Dr Forgacs, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine, Brook General Hospital, London, has had a long-standing interest in the study of lung sounds, using sophisticated acoustical techniques. He has written a gem of a book that should be read by all physicians and introduced as a required text for medical students studying physical diagnosis. The major foci are the discussion of lung sounds in acoustic and functional terms, identification of their source, and their interpretation as clinical signs.
The book is brief and can be read easily in an hour or two. Some may find chapter 3 on technical aspects rather difficult, but it and the rest of the book are written in a clear, concise style. Breath sounds, both those heard at the mouth and those heard through the chest wall, are presented next. Also covered in detail are voice sounds, wheezes, and crackles. The book begins with a chapter on