Gunter W. Korting, professor of dermatology of the University of Mainz, West Germany, has now edited volume 1, entitled General Dermatology, the third textbook in his series on Dermatology in Practice and Clinic. While the previously published volumes 2 and 3 describe the clinical aspect of dermatoses, the current one is about basic science, important text methods, general therapy, and newer fields of advances in dermatology. It is written by 35 experts in their respective fields, 25 from Germany, four from Austria, two each from Holland and Switzerland, and one each from Norway and Sweden.
Eight chapters cover a variety of subjects: macroscopic, microscopic, and electron microscopic anatomy of the skin, physiology of the skin, cutaneous circulation, sensory physiology, percutaneous absorption, and pruritus. The authors emphasize that pruritus is most effectively relieved by the sedative effect of antihistamines and that corticosteroids have only an indirect anti-inflammatory effect. Aspirin is useless