BOOK REVIEWS

THE T K E A T M E U T O F B U K N S , hy Curtis P. .4rtz, iZZl), FACS, and John A . Moncriej; MI), FACS, WIJ Sounders Company, Philadelphia, Idondon, Toronto, 1969, Second Edition. The purpose of this book is “to furnish a guide for treatment, in accordance with present-day knowledge of burns.” It should be helpful for nurses, in that it explains and describes all aspects of burn treatment, gives histories, ex- planations, pathology studies, and surgical pro- cedures. This would enable the nurse to give better patient care to burn patients whether she is working on the floor or in surgery.

A long section devoted to pathology studies, discusses not only the invasion of bacteria in the actual wound, but the spreading of bacteria to other parts of the body. This section gives short case histories and suggestions for treat- ment. There are excellent photographs of patients, specimens, and slides.

“Ceneral Immediate Care” is a chapter which would be especially helpful to nurses who only

work occasionally with burn patients. I t ex- plains how to appraise burns, and their extent, and transportation; and initial hospital pro- cedures for their treatment.

Especially helpful to nurses because of their contact with this type burn treatment is the chapter, “Initial Replacement Therapy.” It is a discussion concerning various types of burns- thermal, chemical, and electrical, and a dis- course on nutrition and infection.

The book ends with a chapter “Treatment of Burns in Disaster,” wliich discusses sorting, therapy, drugs, and burn centers.

The book is interesting and helpful; the examples are clarified by excellent photo- graphs.

I would recommend it for anyone working with burn patients-nurse’s aides to doctors. As the book states, there are not enough people, especially doctors, who know how to admin- ister to a severely burned patient.

M A HE 1. CK AN I:() K D , RN JJos Rngeles, Calif

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