Oman Craig, MD, a respected Scottish pediatrician, has written the second edition of Childhood Diabetes and Its Management, a part of John Apley's Postgraduate Paediatrics Series. While most encompassing in subject matter, it is best suited for the British or European physician who cares for children with diabetes mellitus. Reference is made to SI (Systeme International) units for blood chemistries (eg, "blood sugar of more than 44 mmole/L [800 mg. percent]"), to Actrapid, Rapitard, Semitard MC, and Retard insulins (without reference to their American counterparts), and to treatment of "hypo" attacks (hypoglycemia) with "two pudding spoonsful of sugar or glucose" or Lucozade (a carbohydrate solution).
Although Dr Craig calls on his vast clinical experience, much of it is personal and not substantiated by the practice of the art in the United States. There are numerous brief clinical vignettes, and much anecdotal commentary. At times much space is allotted to rare