Page Six P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y October, 1951 BOOK REVIEWS P hysioth erapy in O bstetrics an d Gynaecology. By H elen H e a rd m a n . P osth um o usly published by E . & S. Livingstone, L td ., E d in b u rg h . 217 pp. • Illu s. 16/-. The. name of the late M rs. H e ard m an . is w ell know n in the P hysiotherapy and M edical w orld, particularly through her long experience and expert kn'owledge of pre- and post-natal conditions. A brief statem ent of the anatom y, physiology and psychology of reproduction is given at the b e g in n ing of the book, followed by a detailed consideration of the preparation for labour. A chapter on post-natal restoration comes next. The use o f ph ysiotherapy is discussed fo r the treatm ent of some of the co m ­ plications, both physiological and pathological, w hich m ay occur d u rin g and after puerperium . T hro ugh out, the treatm ent by- means of exercise is stressed, though a short chapter dealing w ith electrotherapy has as its contributors M r. George H . D obney, M iss F. ,L. G reenhill and B renda Savage. T his is essentially a book for the physiotherapist, and is a valuable ad ju n ct to the som ew hat scanty in fo rm a tio n given in m ost tra in in g schools to pre­ pare us to deal w ith the im p o rta n t and com m on gynaecological a n d obstetric conditions w hich we are so often called upon to treat. E ve ry aspect of these conditions w hich concerns the physiotherapist is dis­ cussed, and detailed m ethods of tre atm e n t are p re ­ sented. M a n y of the m ethods and exercises are ac­ cepted as standard means of tre atm e n t for the co n­ ditions described, a ltho ug h it seems probable th a t certain of the treatm ents suggested are still open to discussion and ad ap tation. T he a u th o r’s long years of experience should, however, be co nstantly borne in m ind. The m aterial is not so w ell arranged as it m igh t be, and o fte n appears■■ confused, w ith too freq ue n t references to o th e r pages a n d chapters. A useful glossary and appendix are given. A lth o u g h the book is in terestin g and useful, and is one w hich all physiotherapists should read and learn from , a certain tendency tow ards sen tim e n t­ ality, particularly w ith regard- to the psychological aspect of these conditions, is apparent, and th is seems quite out of place in a m edical text-book. L .E .D . + + + A H istolo gy o f the B ody Tissues, w ith a consideration o f th eir functions. B y M a rg a re t G illison, M .C .S .P ., E . & S. L iving sto ne , L td., E d in b u rg h . 212 pp. P rofusely illustrate d . 15/-. H ere a t last is a book w h ich exactly suits the needs o f physiotherapy students, w ho have been forced in the past to waste tim e selecting the" histological know ledge w hich they m ust have from the clum sier and more detailed volum es hith erto available. A lth o u g h it is a com paratively sm all book, all' the basic essentials of histology have been presented in a straig htfo rw ard m anner, w ith clear headings and a sensible tabulation of tissue structure and function. P artic ula r atten tion should be given to the excellent and carefully arra n g e d diagram s illu s tra tin g the text. A s Professor R . C. G arry says in his foreward to the -book: “The preparation of the draw ings has been a labour of love on the part of the author. T hey are true in all essential particulars to photo­ m icrographs o f actual sections, b ut retain the clarity and selective emphasis of good draw ings and diagram s.” T his book has been w ritte n prim arily for students o f P hysioth erapy and P hysical T raining, and as such is entirely successful. M iss G illison, who has both P hysiote rapliy and P hysical T ra in in g qualifications, lectures in' P hysiology at the I. M. M a rsh College of Physical E d ucation in Liverpool, and is therefore em inently qualified to w rite a book on histology adapted for the use of students. I t should be an im p o rta nt ad ditio n to the list of standard text books usually suggested by tra in in g schools. L .E .D . + + + A Text B o ok of M edical C o nditions for P hysio ­ therapists. B y J o a n E . Cash, B .A ., M .C .S .P . (Teachers Certificates). W it h a forew ord by F ra n k D . H o w itt, C .V .O ., M .A ., M .D ., F .R .C .P . 350 pp. Illustrate d . London, Faber-Faber. 20/-. The publication of a new book for Physiotherapists occurs so seldom that w hen a b rillia n t and outstanding teacher of M iss C ash’s status gives us one it is an event. The authoress is to be congratulated on an excellent piece of w ork w hich w ill prove invaluable, to the experienced members of the profession as well as to students and teachers of physiotherapy. The book is divided in to seven parts and each part is clearly set out under headings, w hich m ake it easy to read and to use as reference. It is illustrated th ro ug ho ut by excellent photographs of patients, X rays and diagram s. M iss Cash, though an en­ thusiast in her profession, makes no extravagant claim s for treatm ent by physiotherapy. She states her claims for the efficacy of certain treatm ents fairly an d w ith m oderation. P a r t I deals w ith basic pathological response to disease, of disturbances of the circulation" and of atrop hy and hypertrophy, hypoplasia and hyperplasia. T hen follows a long section on rheum atic conditions well illustrated by photographs of patients. The pathology, signs and sym ptom s of the different con­ ditions is followed by an outline of tre atm e n t by physiotherapy or in the osteoarthritic type by more detailed principles of treatm ent by physical means. The chapter on ankylo sing spondylitis is especially interesting and contains some characteristic X-rays and photographs. