Handbook of Experimental Immunology.

Abstract

There are now many medium sized rheu- matology books, but Drs Morrow and Isenberg have written a good rheumato- logical overview.They have gone along an immunological pathway, concentrating on the autoimmune aspects of rheumatic diseases.This fills a previous void.They have a deliberately restricted view, and focus predominantly on connective tissue diseases.After setting the immunological scene and outlining immunological methods they journey through the individual diseases.They start with systemic lupus erythematosus, and then progress through rheumatoid arthritis towards the overlap syndromes and systemic vasculitis.I do not consider rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma as autoimmune diseases, and some of their opinions seem rather too immuno- logical, especially concerning the pathogenesis of connective tissue disorders.Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable and readable account of the rheumatic diseases.It is well illustrated with understandable and topical line drawings.Its tables give up to date summaries.I was also taken with the introductions to each disease showing the mile- stones in their history.