Book excerpt: Fairbrother's Textbook of Bacteriology, Tenth Edition provides an outline of the medical aspects of bacteriology. This book emphasizes the biological relationship of allied organisms. Organized into three parts encompassing 38 chapters, this edition begins with an overview of the various elements of the bacterial cell in detail, starting with external features such as flagella and capsules, and working inwards to the cytoplasm. This text then describes the principal toxic effects of the different groups of anti-bacterial substances. Other chapters consider the relationship of the different types of hypersensitivity to classical immune responses. This book discusses as well the earliest application of a specific chemical substance to the treatment of microbial disease. The final chapter deals with the various methods used to determine the sensitivity of bacteria to the different sulphonamides. This book is a valuable resource for medical students. Bacteriologists, chemists, pathologists, and microbiologists will also find this book useful.