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) OctobeivJ95^ P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y Page Seven P art H I the authoress discribes diseases of the ratory system, pre- and post-operative physio- rcsP‘ for the surgical conditions and w h en and how treat the m edical conditions, both acute and uic A section on disorders of the nervous C '-tern which includes a chapter on lesions of inter- S. tebral discs causing sciatica and lum bar pain, is followed by one on diseases of the cardiovascular system. \liss Cash states that in the treatm ent of cardiac lisordcrs m any em inent cardiologists m ake no use o f ' p h y s io th e ra p y ; ^ l]t s|ie ciaims th at w h ilst massage "nd exercises cannot cure a cardiac condition, the ' encral musculature of the patient can, by specially graded exercises, be b uilt up w ith o u t th ro w ing undue burden on the m yocardium , so that gradually the a m o u n t of w ork to be done by the cardiac muscle is increased and the patient leaves hospital more able t° resume norm al activity. The congenital abnormalities of the heart and the' appropriate tr e a tm e n t are described. C hapter 3 of this section describes diseases o f the blood vessels and a com ­ prehensive outline of treatm ent by ^physical means is given. Part V I 011 D isorders of abdom inal viscera and peritoneum is short. To quote the o pening sentence: “Very few diseases of the abdom inal' organs are suit­ able for treatm ent by physical measures,” and only three conditions are m entioned briefly, tuberculous peritonitis, for w hich actino therapy is advocated in the absence o f active tuberculosis elsewhere, con­ stipation and visceroptosis, for w hich the appropriate treatment is outlined. The last section is one on common diseases of the skin, w hich are. treated by electrotherapy. It is to be hoped th at in the not too distant future Miss Cash w ill find time, am idst' her onerous duties as Deputy-Principal of the School of P hysiotherapy, The United H ospitals, B irm in g h a m , to w rite a com ­ panion volume on Surgical Conditions for P hysio ­ therapists, w hich she can be assured w ill receive as enthusiastic a welcome as her first volume. A .C .C . P H Y S I O T H E R A P I S T Cham ber o f M in es (S p rin g k e ll) S anato rium Applications are invited from qualified P h y sio ­ therapists (Fem ale) to carry out duties of pnysiotheraphy and, in addition, to be w illin g to be instructed in and act as R adiographer. l'he salary scale is £300 x £20 — f440 p e r a n n u m , Phis cost o f liv in g a llo w a n c e ( a t p re se n t a p p r o x i­ m ately £17 per m o n t h ) . A nnual leave of 30 days plus bonus leave of 70 days after 5 years’ service. Membership to the C ham ber of M ines P ension F u nd and Medical A id Society obligatory. m e d i c a l s u p e r i n t e n d e n t , S P R I N G K E L L S A N A T O R IU M , P .O . N O R T H R A N D , Tvl. Ultra-Sonic Waves and Treatment E D I T O R I A L O F T H E S O U T H A F R I C A N M E D I C A L J O U R N A L , 2 2 n d S E P T E M B E R , 1 9 5 1 . T H E therm ogenic effect of ultra-sonic wraves is biologically not of m uch sifnificance. M ore im ­ portan t is the property of in d u c in g hyperem ia and it has also been claim ed that these waves have almost a specific m echanical effect upon the circulation of fluid in the tissue spaces, diffusion thro ug h tissue m em branes and the chemical and structural c o nd i­ tions in the cells. I t is on the basis of these pro ­ perties th a t favourable therapeutic results have been claimed in the treatm ent of arthritic, neuritic, and fibrositic conditions. R eports have not been lacking about good subpestive results in cases of “duodenal ulcer, ab do m inal adhesions, cholycystitis . . . . and neuralgia o f the abdom inal w all.” 1 The effect of ultra-sonic therapy has been ascribed to m icro­ massage of the cells as well as an increase in the tem perature of the- tissues and to colloidal changes. W h ile there can be little doubt that under experi-, . m ental conditions these waves exercise a most p ro ­ found effect on tissues, most of the reports claim ing favourable therapeutic results tend to come from W e ste rn Europe. I n E n g lis h and A m e rican hands, the results have not been specific or unique and have not indicated- th at this form of treatm ent (w hich is not w ith o ut its dangers) represents any o advance of an y kind on any of the existing m ethods in current use. D A N G E R S : The ultra-sonic waves may, w hen directed to the brachial plexus, produce paroxysm al tachycardia a n d an gin a pectoris. A lth o u g h it has been claimed to have good results in the treatm ent of ulcers of the leg, there is the ever-present danger of m o b ilizin g regional throm bi. T he waves can also, by their action on the gonads, produce sterility. They can interfere w ith the developm ent of grow ing bones in children and place the operator of the instrum en t at risk. I t is clear, therefore, that in ­ strum ents for producing these waves m ust be re­ garded as h ig h ly dangerous. There can be no excuse for p e rm ittin g their use by lay persons and it is desirable th at even members of the medical profession should use the apparatus only under licence. A s it seems d oubtful w hether an y special therapeutic virtue is inherent in the use of u ltra ­ sonic waves and because no sound scientific case has yet been made out for g iv in g these waves any therapeuic pre-eminence or specificity, we should be m ost cim cum spect about the in tro du ctio n of these dangerous instrum ents into the U n io n and, in p a r­ ticular, their use by inexpert lay persons. W h a t ­ ever claim s are to be m ade should at this stage still be directed to the field of research rather than clinical practice. 1 Excerpta M edica, 1951, Section V I ( Internal M edicine), 5, 317. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )