DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY. 1964, 6

regards the medical audit as the only reasonable way of assessing clinical deci- sions. These studies of efficiency are mainly studies of how effectively medical decisions were carried out without judging the decisions themselves. The author is well aware of the limitations of this approach and he admits that operational research often demonstrates only the obvious. He does however recognise that in many

countries we need this kind of demonstra- tion before we will take administrative action.

Unfortunately the book contains a large number of typographical errors, and it is abundantly clear that English is not the author’s mother tongue. Despite these faults, this is a stimulating work on operational research.

PETER DRAPER

POEM Black and White

Merged with the museum walls they hung like ribbons. Among the simulated foliage, scarlet and black they hung, alike in death as life. An Indian, on my left, was taking notes. Are these snakes dangerous? I asked. and these, and these ? feeling his familiarity with Indian snakes. He, older than I, continued taking notes until my small persistence penetrated, ‘Small boy’, he said, not pausing in his work, ‘When I have finished with these notes, 1’11 let you know the dangerous ones.’

Barry Cole

442