This fourth edition of Professor Illingworth's popular book is intended as a précis of common symptoms of disease in children. Since, as Kerr White has stated, "about 45% of the complaints presented to general practitioners can best be categorized as vague symptoms or symptom complexes," the approach of a publication such as this is highly relevant to primary care. Although physical signs are discussed to some extent, most of the book is concerned with classical symptomatology, except that psychological symptoms are either omitted or not discussed in depth.
In the face of the great complexity of current pediatric knowledge and the productive trend toward sub-specialization, it takes considerable intrepidity, clinical experience, and hard work to attempt a personal authorship of a book of this magnitude. It is a tribute to Professor Illingworth that he has brought it off so well! The selection of symptoms and their causes is well balanced