Immunology for Surgeons

Abstract

Surgeons have long looked on the mystical concepts of immunology as a form of foreign tissue that interferes with their role in curing disease. The dawn of "the golden age of spare parts surgery" has, however, forced on all surgeons reexamination of this rapidly expanding field of scientific achievement. The role of immunology in the etiology and treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus, as well the development and control of malignant disease, is now broadly accepted by all surgeons. <i>Immunology for Surgeons</i>, edited by J. E. Castro, adds one more volume to a growing list of texts dealing with surgical immunology and must therefore compete with the surgeons' immunologic bible written by Belanti. The chapters include standard basic scientific material related to antigen-antibody responses, the role of complement, mechanisms of immunologic disease, immunosuppression, enhancement, and the production of immunologic tolerance. Dr Castro himself