On voting to decriminalise cannabis recently, the Belgian parliament was quoted as saying “a society without drugs is an illusion.” The place of mind altering substances in society is the subject of Intoxicating Minds (Ciaran Regan, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, £14.99, ISBN 0 297 84287 0), which offers a view on the continually developing relation between drugs, behaviour, and society. The author, an associate professor of pharmacology, considers the use of legal drugs such as nicotine and alcohol alongside illegal drugs such as opium and cocaine. He explains his thoughts on human development and the influence drugs have in this area, introducing ideas new to the science behind pharmacology and brain function.
To succeed as a hospital doctor, it is invariably necessary to develop skills not actually taught in any great depth during medical training. Indeed, the ability to manage teams or work within them, which is left to people to learn for themselves, remains vital to working in hospitals. Succeeding as a Hospital Doctor (Roger Kirby and Tony Mundy, Health Press, £19.50, ISBN 1 899541 68 3) analyses practical ways to make progress in hospital medicine and avoid many pitfalls. Several well established doctors offer their own tips. For example, Professor Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, explains why doctors with an “autocratic” approach may be associated with “dysfunctional clinical teams.”
Depression, the commonest psychiatric condition, has many causes and many implications, both social and economic. Depression: Social and Economic Timebomb (eds Ann Dawson and Andre Tylee, BMJ Books, £16.95, ISBN 0 7279 1573 8) is based on recent papers and outlines the development of depression, the current situation, and what the future holds. It explores the issues affecting individuals (patients or care providers) and tackles the issues relating to depression's place in society. Having set the scene of depression in the global community, the book also offers practical suggestions for management at primary care level.
As patients' knowledge and expectations have increased, so palliative care has grown more sensitive to their needs. Coupled with this is more emphasis on holistic medicine. Palliative Care in the Home (Derek Doyle and David Jeffrey, Oxford University Press, £27.50, ISBN 0 19 263227 2) attempts to place the role of specialist palliative care in context. This book is a guide for primary care team members and aims to improve the overall quality of care. It deals with the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social issues that may arise when caring for patients and relatives in their home.
. 2001 Feb 17;322(7283):437.