Book Reviews m c 5’

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Metabolism of Cardiac Glycosides. A Review Differentialdiagnose innerer Krankheiten. of the Absorption, Metabolism and Excretion of Clinically Important Cardiac Glycosides,

Eine kurzgefasste Darstellung fiir irzte und

by S. C. Wright. Charles C Thomas, Spring- Studierende, 7th ed., by Robert Hegglin.

field, Ill., 1960, pp. 86, $4.75. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1960, pp. 913, DM 79.50 ($18.95).

This small monograph, prepared by Dr. Wright of the University of Sydney, Australia, collects many data which are known about cardiac glycosides and presents several new facts. Chemistry, pharmacology, methods of analysis, metabolism, absorption, distribution, excretion and in vitro metabolism of the cardiac glycosides are systematically discussed.

The most original chapters are those on the relationship between molecular structure and pharmacologic activity, chromatographic sepa- ration of cardiac glycosides and their metah- olites and the metabolism of steroids. Urine of treated patients contains digitoxin, digoxin and “metaholite B,” the latter in a greater amount than the two former, their ratio being even 80 : 20.

One important fact which is revealed is the lack of any specific affinity of the cardiac muscle toward the glycosides. Although only those metaholites which still possess an unsaturated lactone ring are cardioactive, the author con- siders the possibility that the glycosides may be converted to molecules of unknown type, which cannot he detected by the usual biologic or chemical testing methods.

This is an important book and should be available in the English language. Since 1952 seven editions have appeared in German and it has been translated into four other languages. The reviewer remembers well the pIeasure and information he received from reading the book by Mathes on the same subject. Dr. Hegglin’s book is certainly on the same level. It is written by an outstanding and experienced clinician with a full knowledge of the aid he can receive from the laboratory. Whether one reads the chapters on headache or dyspnea, on cyanosis or enlarged hili, or on enlarged lymph nodes or loss of consciousness, the beginner and the advanced student of medicine will receive useful information. An added advantage of this book is the description of rare diseases and syndromes in which Swiss clinicians often excel. The style of writing is pleasing and the printing of the book and illustrations are excellent. It is warmly recommended.

DAVID SCHERF, M.D.

EKG-Fibel, ed. by Rolf Heinecker. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1960, pp. 235, DM 19.80 ($4.70).

Some well known differences in the pharma- cologic behavior of the cardiac glycosides are explained on the basis of the different way in which they are metabolized or excreted. The more polar glycosides are more rapidly excreted in unchanged form, whiIe digitoxin, the least polar, is mostly excreted in the form of cardio- active metabolites.

Experiments with radioactive digitoxin seem to indicate a greater degree of correlation he- tween lipid content of serum protein fractions and the “binding” of digitoxin than between serum albumin and glycoside.

This monograph represents essential reading for anyone interested in the pharmacology of digitalis. A. A. LUISADA, M.D.

This is a well written and modern short presentation of electrocardiography. Since it is all-inclusive only a few lines can he devoted to important disturbances such as parasystole. The author considers incomplete bundle branch block common. Following the nomenclature introduced by Wenckehach and Winterberg and adopted by others, extrasystoles are called active ectopic rhythms. This is somewhat con- fusing since they are certainly elicited by the preceding beat and are therefore “passive.” This small book contains 204 illustrations and thirty-four graphs which are well selected. They are on a small scale and the time lines are almost invisible; therefore, they have to he studied with a magnifying glass. Books of this

1152 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY

Book Reviews 1153

type do not enable one to learn electrocardiogra- phy but, in conjunction with a course on this subject, they serve well in summarizing the essential points. DAVID SCHERF, M.D.

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW

All books received will be acknowledged in this column. Insofar as possible, as space permits, books of special interest will receive more extensive reviews.

Grundriss und Atlas der Elektrokardiographie, by Rudolf Zuckermann. Georg Thieme Verlag, Leipzig, 1959, pp. 660, DM 72.15.

Cwrent Therapy--1960. Latest Approved Methods of Treat- ment for the Practicing Physician, edited by Howard F. Corm. W. B. Saunders Co., 1960, pp. 808, $12.00.

Cardiac Resuscitation, edited by J. Willis Hurst. Charles C Thomas, Springfield, 1960, pp. 141, $5.50.

>vl;pw .2lethods of Studying Gaseous Exchange and Pulmonary Function, by Alfred Fleisch. Charles C Thomas, Spring- field, 1960, pp. 116, $5.75.

The Low Sodium, Fat-Controlled Cookbook, by Alma Smith Payne and Dorothy Callahan. Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1960, pp. 465, $4.75.

,Yylocaine. The Pharmacological Basis of its Clinical Use,

by Sten Wiedling. Almqvist & W&sell, Stockholm, 1959, pp. 146.

