Synopsis

Principles of Respiratory Medicine is a comprehensive text written by distinguished physicians who have practiced respiratory medicine for several decades in India. The authors have not compromised on the generally accepted description of respiratory diseases common to the affluent West and to poor developing countries. Their special emphasis is, however, on respiratory diseases peculiar to India and other tropical countries.  The text, divided into twenty-two sections and extremely well-illustrated, succeeds in giving a comprehensive view of different respiratory diseases as observed in India and other tropical countries. A highlight of the book is the discussion on the threat of pulmonary tuberculosis and its unsolved challenges. The epidemiology, the subtle variation in clinical presentation, and the natural history of respiratory diseases in regional contexts have been clearly emphasized. In these respects, this book differs significantly from the many books on respiratory diseases written by western authors, and is a landmark book not only in India but perhaps also in Southeast Asia.  The book should be of considerable interest to students, consultants, and pulmonologists in India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and to professional colleagues in the West.