Cruise Medicine

Media Review

CJEM 2001;3(3):235

Cruise Medicine. 2nd ed. Edited by Theodore E. Harrison. 1999. Maritime Health Systems, Ltd. 490 pp. US$99.

This is an interesting book on a specialized topic pertinent to emergency physicians. The practice of maritime medicine on cruise ships requires skills similar to emergency medicine, and some of us work from time to time on these cruise ships. Cruise Medicine seems to be the only reference book available on this subject.

Written by 19 experienced authors, many of them MDs, this book presents information specific to the marine environment, such as infectious disease, toxicology, environmental medical problems, critical care and evacuations. The difficulties and limitations in diagnosing and treating critically ill patients at sea are well discussed.

Each chapter concludes with references and a review questionnaire with answers, many with annotations. Most of the references are a bit old, but these subjects are not hot topics with a lot of recent research.

Cruise Medicine is a good reference book for an emergency physician who is dreaming of becoming "the cruise ship doctor" on a "Love Boat."

Claude Topping, MD
Directeur, Programme de formation
complémentaire de médecine d'urgence
Département de médecine familiale
Université Laval
Québec (Qué.)
claude.topping@mfa.ulaval.ca