, The European Association of Scientific Editors produces a
very interesting newsletter called European Science Editing which
appears three times a year and contains articles, correspondence
and an infonnative annotated bibliography on almost everything
to do with scientific editing. The Americans, as might be ex-
pected, have been more 'professional' and in 1957 established the
133
It is for you, Ms Bellamy, and your staff to accept or refuse that
challenge. Either way you will be judged by history. It is therefore
important that you be clear about why you make the decisions you
do. We wish you and UNICEF well.
REFERENCES
I King MH. Elliol C. Legitimate double mink. LanUI 1993:341 :669-72.
2 World Health Organization. Report of Ih~ International Confrrencr on Primary
H~allh Care, Alma Ala. USSR. G<:neva:World Health Organization. 1918. .
3 Bracckman C. Rwanda. histoire d'un Kt!nocid~. ParisLibrarie Anbeme Fayard,
1994.
4 WaUter D. Rwanda: Which way now' Oxford.Oxfam, 1995.
5 Vis Hl., Yourassowsky C, Van der Borght H. A nutritional survey in !he republic
of Rwanda. MU5i~ Royal de L 'Afrique Censrale. Teruven Belgium. AlllUJ/n Series
B. Sciences HllII\tJlliu 1975:17:192.
6 Jaspar H. U Rwanda-Urundi, pays a disettes periodiques. Congo 1929 vol. xm (I):
1-21. Brussels 1929.
1 A multidisciplinary group in !he 1%Os reponed by H. van Balen based on tbe
slencilled reports of L'lnstitut des Sciences Agmllomiquu du Rwanda (ISAR).
8 Leblanc S. Colloque Fometro. Gisenyi, Rwanda, 1966.
9 Lemarcband G. Situation alimentaire gillha/~ ~I probti mes paniculiers poses par
les cultures vivrieres au Rwanda: Chaire de Phvtotechni« des Region s chaudes.
Gembloux Belgium: Facull~ des Sciences Agronomiques. 1969:54 [stenciled
report).
10 Wils W, Carael M. TondeurG, Vis H1.. U Kivu mOlllagnt!/L(: surpopulution, .'01lS-
nutrition. erosion du sol. itlUk prOJP~Cl;V~ par simulations mamematiques. Acad
Roy Sci OUlu-Mu. Classe des sciences naturelles et medicalrs. Mimoires in-8"
Nouvell« Sirit!. Tome 21, fuse J, Brussels 19B6 (201 pp).
II Food uid in figures. Yolume 1/112. Rome:Food and Agricuhure Organizaron, 1993.
12 von BraUD J, de Hacn H, Blanken J. Commercialinuion of agriculture under
population pressure: Effects all production, consumption and nutrition ill Rwanda.
IFPRI research. report 85. Washington:lnternational Food Policy Research Institure,
1981.
13 Food production yearbook. Rome:Food and Agriculture Organization, 1994.
14 Uvin P. Violence and UN population data. Nature 1994;312:495-6.
15 Myers N. Population. environment and developmeni. Mimeo. Prepared for the
Royal Society of Loudon for the New Delhi Population Conference in October
1993.
16 Brown 1.. Tilt! state of lilt! world /996. New York:WW NOrlon. 1996.
17 King M, Ellio" C, Hellberg H, lilford R, Martin J, Rock E. Demographic entrap-
ment questions the 2·cbild paradigm Healtn Policy and Planning 1995;10:316-83.
18 Our globaill£igilbou,hood. Tilt! report of lilt! commission all global govanana.
O"ford:Oxford University Pres', 1995:4-10.
19 WaIlS R. Tilt! Guardian WUkJy. 1994 Sep 25.
20 Pavlinovic P, High G. Does Cbina's l-child policy constitute persecution? Scope
1983;13:14-15.
Council of Biology Editors (CBEs) which aims, amongst other
things, to improve communication in the life sciences by educat-
ing authors; editors and publishers by providing efficient means
of cooperation and supporting, devising and disseminating stan-
dards for scientific style and format. It has published books on
scientific writing for graduate students and others on illustration,
ethics, peer review, financial management and journal manage-
ment. However, its most influential publication is probably Scien-
tific Style and Format which first came out in 1960 and is now into
its sixth edition, The text has been written by the members of the
CBE Style Manual Committee who are all from North America
and are chaired by Ed Huth, the former editor of the Annals of
134 THE NATIONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL OF INDIA
Internal Medicine and, with Stephen Lock of the British Medical
Journal, knows more about medical editing than anyone else on
the planet. (They are also both nature's gentlemen.)
'Style' is interpreted to mean 'forms of expression in scholarly
writing, and the general technical requirements of journals such
as details for typing manuscripts, standard abbreviations and
citations for references'. Previous editions were limited mainly to
the plant sciences, zoology, microbiology and the medical sci-
ences and included advice on how to write and submit papers for
journal publication. Unfortunately, in this edition the advice on
writing papers has been dropped to make room for the coverage
of all sciences.
The text is divided into five parts, followed by three appendi-
ces and an index. The first part consists of two introductory
chapters about the manual and a brief history of scientific nota-
tion. I was surprised to see the Committee give credit to the
Chinese of the eighth century AD for discovering the concept of
'zero' whereas I had always understood this to be the great Indian
contribution to mathematics. The second part deals with conven-
tions widely applied in both general and scientific scholarly
publishing and contains chapters on alphabets (Roman, Greek
and Hebrew), punctuation (when and when not to use a full stop,
comma and colon), capitals, American and British spelling and
prose style and word choice. There is clear advice given on the
meanings of certain words which are often used incorrectly like
accuracy (degree of correctness of a measurement or statement)
and precision (the degree of refinement with which a measure-
ment is made). 'The number 3.43 is more precise than 3.4 but it is
not necessarily more accurate.'
Then follow 300 pages on details of style mainly applicable in
the sciences. I skipped these pages because they started with the
electromagnetic spectrum and ended with astronomical objects
and time systems.
The fourth and fifth sections will be especially useful to people
who have anything to do with medical journals as they include
chapters on journal style and format, citations and references,
manuscript preparation and proof correction. The third appendix
is an annotated bibliography of books and other sources that
might help a scientific writer and publisher. Here style manuals,
dictionaries, editors' newsletters and publications on graphics
and design as well as on other subjects are succinctly evaluated in
short paragraphs.
It would be impossible for me to advise medical writers and
editors against buying this book because it has reached a position
of such authority that criticizing it would almost amount to
blasphemy. Nevertheless, given a limited amount of money I
would prefer to spend it on Medical StyLe and Format: An
International Manual for Authors, Editors and Publishers which
is also by Ed Huth and is available from Williams and Wilkins,
Baltimore, Maryland, USA. I found it a bit disconcerting to have
to go through all that stuff on physics and astronomy when all I'm
trying to be is a better medical writer and editor. Nevertheless
Scientific StyLe and Format is a truly monumental work, a tribute
to a nation which does not believe in sitting around and talking but
getting things done. When are the Indian Association of Medical
Journal Editors and Indian Association of Science Editors going
to wake up and produce a similar publication?
S. NUNDY
The NationaL Medical Journal of India
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
New DeLhi
VOL. 9, No.3, 1996
A Textbook of Medical Mycology. Jagdish Chander, Interprint,
1996, 232 pp, Rs 200.
There has been a long felt need for a publication on medical
mycology suitable for India, as this has now almost developed
into a full-fledged specialty. That this difficult task has now been
attempted by an Indian author for students and medical laboratory
technicians with 'little or no background in mycology' is to be
welcomed.
This book covers the major aspects of medical mycology. It
has seven sections consisting of thirty-three chapters with five
appendices and an index. (Appendix C is particularly useful
because it provides recent information and will help those who
want to pursue medical mycology as a career.) The Introduction
covers definitions as well as the ecology and importance of
fungi-their uses and harmful effects as well as their application
in biotechnology. There is also a brief discussion on the diagnosis
and systemic mycology of pathogenic fungi and how they cause
infections in human beings.
However, whether the aims of the author will be fulfilled is
doubtful. Infections caused by fungi in India and the correct
laboratory procedures for diagnosis, epidemiology and manage-
ment especially treatment, are so far removed from the ideal that
it will not be possible to provide a student with comprehensive
knowledge on this specialty. Many chapters in this book are mere
repetitions of well-known facts. There are few Indian references,
and the information is often out-of-date especially about superfi-
cial infections (dermatophytosis)-the commonest of all fungal
infections; subcutaneous infections (mycetoma) which are a spe-
cial problem here; systemic infections (cryptococcocosis and
histoplasmosis)--the incidence of which is increasing alarm-
ingly.
The book is devoid of photographs and the illustrations drawn
by an artist bear little resemblance to the actual morphology of the
organisms. Certain aspects of the morphology have been greatly
exaggerated whereas in others the description in the text does not
match the figures (e.g. p. 145, Fig. 22.1). As the diagnosis of
fungal infections depends mainly on morphology, these illustra-
tions may mislead the students and others who are new to this
subject. More care should have been taken in the reference
citations.
Although there are controversies about the rejection of certain
terminology, it would have been better to avoid these especially
in a book aimed at students. The term 'Madura foot', for instance,
will remain for a long time and should be retained.
The book is too detailed for undergraduates, while for post-
graduates more up-to-date information is necessary. For medical
laboratory technicians the details of handling specimens should
have been included.
The production of this book is satisfactory but the figures on
the cover need to be corrected especially the one which is
supposed to represent T. mentagrophytes.
If the book is revised keeping these suggestions in mind, the
author's aim of raising the index of suspicion of fungal infections
and establishing special laboratories geared to provide reliable
diagnostic services may well be achieved.
UMA BANERJEE
MycoLogy Section and lep Laboratory
Department of Microbiology
ALLIndia Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi