Best books on genitourinary medicine: a personal choice.(Bibliography)

Anyone exploring the sexually transmitted diseases section of one of Britain's few remaining medical bookshops will encounter a rampant overgrowth of publications on every aspect of HIV infection and AIDS but will be lucky to find more than a meagre selection of books about the rest of genitourinary medicine. Unfortunately, this reflects what is available. In particular, some of the better British reference and undergraduate books are currently out of print, so that my principal recommendations are all American. The differences between American and British practice are particularly apparent in the advice on management and the assumptions about microbiological support.

Books for specialists

*** Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2nd edn. K K Holmes, P A Mardh, P F Sparling, P J Weisner. (89.50[pounds]). McGraw-Hill, 1989. ISBN 0 07 029677 4

* Sexually Transmitted Diseases. G W Csonka, J W Oates. (62[pounds]). Balliere Tindall, 1990. ISBN 0 7020 1258 0

* A Colour Atlas of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. A Wisdom. (24.50[pounds]). Wolfe, 1989. ISBN 0 7234 1592 7

*** Work Roles and Responsibilities in Genitourinary Medicine Clinics. I Allen, D Hogg. (17.95[pounds]). Policy Studies Institute, 1993. ISBN 0 85374 570 6

With 200 pages one can expect Holmes et al to be used for reference. It has world authorities providing unequalled, thoroughly referenced overviews: the sections on pelvic inflammatory disease and genital herpes are outstanding. Everything (history, sociology, biology) is there, although not every section is good, and the logical and comprehensive structure of the book leads to some subjects being covered with a thoroughness that will not be appropriate for many of its readers.

Csonka and Oates, …