factors (genetic or cytoplasmic factors acting in the gametes) are also briefly 

 considered, as are the "metagenetic" factors endogeneous to the maternal 

 organism. 



The book is in two parts. The general part, comprising 64 pages, discusses 

 the history and general principles of congenital malformation and teratogenesis. 

 The special part starts with a brief etiogenetic classification of congenital 

 malformations. Then follow brief discussions of "progenetic" factors and of 

 endogeneous "metagenetic" factors. The main body of the book (close to 

 400 pages) is devoted to exogeneous "metagenetic" factors, classified as 

 physical, chemical (including nutritional disturbances and hormones), psy- 

 chical, and infectious factors. Finally, a brief section is devoted to original 

 histochemical studies on the rat fetus treated with vitamin A. A concluding 

 epilogue discusses the hazards of new pharmaca and the value of experiments 

 on animals. 



The bibliography numbers more than 2000 titles, and is up-to-date until 

 early 1965. The illustrations are mostly photomicrographs of whole fetuses 

 or histological sections. There are no indexes. 



33 COMPARATIVE ASPECTS OF REPRODUCTIVE FAILURE 



1967 

 Editor: K. Benirschke Springer Verlag 



512 pp., 108 figs., 49 tbs. Berlin - Heidelberg - New York 



Contents: Introduction to comparative reproduction (E. S. E. Hafez); The overall problem 

 in man (A. T. Hertig); Reproductive failure in domestic mammals (E. S. E. Hafez): Cy- 

 togenetics of abortions (D. H. Carr); Genetic and biochemical aspects of reproductive failure 

 (D. Y. Y. Hsia); Chemo-mechanics of implantation (B. G. Boving); Comparative aspects of 

 steroid hormones in reproduction (K. j. Ryan ef a/.); Protein hormones and gestation (J. B. 

 Josimovich); Prolonged gestation ( P. C. Kennedy ef a/. ) ; Oogenesis-ovulation and egg transport 

 (R. J. Blandau); Experimental hybridization (M. C. Chang et a/.); Sterility and fertility of 

 interspecific mammalian hybrids (K. Benirschke); The sterility of two rare equine hybrids 

 (J. M. King); Developmental malformations as manifestations of reproductive failure (V. H. 

 Perm); Malformations and defects of genetic origin in domestic animals (F. B. Hutt); Bacterial 

 infertility in domestic animals (A. B. Hoerlein); Fetal infections in man (S. G. Driscoll); 

 Toxoplasmosis (J. F. Frenkel); Mycotic diseases in mammalian reproduction (Ch. H. Bridges); 

 Comparative aspects of reproductive failure induced in mammals by viruses (D. N. Medearis 

 Jr.); A model for virus induced reproductive failure (G. Margolis et a/.); Round table dis- 

 cussion on placental pathology (K. Benirschke et al.); Ontogenesis of the immune response 

 (A. M. Silverstein); Immunological interactions between mother and fetus (M. Galton); Re- 

 production at high altitudes (J. Metcalfe et al); Fertility and reproductive performance of 

 grouped male mice (R. L. Snyder) 



Inasmuch as knowledge of abnormal processes is often essential to an under- 

 standing of the normal ones, every mammalian embryologist should profit from 

 reading this book. It is based on a conference held at Dartmouth Medical 

 School, Hanover, in July 1966. This had 30 participants from the U.S.A., and 

 one each from Canada, Scotland, and Kenya. Most participants came from 

 medical and veterinary institutes. 



Although quantitative aspects of reproduction were occasionally touched 

 upon, the emphasis in the conference was on qualitative aspects, including, of 

 course, a considerable amount of embryological data. The majority of the 

 contributions are more or less extensive reviews, but some are research reports 

 of more restricted scope. In order not to delay publication, the discussions are 

 not included. The "round table discussion" on placental pathology that is 

 included takes the form of six brief communications, again without the dis- 

 cussions proper. 



It is impossible to review the book extensively here. Instead, the table of 

 contents is given above. The book is illustrated mostly with good photographs. 

 It is well-produced and has an alphabetical index, but no author index. 



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