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It is always with great anticipation that one begins to review one of Leonard Swischuk's many publications. In this particular instance I had the added interest of having reviewed the previous, 1980, edition of this book, then titled Radiology of the Newborn and Young Infant . The change in title refleets much of what has changed in the practice of imaging diseases in the younger child. This book is presented in this textbook's traditional format divided into system-related chapters, eight in all. Within these chapters the material is presented in specific disease-related sections. Each of these sections ends with appropriate references. This juxtaposing of text and bibliography is an excellent method of integrating both items of information, but it does lead at times to the illustrations' lagging behind the text and gives rise to much turning of pages to find the appropriate figure. Some chapters stand out as being particularly good.

Rectoscopy is the direct instrumental visualization of the rectum; rectosigmoidoscopy is such visualization of both the rectum and the sigmoid flexure of the colon. It is striking, in view of the frequency of intestinal disturbances in infants and children, that a standardized technic of rectosigmoidoscopy, the only procedure available for the direct observation of the rectum and sigmoid flexure, for use with young children and its advantages have not been described in the literature. A survey reveals a few vague references to sporadic efforts to use the procedure, but the data are too general or too brief to be of practical value. When practiced, it was used primarily in older children, probably because of the easier management and simpler instrumentation, and seems to have been restricted to the rectum. The problem with the older child is not unlike that with the adult. However, with the younger child and the infant

To the Editor: —On April 11, a child, aged 7, was playing with another boy, aged 13. and in some manner a toy blank cartridge pistol, which had been loaded with a 22-caliber cartridge, with the bullet whittled down to allow it to enter the bore of the pistol, was discharged, the bullet entering the younger child's back, between the lower ribs and the crest of the ilium. In spite of everything that could be done, even to opening the abdomen in the hope of tracing the bullet, which had been followed from the rear as far as the spine, the child died about thirty-six hours after the accident. It was found that the toy pistol causing the child's death had been purchased for the celebration of last Fourth of July. Attorneys, physicians, and business men, together with the press, at once took up the matter of a prohibitive ordinance