Geriatric Medicine was written to provide "physicians, medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals" with "essential basic and practical information" for the care of elderly patients. Although the book does provide, in its 131 pages, a background in selected areas pertinent to geriatrics, I believe that, as a whole, the book falls somewhat short of its potential. Each chapter is a concise, easy-to-read, state-of-the-art essay representing a contributor's viewpoint on a particular subject. Harris has solicited the work of many authors who are well known in the field of geriatrics. Unfortunately, the book tends to minimize much of the controversy surrounding many issues in geriatric health care today. Only 166 references are given, of which only eight are as recent as 1980.
The title, Geriatric Medicine, does not truly represent the scope of the book's content, as even psychological problems are discussed briefly. Chapter 8 on peripheral neuropathy offers little