This article is only available in the PDF format. Download the PDF to view the article, as well as its associated figures and tables.
The progressive distension of medical literature demands of authors and publishers alike a reduction in bulk and an increase in digestibles. Beyond mere expertise in the subject matter and an ability to communicate, the author should have something new and significant to say; otherwise, the superego should bar the ego from print. Once embarked, the responsibility of the author to the reader extends from the selection of an accurate title to the inclusion of a comprehensive and unbiased bibliography.
A recent monograph, Lung Cancer, Surgery and Survival, by John Borrie is a case in point. Although we have no reason to doubt the author's expertise, he violates the other criteria mentioned. To begin with, the title is grossly misleading. It suggests a detailed analysis of a large series of patients with an evaluation of case selection, applicable surgical procedures, and prognosis, followed by a study of similarities and differences in