A volume devoted to The Allergic Child should be welcomed by any physician seeing children, since allergic problems comprise about 20% of his practice. This latest compilation of pediatric allergy information has brought together the experiences of 38 separate authors, well chosen for their particular interests. In formulating this material, the editor has arranged this book in five separate sections. Following an introductory section on the fundamental mechanisms of allergy, there follows a logical presentation of the causes, manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of allergic problems. However, this same format makes it awkward and confusing for the reader who is intent on looking up a specific subject, only to find that he must turn from one chapter to another to obtain the complete picture of a specific allergic entity.
Section 1, the introduction, is noteworthy for its definition of terminology and clarification of methodology, but is sparing in its reference to