"DIE VORGEBURTLICHEN ENTWICKLUNGSSTADIEN 



DES MENSCHEN" 



1961 



by E. Blechschmidt S. Karger, Basel 



688 pp., 579 figs., 6 tbs. Price: s.Fr. 96.— 



This large volume is essentially an atlas. It is predominantly concerned with 

 the first two months of development, i.e. the stages leading up to the establish- 

 ment of the basic anatomical pattern. Although the treatment is continuous, 

 three main sections may be distinguished, viz. "ova", "embryos" and "body 

 regions with their organs". 



Throughout the book German and English are used side by side in parallel 

 fashion. The basic plan of the book is such that the righthand page always 

 shows the plates, while on the facing page appear the legends to the figures, 

 and a verbal account of the processes illustrated. 



No attempt has been made to designate the stages depicted by numbers or 

 letters. The length of the embryos is used as the stage criterion troughout, 

 while days, weeks and months are used to subdivide the development into 

 general periods, which are indicated at the tops of the plates in the first two 

 sections. In the third section their place is taken by indications of the organs 

 shown. 



The illustrations, partly drawings, partly photographs, are of superb quality, 

 which is in part the result of outstanding techniques of reproduction and 

 printing. 



The theoretical background for the interpretation of the plates is formed by the author's 

 original ideas concerning the "biodynamic" factors underlying developmental processes. These 

 factors are envisaged mainly as geometrical and mechanical interrelations, growth movements, 

 etc. It will be understood that this feature gives the book a rather pronounced personal quality. 



The book also contains a glossary, a restricted list of references, a very brief tabular 

 outline of the history of embryology, age tables of human embryos, a tabular survey of 

 ossification, and finally a very extensive subject index. Lay-out and printing of the book 

 are excellent. 



"LEITFADEN DER ENTWICKLUNGSGESCHICHTE 

 DES MENSCHEN" 

 6th edition, 1961 

 by H. Boenig f VEB Georg Thieme 



(revised by R. Bertolini) Leipzig 



320 pp., 263 figs. Price: DM 20.40 



This is a revised edition of a book which appeared first in 1937, and under- 

 went no essential changes until the fifth edition (1953). In the present edition 

 the advances of the last two decades have now been incorporated. The illustra- 

 tive material has also been thoroughly revised and extended. 



The book was written especially for the use of medical students, and 

 therefore exclusively concerns the human embryo until term. Literature ref- 

 erences are not given. The treatment is limited mainly to morphogenesis, 

 histogenesis being treated occasionally. Developmental anomalies are also 

 treated only occasionally. 



The book is in three sections, one dealing with gametes, menstruation and 

 fertilization, one with early development, placentation and gravidity, and one 

 with organ development. The illustrations are numerous and on the whole of 

 good quality. 



The book is concluded by a subject index. 



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