The camera in medicine.

The history and future role of the camera in medicine are examined here with the use of many film clips. The versatility of the camera is demonstrated with illustrations ranging from the early 20th century x-ray films of Dr. Russel Reynolds to a glimpse of the operating theatre of the future where robots assist with endoscopic surgery and the surgeon is guided by a magnified 'floating' image which hovers above the patient. Among the contributors are Dr. David Cook, ethicist, who warns that doctors' enthusiasm for the endoscopic camera might supplant their relationship with the patients on whom they are using it; Dr. Alfred Cuschieri (Univ. of Dundee) who explains the endoscopic camera and emphasises the complex skills that doctors must acquire before using it in the operating theatre; and Dr. Carol Lane (specialist in ocular plastic surgery) who describes the advantages of film in teaching surgical skills to medical students.