And now comes the fourth edition of Blades' Surgical Diseases of the Chest. Thoracic surgery has developed so much in the post-World War II years that an 839-page book on this subject may be considered as possibly "basic" when compared with current textbooks twice its size. To quote the preface, the question is whether this volume is of "value to the practicing surgeon, resident and medical student?"
This book has been almost completely rewritten with mostly new authors. The editor has appropriately dedicated this new edition to the original editor, Dr Brian Brewer Blades, for his pioneering contributions and leadership in thoracic surgery.
The first chapter titled "Medical Ethics and Organization" is written by an eminent authority, Dr C. Rollins Hanlon, director of the prestigious American College of Surgeons. With the current great lay and judicial involvement in medical ethics and the delivery of medical care, the complete surgeon must