Robert Puls. Published by Serpa International, P.O.. Box 2256 ... Reviewed by Ian W. Wilkie, Veterinary Laboratory. Services, Ontario Ministry ofAgriculture and ...
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BOOK REVIEWS
RECENSIONS DE LIVRES Progress in Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology. Vol. 2: Veterinary Microbiology. 1986.
The 2nd volume of Progress in Veterinary MicroI biology and Immunology contains seven reviews of quite varied topics. Two reviews deal with host defense systems: ruminant immunoglobulins and the complement systems of domestic animals. Three reviews discuss infections by microorganisms: Equine herpesvirus-i, bovine pyelonephritis caused by Corynebacterium species, and Mycobacterium bovis. The remaining two reviews have vaccines as their topics: Vaccines against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and leptospiral vaccines. The editor commented about himself in the preface of the first volume: . . ."he is victim of personal bias in the selection of topics." In the same vein, the reviewer of this volume is prone to bias in his personal judgements. I was somewhat disappointed by the review on "Biochemistry and biology of the complement system in domestic animals" by Linscott. Admittedly, the topic is too wide to be appropriately covered in a review of this nature. Nevertheless, the emphasis is almost entirely on isolation and identification of complement components by titration in a hemolytic system. Very little effort has been devoted to the biology of the complement system. I liked best the reviews on immunoglobulins of ruminants, equine herpesvirus-l and E. coli vaccines. These reviews do not comprise a collection of facts only, but the authors also raise questions and extrapolate current knowledge into provocative concepts. The novice as well as the experienced investigator will find a wealth of information in Butler's review on "Biochemistry and biology of ruminant immuno-
globulins". This monograph includes an enlightening discussion on similarities and differences of the biology of immunoglobulins in man and other animal species, especially of the biology of ruminant IgGl in comparison to IgA. Allen and Bryans present a comprehensive review entitled "Molecular epizootiology, pathogenesis and prophylaxis of equine herpesvirus-1 infections". Reviewing epidemiological, pathogenetic and molecular data, they provide convincing evidence for the existence of two subtypes of the equine rhinopneumonitis virus: subtype 1 predominantly causing abortion and subtype 2 mainly causing respiratory disease. In their concluding remarks, they discuss new avenues for further research. Their suggestion to use virusspecific monoclonal antibodies coupled to cellular toxins (e.g. ricin A-chain) in therapy may perhaps be too optimistic in view of the latency of the virus. Myers critically discusses the timely topic of "Vaccine development against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli". The benefit of vaccination of the dam prior to farrowing in controlling neonatal diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic colobacillosis is weighed against the potential increase of postweaning diarrhea in pigs. On the whole, the volume can be recommended to readers interested in obtaining more detailed information on the topics mentioned above. Reviewed by Henry Tabel, Department of Veterinary Biology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N OWO.
Plant Poisoning in Animals (A Bibliography from the World Literature). M.R. Hails and T. Crane. Published by C.A.B. International. Slough, U.K. 1986.
This is not a text but an annotated bibliography, i.e. a list of references many of which (50%) contain an abstract. This bibliography has been published as a supplement to "plant poisoning in animals No. 1, a bibliography from the world literature, 1960-1979". The references (some 875) are primarily drawn from the world agricultural and veterinary literature 1980-1982 and arranged taxonomically. This arrangement requires that the user know the proper botanical name of the plant of interest before using this as an information resource. A very helpful author and subject index have been included. Of particular Can Vet J Volume 30, February 1989
benefit to the toxicologist and others investigating incidents of plant poisoning is the subject index which has been further subdivided into plant species, animal (common name) poisoned, poison constituent, signs and pathology, and geographical source. Fungi and mycotoxins have not been included probably due to the voluminous literature available in this area. In conclusion, this bibliography (No. 2, 1980-1982) when used along with the first publication (No. 1, 1960-1979) is a novel and useful library resource for references to published information, during the stated time period, on the adverse effects of plants in animals. 189
The abstracts provide some basic data and guide the reader as to the usefulness of the reference. This bibliography, however, would be of little value to practitioners as a direct source of toxicology information.
Reviewed by Herman J. Boermans, Assistant Professor of Toxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada NIG 2WJ.
Mineral Levels in Animal Health - Diagnostic Data. Robert Puls. Published by Serpa International, P.O. Box 2256, Clearbrook, B.C. V2T 4X2. 250 pages. Price $45. (Can.)
his book presents tables of tissue-levels followed by brief notes on signs of toxicity and/or deficiency, diagnosis, and treatment for forty "mineral" elements. Each is treated in order, alphabetically by element, and by species of domesticated animal affected. While the data are generally available in other textbooks, none presents them in this concise and ready format, and one would usually need to consult several texts to glean the same basic information. The author has consulted a large number of sources ("many thousands") and applied his own judgement, gained through long experience, in arriving at levels for categories where no consensus exists. No one should use the book without first reading the "usernotes" and "Interpretation of data" sections at the beginning, where the author warns against uncritical use of tissue-levels for diagnosis of a deficiency
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or toxic status. Mineral interactions, breed and strain variations, homeostasis, locality differences, and laboratory error, all conspire to prevent life from being so simple. However, for anyone involved in making decisions on mineral status for whatever reasons, (clinical and laboratory diagnosticians, feed formulators, etc), this is a valuable quick guide. I think it would have been even more valuable if a few key references were appended to each element's section. Although a companion volume consisting of a comprehensive reference list is to follow, the key-reference approach would be more economical and more likely to provoke further
reading. Reviewed by Ian W. Wilkie, Veterinary Laboratory Services, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, P. O. Box 3612, Guelph, Ontario NIH 6R8.
LETTER FROM LONDON
UN MOT DE LONDRES Monaco, November 1989 Bruce Fogel *! ;A s a profession, our responsibili,t¶ties have been evolving faster than perhaps we would like them to, and nowhere is this more apparent -. than in the field of client-patientveterinarian relations. Over the last hundred years we have been respon- ^sible for the maintenance of an _ efficient transportation system, for assisting with animal-derived protein production, and for the care and attention of a variety of social species of mammals that for some reason or other our society has actually chosen to take into their homes. Since graduatingfrom OVC with a DVM in 1970, Bruce Fogel has been in small animal practice in London, England. He has written two popular books, Pets and Their People and Games Pets Play, and has just completed a BBC television series on the behavior of pets.
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All of us know the statistics today. The vast majority of veterinarians in North America and Western Europe are now involved in the care of companion animals, animals with no apparent economic worth. The question why so many people keep companion animals and what our professional responsibility should be in the future is no longer one coming from a minority group. It is now a predominant thought for the future. Canada was the first country to seriously ask this question with symposia in the 1970s - the Pets in Society series. The Americans were surprisingly late in taking a broad look at the question. In 1980 the first international symposium on the subject, a meeting called 'The Human Companion Animal Bond' was held in London, and since then three further international meetings have taken place, Philadelphia in 1982, Vienna in 1983, and Boston in 1986. Later this year, in November, the fifth in this series of meetings will take place in Monaco, and, going full circle, there will be significant Canadian participation in it. Can Vet J Volume 30, February 1989
