Essential Medical Physiology

"As a doctoral student in Toxicology, I am fairly well experienced in recognizing a good book... And this is not one of them. Compared to other areas such as classical biochemistry and gene regulation, physiology should be a pretty straightforward, "common sense" topic. Unfortunately, this text is riddled with riddles; even on intensive study, there are areas in this book with unexplained apparent contradictions. There is much explanatory text that I find incomprehensible-- "so what is this trying to say?" I ask. I have been learning science and doing well at it for a good while yet. If I can't get it, something is wrong. I am glad I didn't spend money on it... But I know why it was still on the library shelf when I sought to borrow a physiology book."
~ Written on 1999-03-29

"The number of typographical errors in this textbook is utterly astounding. This is completely unacceptable for a text that many medical students will use as gospel for physiology. In addition, much of the book goes into excruciating and unecessary detail, making it extremely slow to read. There are only a few positive things to say: (1) the renal and endocrine sections are quite good and (2) the clinical vignettes provide important information. There are far better texts available, try Guyton's "Textbook of Medical Physiology," already in its ninth edition."
~ Written on 1999-03-15

"I teach renal physiology for different courses, so I will focus my opinion mostly in this area. In general this is a very good book, especially in renal,digestive and endocrine physiology.It covers from system to cell physiology whenever is possible.Althogh the section on muscle physiology needs to be improved with more information in excitation contraction coupling and smooth muscle. Clearly written and provided with good illustrations. Clinical notes provide a good nexus between normal function and pathology.Renal physiology is particulary clear in concepts and facts.However, it uses names of the nephron nomenclature, especially fron micropuncture, which are not defined in the corresponding section. Also it seems to me that the chapter of acid and base physiology needs a more detailed discussion concerning the handling of NH4+.Renal physiology is hard to learn and the section in this book is a very good help."
~ Written on 1998-07-26