By Caroline Bradbeer. Pp 96; £3.50. London: Family Doctor Publications in association with the BMA, 2001. ISBN 1-903474-00-0.

This book certainly compares favourably with some of the offerings available in our local pharmacies and health food shops. Overall, it gives a concise summary of female genital infective problems and physiology in clear and accessible language. This is supplemented by a series of clear illustrations, case discussions, and summary boxes. As well as the general public, medical students and nurses might find this a useful and informative book.

While there were no major reservations about the book the title did seem a little misleading. Although “thrush” is covered well and sensibly it is only a relatively minor part of this book. Maybe it should have been called “women’s genital symptoms—including thrush, cystitis, and other infections.” Also it is not really relevant to perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and this isn’t made clear in the introduction. The only real shortcoming was that painful sex was given too little space and although vulvodynia is mentioned and indexed there is no mention of the vulval vestibulitis syndrome despite this being commonly misdiagnosed as “problem thrush.”

A good little book for the pharmacy bookshelf and to recommend to patients.