Renal Medicine

Professor David Kerr Royal Victoria Infirmary) Newcastle upon Tyne Do we need another book on renal disease? There are few small books, particularly from this side of the Atlantic, which provide a really sound foundation of renal physiology, biochemistry and immunology. For two decades "The Kidney" by Hugh de Wardener has given a splendid background in renal physiology but I doubt if any author has brought to this subject as wide an experience and knowledge of basic science as Dr Wardle possesses. His researches have ranged over haematology, the role of in- travascular coagulation in acute renal failure, the biochemistry of uremic metabolites, the immunology of glomerulonephritis, to hyperlipidemia in the genesis of arterial disease. In all these topics he has mastered the laboratory techniques as well as studying the patients personally. He therefore has a unique opportunity to show how renal disease can be illuminated by an understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism and to point the way to future treatment more logical than the crude and empirical methods we use today. This approach should appeal particularly to the young graduate whose memory of biocht: mistry and physiology is still reasonably fresh.