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There have been astonishing advances in our understanding and treatment of stroke in recent times. We can reduce the risk of stroke by lowering raised blood pressure and by giving [...]

The new jargon in the health industry is fascinating. Hospitals are now 'provider units'; managers do not ignore the results of ballots about becoming trusts, they 'note' them. Best of [...]

Historical and contemporary images of ageing have generally reinforced negative stereotypes of old age. An examination of sculpture, painting, poetry, literature and film, as well as television, advertising, newspaper stories, birthday cards and road signs reveals that old age is often shown as being a time of loneliness, depression and physical decline. These conditions do occur but their prevalence and severity have been exaggerated. There are many myths of ageing that have been influenced by these representations: that old people with physical or cognitive decline are social problems; that families no longer care for their elders; that geriatric medicine is an unglamorous specialty. Low expectations of old people and ageist thinking can adversely affect how we speak of disadvantaged old people. The challenge is to question inaccurate assumptions. Key to the improvement of medical care of older people is to extend the teaching of geriatric medicine and improve and coordinate research.

The diagnosis of neurosyphilis is important but remains difficult because of variable clinical features and an unpredictable course. Laboratory confirmation involves a combination of serological tests, none of which alone provides a reliable indication of current disease activity. Although in the UK the incidence of neurosyphilis has fallen steadily, its many manifestations require clinicians to remain alert to the diagnosis, particularly because incidental antibiotic therapy may modify the presenting features. As a sexually-transmitted disease, the diagnosis of syphilis carries great social stigma. The need for informed consent before routine testing, and the provision of psychological support for the patient and carers in the event of a positive diagnosis, must be considered.

Stroke - The Facts By F. Clifford Rose and Rudy Capildeo. Published by Oxford University Press £4.95.The Nature of Phonological Disability in Children By Pamela Grunwell. Academic Press 1981. 243 pp. £12.80.Sensory Aids for the Hearing Impaired By Harry Levitt, James M. Pickett and Robert A. Houde. I.E.E.E. Press New York. 566 pp. £25.00.Disorders of Auditory Function III Ed. I. G. Taylor, and A. Markides. Academic Press 1980World-wide Conquests of Disability E. M. Macdonald. London: Bailliere Tindall (1981). 299 pp.Handicap in a Social World Ann Brechin, Penny Liddiard and John Swain. Hodder and Stoughton in association with the Open University Press (1981). 344 pp. £6.75.Research Procedures in Speech Language and Hearing By William M. Shearer. Williams and Wilkins. 1982. 262 pp. £14.25.