In this fourth edition, Black has adhered to his original tenet of brevity and generality with commendable tenacity. Furthermore, the clarity and conciseness with which he discusses fluid balance leaves one with the feeling that the 150 pages he used were precisely sufficient to cover the waterfront. The book is packed with protein and sprinkled with wit, but it is easily digestible.
The chapter on "hydrion," or hydrogen ion, is, I judge, new to this edition. The Brönsted-Lowry nomenclature is used throughout, but the chapter is more than just a rewording of an old concept. The emphasis has been changed in keeping with the title. The result is a succinct, understandable, and up-to-date treatment of a subject that has been improperly presented for too long a time.
The book should be of great value to the student interested in a comprehensive introduction to problems of fluid and electrolytes; to the