Just a Little Scratch

Just a Little Scratch, subtitled "Anesthesia a straightforward guide to what it is"  is a new book by Dr David Raitt.

The thought of a forthcoming operation can be unsettling, but now these concerns and fears can be allayed by this new and highly informative book by near-40 year veteran anaesthetist Dr Raitt.

Before the advent of anesthesia surgery was brutal and carried out as quickly as possible before the patient died of shock, due to the excruciating pain of having a broken bone set, an operation performed or a diseased limb cut off.

This was all changed, however, with the discovery and development of various types of anaesthesia.

Dr Raitt's guide to anaesthesia givers the reader a brief overview of the history and the development of the branch of medical science known as anaesthesia and modern, cutting edge techniques.

It takes the reader through how it works, what the anesthetist does during the operation, what the best anaesthetics are and much more, besides.

Dr Raitt had taken a look at the available books on anaesthesia and had realised that the available books on the subject were either all so filled with advanced medical jargon and terminology, or conversely, were so basic that thy were of very limited use.

Dr Raitt wanted to write a book that was suitable for everyone, but would be of special interest to patients and their families, before an operation was performed.

Dr Rait -who trained as an anesthetist whilst he was serving in the RAF- and who then spent near 30 years as a consultant anaesthetist in the city of Leicester, was fully aware of how daunting an operation could be, so wanted to provide a book that was as comforting as it was informative.

It is written in a very approachable style. Apparently this is the first informative guide that Dr Raitt has written. As this is the case it is to be hoped that this will be the first of many such books that he will write.

Before I picked up this book, I would have doubted that a book on anesthesia would have been enthralling, but this slim, but highly informative book, is enthralling and utterly engrossing.

Although Dr Raitt has intended this book to be for the layman it is my opinion that this book will make an ideal Christmas present for anyone who is either already a medical student, or is in pre-med classes at college or university.

It will also be of valuable assistance to nurses and healthcare assistants, hospital chaplains and other people who work with patients who are about to undergo an operation.

Hospitals really should consider buying this book by the case for staff and patients to read. It really is that good.

It's published by Matador at an incredibly modest £8.99 it is an ideal Christmas stocking filler for everyone from the first year medical student to someone about to undergo a surgical procedure.

You can buy it from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, you'll find it to the right hand side of this book review.