Dr. Harry Beckman, doyen of pharmacologists, has written a most remarkable book covering many of the perplexities surrounding drug treatment in clinical practice. It is not a large volume, but the ground it covers is surprisingly extensive.
The material is arranged alphabetically starting with abdominal distention and ending with yellow fever. Dr. Beckman uses the question and answer approach which in his hands proves effective. This is partly because he has collected puzzling questions and partly because he writes with such agreeable and uncommon clarity. No one will need to read the material twice over to comprehend its meaning.
As would be expected, much space is allotted to queries about ascites, asthma, arrhythmias, shock, heart failure, coronary disease, diabetes, arthritis, and thyroid disease. One cannot help being impressed by Dr. Beckman's answers which are precise and unequivocal, reflecting his vast experience and solid judgment. There are many references to recent