BOOK REVIEWS Emergency Psychiatry for the House Officer Beverly S. Fauman, MD Michael A. Fauman, MD, PhD 1981, Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore

Emergency Psychiatry for the House Officer, by Beverly S. Fauman, MD, and Michael A. Fanman, MD, PhD, is an extremely useful little monograph on the initial assessment and management of common emergency department psychiatric problems.

I intend to make the book required reading for all the residents in our program as well as those rotating on our service. It is written in extremely readable prose style and makes very clear points for the approach to various prob- lems that are described.

In criticism, I wish that the authors had used trade names as well as generic names for the drugs throughout the book rather than causing one to constantly refer back to the chapter on psychiatric medications. Second, I would have wished a more thorough discussion of how to distinguish the suicidal gesturer from the seriously suicidal patient.

John H. van de Leuv, MD, CM - - Editor Dayton, Ohio

Third, I was surprised at the statement that malingerers are u n c o m m o n in the emergency department. At times, they represent a major portion of the workload (ie, patients with obscure symptoms who are searching for a work release for one or more days or who are drug abusers looking for new prescriptions). Finally, I would have enjoyed a more thor- ough management section for those emergency depart- ments that do not have ready access to psychiatric consulta- tion, evaluation, or management.

The book is very appropriate for the major emergency de- partment that has the backup support of either a psychiatric service or a community mental health center, but it will leave some gaps for those emergency departments that have nothing but a state hospital for referral.

All in all, I truly enjoyed this book and feel that it will make an important and useful addition to the emergency literature. It will be useful not only for the house officer, but for anyone who works full-time in emergency medicine.

Peter Rosen, MD Annals Contributing Editor

The Common Sense Medical Guide and Outdoor Reference Newell D. Breyfogle 1981, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York

The most suitable place for this Outdoor Reference is not outdoors in your backpack, but outdoors in your garbage c a n .

If you follow this not-so-concise but reasonably well- illustrated guide, you will get a piece of fish hook in your eye as you clip the barbed end in order to remove the hook, as there is no reference to eye protection; and burn your hand using a paperclip prior to its use on relieving a clot in a subungual hematoma.

In all fairness, great time and effort were spent in putting together a manual of medical and outdoor skills for today's active population. My own feeling is that this book would only supplement, and certainly not replace, a copy of the US Air Force Survival Manual, which may be purchased through the US Government Printing Office or one of its book stores for only $1.00 or so more than the cost of this book.

James S. Simon, MD Annals Contributing Editor

ABEM Notice On June 30, 1988, the practice option will terminate for those physicians wishing to meet the credential require- ments of the American Board of Emergency Medicine's certification examination. Practice, teaching, or CME accumulated after the above date may not be used to satisfy the practice requirements. Questions should be directed to ABEM, 1305 Abbott Road, Suite 101, East Lansing, MI 48823; 517/332-4800.

98/107 Annals of Emergency Medicine 11:2 February 1982