The Health and Social Needs of Young
Guide t o Information Sources in Alternative I
Adults with Physical Disabilities, by Andrew
P Thomas BA DPhil CPsychol AFBPsS FSS,
Martin C 0 Bax DM FRCP and Diane P L
Smyth MD MRCP DCH. Mac Keith Press, 5a
Netherhall Gardens, London NW3 5RN,
1989 (ISBN IUKl 0 6 3 2 02469 0; [USA] 0
397 48010 5). 161 pages. €17.50.
This book mainly focuses on statistics
surrounding disabled people. It is basically
written for the medical profession and it is
likely t o be well received by them as its
findings adhere strictly to the medical model
of disability. Disabled people are continually
discussed by their medical 'conditions',
reinforcing and perpetuating the notion that
disabled people 'can't do'.
In some chapters surprise is expressed at
the lack of awareness and knowledge gained
by young physically disabled adults on some
subjects, eg sex education. The book goes
on to show further surprise when disabled
people fail to undertake some task that is
felt ought to be achieved based on function.
It begins to address the issues that bring
about this anomaly but falls far short in its
conclusions.
Well presented and comprehensive, this
book fails to address disability within other
minority groups. In the language used and
in the images conveyed, it perpetuates the
myth that disability is 'the problem of the
individual' and suggests the 'cure' in the
form of an 'adult disability service', medically
structured.
The professional and lay reader is likely to
be left with a feeling of d6jh vu.
ANN MACFARLANE MIPS
Human Physiology, edited by Robert F
Schmidt and Gerhard Thews. Springer
Verlag, Berlin, 1989 2nd edn (ISBN 3 540
193432 0).Illus. 8 2 5 pages. DM 128
hardcover.
The editors of this book have succeeded
in their aim to produce a comprehensive
text of human physiology for undergraduate
students.
They adopt a systems approach to the
body and the 3 4 chapters, of which 12 are
concerned with aspects of the nervous
system, are grouped into nine main sections.
This second edition contains four new
chapters concerning pain, reproduction
and ageing, with several other chapters
totally rewritten and the remaining ones
revised and condensed.
The text is clear with the key words
accentuated in bold type. There are
numerous small figures scattered
throughout the book but the use of only grey
and pink colours lends the book a rather
austere image. The depth of information is
primarily aimed at the undergraduate
student, but the use of references within
the text provides sources of information
for the reader requiring further detail and
explanation. The text would have benefited
from more integration of information
between the systems, but this problem may
be inherent with the use of 23 authors. In
most chapters there is sparse evidence of
attempts to apply the information to the
pathophysiological state - exceptions to
this occurred mainly within the nervous
system.
Generally this book would be a useful
addition to a library, providing a comp-
rehensive coverage of human physiology.
However, the lack of integration and
reference t o pathophysiology means this
book stands with, but not apart from,
other similar texts.
ANN TAYLOR MSc MCSP DipTP
Looking Up, edited by Rachael Adam.
Yorkshire Art Circus, 13-15 Sagar Street,
Castleford, West Yorkshire WFlO lAG, 1989
(ISBN 0 947780 3 9 4). Illus. 7 8 pages.
€4.99, plus 15% postage.
This small paperback is one of a series of
personal memories called 'Speaking from
Experience', in which a number of people
who share a common experience tell their
stories. Looking Up is a collection of
accounts of the impact that spinal injury
had on six individual people's lives.
A brief description of each person's
circumstances at the time of their injury is
given and succeeded by descriptions of
various life events that followed. Attitudes
to disability, the problems encountered,
hopes and ambitions are all described.
The thoughts and feelings of the individ-
uals recounting their stories are included by
means of quotations within the text. These
are enlightening and appropriate but their
position is sometimes confusing and some-
what fragmented.
The editor of the book partly achieves her
aim of giving insight into the way in which
people respond to becoming physically
disabled by her collation of the experiences
of spinal injury of different people of various
ages and background. However, the book
is brief and consequently lacks much
depth and substance. It is easy to read and
does provide a broad overview of the conse-
quence of spinal injury without pursuing
the full extent and implications other than
those described by the six contributors.
It is difficult to know towards whom this
book is directed. Professionals, relatives,
carers and those sustaining spinal cord injury
may find it useful to draw on the experiences
of others, but unfortunately its content is
limited. This book, however, may well be
useful to the general public in providing them
with some information on the effect of
disability upon an individual.
DOROTHY TUSSLER BSc MCSP
Striking illustration from the cover of
'Looking Up'
Therapy, by Barbara Allan. Gower Publishing
Co Ltd, Gower House, Croft Road, Aldershot,
Hants G u l l 3HR, 1988 (ISBN 0 566 05611
9). Illus. 216 pages. f 2 5 .
Guides to information sources do not
generally fall into the 'couldn't put it down'
category, but should primarily be informative,
practical and easy to use. There is currently
a good deal of interest in the field of
'alternative therapy', although exactly what
should be included under this heading is
somewhat harder to define.
This book, at over 200 pages, is certainly
a comprehensive guide, although some of
the material is very obscure. Alternative
therapy is defined here as 'a range of
therapeutic procedures which facilitate
personal growth and development'.
Altogether 3 4 therapies are listed, some
with quite helpful definitions (if you don't
know what 'polarity therapy' is, now is your
chance to find out!) 'Physical therapies' are
listed as 'manipulative and movement'
therapies; you will find reflexology and the
Alexander technique under this heading,
and T'ai Chi and yoga, but not physio-
therapy!
The book is divided into three sections:
information sources (both printed and
electronic), a bibliography, and people,
organisations and activities. There is a useful
general introduction t o searching for
information, as one would expect from a
lecturer in library and information studies.
The index also appears to be quite full and
comprehensive. It must be said, however,
that the mass of information provided in the
rest of the book is not so clear and easy to
follow as one would wish, and the net result
is somewhat indigestible and confusing.
There is, almost inevitably in such an area,
a predominance of American sources, to
some of which it must be extremely difficult,
if not impossible, to obtain access. These
range from the very general - 'A pilgrim's
guiode to planet earth' - to the very specific
- local guides to sources in Leeds,
Huddersfield and Santa Fe. There are,
however, quite serious omissions: well-
established and accessible UK sources such
as the Complementary Medicine Index and
Complementary Medical Research, both
published by the British Library Medical
Information Service, are not to be found.
Altogether a somewhat disappointing
guide, which although interesting in parts,
fails t o provide much really practical
information, and is 'not waving but
drowning.' Selectively used, it could still be
useful as a reference book in libraries, in an
area where information is notoriously hard
to find, bearing in mind that guides such as
this are out of date almost before they are
in print.
S NAYEE MSc BA ALA MllnfSci
Medical Palmistry: A doctor's guide to better
health through hand analysis, by Eugene
Scheimann MD and Nathaniel Altman.
Aquarian Press, Wellingborough, 1989 (ISBN
0 85030 806 2). Illus. 224 pages. €6.99.
Claiming a revival of interest in palmistry,
especially in the study of nails and skin ridge
patterns, this book makes a case for a kind
of reflexology in the upper limb. It is richly
endowed with palm prints and deals
extensively with physical and psychological
conditions which may be revealed by a
patient's hand - 'the living computer'.