Unfortunately knowledge is not inherited. Every young surgeon must absorb an infinite number of facts about the entire field of surgery—so much to learn, so little time. This book is the answer to the surgeon's need for basic knowledge of the general care of surgical patients. The author has taken from his own experience and from the teachings of others the physiologic time-tested and accepted guides to good surgical care and has set them forth in a well-written, orderly, and readable book.
The historical references at the beginning of many of the chapters add spice and are a stimulant to those who are interested in the history of surgery.
The chapter on "Pyschogenic Factors in Surgery" should be required reading for every intern and resident, even for a few older surgeons. It emphasizes so calmly, yet firmly, that a patient is first, last, and always a human being, anxious, and