There is a large amount of illustrative material relating to the history of dentistry, and this remarkable book makes extensive use of it. It traces the history of odontology and stomatology from the earliest civilizations up to the present day, covering the East as well as the West, and the text, which is extensively documented, is supported by a superb sequence of prints, drawings, and pictures, many in colour. These mainly depict extraction, instruments, anatomical structures, and operations and operative techniques. Many are cartoons, some well known, others rare. There are also photographs, title-pages, hand-bills, anatomical charts, manuscript pages, etc. An especially useful section deals with the teaching and evolution of dentistry in various countries of Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and of America, and the names of outstanding practitioners in each area are listed.The authors and the publishers have produced a most attractive book, which will have wide appeal. It is that rare mixture of a scholarly presentation which combines with an aesthetically pleasing format to create an outstanding contribution to the history of dentistry.LEONARDO DA VINCI, Anatomical drawings from the Royal Collection, London, Royal Academy of Arts, 1977, 8vo, pp. 159, illus., £3.00 (paperback). The exhibition of the Leonardo anatomical drawings from the Royal Library at Windsor, which was held at the Royal Academy from November 1977 to February 1978, attracted 84,751 visitors. This elegant catalogue is not only a detailed and scholarly guide to the exhibits, but it is also a notable contribution to the Leonardo literature. As well as a 'Preface' (Sir Hugh Casson), a 'Foreword' (Anthony Blunt), and an 'Introduction' (Carlo Pedretti), there is a brief, but excellent, essay by Dr. Kenneth D. Keele, who, with Professor Pedretti, will edit the forthcoming Corpus of Leonardo's anatomical studies in the Royal Collections. As a record of a successful exhibition and as a permanent demonstration of Leonardo's remarkable skills, this book will remain popular. Its price is modest, and exceedingly so when contrasted with the four-figure sum the Corpus wil demand.
