638 Book Reviews

reglulation of acid base balance; mechanisms of concentra- tion and dilution of urine; renal regulation of extracellular volume and osmolality. At the end of each chapter are a series of numerical problems based on the text (the answers are given at the back of the book) and literature references. The material is presented in a clear manner and the book will be very useful to those who require more information than is given in the standard physiology textbook.

the experimental work of the author. The volume provides a useful indication of present biochemical studies on the kidney.

Health Economics: Prospects for the Future---Edited by G. Teeling Smith. 278 pp. 1987. Croom Helm, London. £27.50.

Molecular Nephroiogy. Biochemical Aspects of Kidney Func- tion. 8th International Symposiunv--Edited by Z. Kovacevic and W. G. Guder. 424 pp. 1987. de Gruyter, Berlin. DM 245.

The main sections of this book are: function of brush border membrane; transport ATPases and metabolite transporting systems; cell membrane potential and transport processes; acid base regulation; action of drugs and metabolism; pathobiochemical models; renal kallikrein-kinin system, developmental aspects of renal metabolism. 57 papers are presented in this multi-author work and they each describe

Health economics is a growth industry and as health care takes a greater percentage of national economies, so studies are made of the cost benefits. This multi-authored volume looks at health economics throughout the world (U.K., Europe, Scandinavia, U.S.A., New Zealand, Japan): Health economics research; Measurement of benefits; The pharma- ceutical industry (structure of the industry, pricing medicines, pharmaceutical competition, pharmaceutical regulation). It is suggested that the USA may be spending 20% of its gross domestic product on health care by the early 2000"s (it now spends more than 11%) and so greater effort will be made to see that this money is well spent. This book indicates some of the problems and answers.