This book on speech pathology covers an area unfamiliar to many physicians. Use of the word pathology in reference to this subject is somewhat controversial and perhaps unacceptable to those considering that this discipline deals with abnormal anatomy and histology. Nonetheless, the designation is becoming increasingly accepted by virtue of common usage.
In view of the expanded knowledge in all medical behavioral fields, one wonders whether a single author should attempt writing this type of comprehensive book. The risks exist of exposure to only one man's bias and of being top-heavy in some areas and spotty in others. Happily, Perkins has successfully skirted these pitfalls and achieved the reasonable goal that he established, namely, to presenting an overview of speech pathology particularly in relation to other health professions. In this regard, the book will serve as a valuable reference for physicians concerned with communicative disorders.
The text has two sections,