Two of Dr Beahrs' former surgery residents compiled this atlas from notes recorded during their training at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. To the text describing Dr Beahrs' operative techniques were added commentary by Dr Beahrs and illustrations by John W. Desley. In my view, the authors satisfied their objectives to a gratifying degree. The selection of operations was limited, however, to encompass one surgeon's practice, a constraint not evident in standard surgical atlases. In a 332-page volume, 103 pages were directed to surgery of the neck, 147 pages to selected procedures involving the gastrointestinal tract, 26 pages to hernia repair, and 21 pages to breast operations. Many areas considered the province of the general surgeon were not included.
The compendium features Dr Beahrs' vitality and sagacity through an accounting of his surgical maxims, the pertinence of which will be acknowledged by all experienced surgeons. Dr Beahrs advises a young