L)PY Funktionelle Bau der Heratkammern, by Alexander Puff. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1960, pp. 87, DM 18 ($4.30 ).

Anatomy. A Regional Study of Human Structure, by Ernest Gardner, Donald J. Gray and Ronan O’Rahilly. W. B. Saunders Co., 1960, pp. 999, $15.00.

Blood Pressure Sounds and Their Meanings. Part II. Aetiol- o,gy of Melanotic Cancer, by John Erskine Malcolm. Charles C Thomas, Springfield, 1960, pp. 70, $3.00.

The .Uetabolism of Cardiac Glycosides. A Review of the Ab- sorptzon, .Metabolism and Excretion of Clinically Important Cardiac Glycosides, by S. E. Wright. Charles C Thomas, Springfield, 1960, pp. 86, $4.75.

Uer drbeits-und TrainingseinJluss auf Kreislauf und Atmung, by W. Hollmann. Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag, Stuttgart, 1959, pp. 202, DM 37.50.

Rheqyraphie. Eine Methode zur Beurteilung peripherer Gefiisse, by K. Kaindl, K. Polzer and F. Schuhfried. Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag, Stuttgart, 1959, pp. 109, DM 27.50.

Myorardosis. Pathogenesis, Clinical Aspects and Therapy Concerning the Principles of Metabolic Electrocardiography, by Ferdinand Wuhrmann. Charles C Thomas, Spring- field, 1960, pp. 218, $10.50.

Electrocardiographic Techniques. A Manual for Physicians, Nurses and Technicians, second edition, by Kurt Schnitzer. Grune & Stratton, New York, 1960, pp. 109, $4.75.

EKG Fibel, by Rolf Heinecker. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1960, pp. 235, DM 19.80 ($4.70).

DECEMBER 1960

Dt~erentialdiagno~? innew &ankheitm. E&e Kurzgefasste

Darstellung fiir Arzte und Studierendl, by Robert Hegglin. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1960, pp. 913, DM 79.50 ($18.95).

Electrophysiology of the Heart, by Brian F. Hoffman and Paul F. Cranefield. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1960, pp. 323, $12.50.

Fundamentals of Clinical Hematology, by Byrd S. Leave11 and Oscar A. Thorup, Jr. W. B. Saunders Co., Phila- delphia, 1960, pp. 503.

Edema. Mechanisms and Management. A Hahnemann Sym- posium on Salt and Water Retention, edited by John H. Moyer and Morton Fuchs. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1960, pp. 833.

A Primer of Electrocardiography, fourth edztion, by George E. Burch and Travis Winsor. Lea & Fcbiger, Philadcl- phia, 1960, pp. 293, $5.00.

The Concise Encyclopedia of Modern Surgery, by James Hale Rutledge. Chilton Company, Philadelphia, 1960, pp. 308, $8.00

The Ojice Assistant in Medical Practice, by Portia M. Frederick and Carol Towner. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1960, pp. 407, $5.25.

Electrocardiography: Principles and Practice, by Ernest Bloomfield Zeisler, Login Brothers, Chicago, 1960, pp. 374.

Missbildungen des Menschlichen Herzens. Entwicklungsges- schichte und Path&pie, by H. Barthel. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1960, pp. 240, DM 188 ($44.75).

The Clinical Use of Aldosterone AntugoniJtr, by Frederic Cl Bartter. Charles C Thomas, Springfield. 1760, pp. 211, $5.00.

Atria1 Septal Defect: An Investigation into the Natural His- tory of a Con,qenital Heart Disease, by H. Gosta Davidsrn. Ejnar Munksgaard, Copenhagen, 1960, pp. 225, D Kroner 50.

Proceedings of a Symposium on Central Neruous System Control of Circulation, edited by Ludwig W. Eichna and Donald G. McQuarrie. The American Physiological Society, Washington, D.C., 1960, pp. 311, $5.00.

Radiation. Use and Control in Industrml Application, by Charles Wesley Shilling. Grune & Stratton, New York, 1360, pp. 223, $6.75.

The Chemistry of Lipids in Health and D&asp, by H. K. King. Charles C Thomas, Springfield, 1960, pp. 104, $3.75.

P-Q-R-S-T. A Guide to Electrocardiogram Interpretation,

fourth edition, by Joseph E. F. Riseman. The Macmillan Co., New York, 1960, pp. 168, $6.50.

Cardiopulmonary Hemodynamics of Chronic Lung Disease, by Carsten Miiller. Oslo University Press, Oslo, 1953, pp. 371.

On the Causation of Varicose Veins and Their Prrvention and Arrest by Natural Means, by T. L. Cleave. John Wright & Sons, Ltd., Bristol (Williams & Wilkins Co., .4merican agent), pp. 39, $2.50.