184 BOOK REVIEWS
intestinal lymphomas and, thankfully, a third site-specific
system is used for the descriptive text on the histology of
these tumours. The photomicrographic figures of intesti-
nal lymphomas are not particularly helpful, being mostly
at either too low or too high a magnification and often
unsharp. The pathologist striving to classify an intestinal
lymphoma would need to use other sources of reference.
Mucosal prolapse, including solitary ulcer syndrome of
the rectum and inflammatory cloacogenic polyp, makes a
welcome appearance which should ensure that these com-
mon lesions receive their due recognition. Anal dysplasia
is not classified and the term ‘ A I N not used. A ‘rare con-
dition affecting the lower anal canal and skin of the anal
margin which results in the formation of a circumferential
white plaque and may progress to keratinizing squamous
cell carcinoma’, although described histologically, is
mysteriously not illustrated and is coyly not given a name.
English spellings are used throughout, with few excep-
tions, although an idiosyncratic style is used for ‘Bowen’
disease, ‘Paget’ disease, and ‘Brunner’ glands.
Despite the criticisms, this is a useful, up-to-date, and
comprehensive catalogue of intestinal tumours which all
departments of diagnostic histopathology should possess.
Currency exchange rates make it more expensive than
its bargain predecessor. The latter will continue to be
of value for its colour pictures and accompanying
transparency set.
I. C. TALBOT
St Mark’s Hospital
London
Pathology, A Study Guide. I. DAMJANOV and E. RUBIN.
Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1990. No. of Pages: 434.
Price: $20. ISBN: 0 397 51010 1.
This booklet is intended as a companion to Rubin and
Farber’s textbook Pathology, which was published a
couple of years ago by the same publisher. For most
students a crucial problem with standard textbooks of
pathology is their volume: most of them amount to a
paper mountain of a t least 1500 pages. For those students
who are not fascinated by pathology (we all know that
they are wrong but this remains the larger proportion of
each class) it continues to be extremely difficult to decide
on what is important and what is not. This book provides
a reasonably comfortable way out. It follows the chapter-
divisions of the textbook Pathology. Each chapter starts
off with a series of questions in a true/false format,
together encompassing more than 1800 items. Sub-
sequently the key is provided, together with some
explanatory text. The book is concluded with a multiple-
choice test, which provides the user with an opportunity
to test the actual knowledge of pathology.
In choosing the questions, the authors have succeeded
reasonably well in pointing out what is important. In
phrasing the questions, usually not only knowledge but
also basic insight is probed. In all, this book is rather
useful for students, but also for teachers and not only for
those who have selected Rubin and Farber’s textbook.
F. T. BOSMAN
University of Limburg