• Medical Aid at Accidents, by Roger Snook, MD (Update Publications, £5.75) is probably the only comprehensive book on the subject and covers all types of incident from under water to mountain top, though naturally the accent is on road traffic accidents.

Though primarily for doctors, it is not too technical and with the glossary it is within the range of all those involved.

It is full of practical tips and useful information, well written and well arranged.

Some of the illustrations are too small to show the detail needed and it is a pity that more advantage was not taken of the larger pages, but of course this would have increased the cost. Because this subject is advancing so rapidly this book will be out of date fairly soon, but it is to be hoped that the publishers will live up to their name and produce updated editions in the future.—G.H.

• A full analysis of charities would probably need a computer to assimilate the facts and an encyclopaedia to record them. It is a brave man who wades intosuch a confusing field and a resolute one who emerges with a readable and informed book. In The Price of Charities (Robert Hall, £3.80) J. P. Gallagher has gathered plenty of information but drawn few conclusions. At the same time he has dispelled many popular fallacies —just as most people have a pet charity it seems that also they have a pet complaint about charity and it is seen that very few of these are valid.

The first part of the book deals with generalities: what defines a charity, how much money is given, where it comes from and the involvement of the law and the Charity Commissioners. In the second half the author examines a few charities in depth (including the RNLI) and reviews their purpose, funding and operation. In a world where controversy thrives it is interesting to see no major criticism in these accounts, perhaps, one hopes, because the charities examined are administered efficiently.

Nobody really knows how many charities there are or how much money they raise, but with over 1,000 new ones registered every year and many millions of pounds going their way it is certainly time that everyone knew a little more about the subject. There are at least three separate committees studying charities and charity law at the moment and it will be interesting to see their conclusions. Meanwhile, Mr Gallagher's book is a good way of learning some of the facts—and disposing of many of the fantasies.

Mr Gallagher writes of the RNLI that 'it has been running with supreme efficiency for 150 years and it would be freely admitted in Whitehall that no Government in Britain could afford to do the job so well'. He also states that 'compared with many charities the RNLI's annual accounts are veritable models of honesty and clarity'.—R.K.

• Two new most interesting station histories, well illustrated and containing detailed records, have been published recently: The History of the Barmouth Lifeboats 1828-1974 by J. P. Morris, available from Mrs D. M. Forrester- Addie, Nantglas, Barmouth, Gwynedd, price 35p, post 8p; and The History of Jersey's Lifeboats by Ian G. Moignard, available from Mr Moignard, 16 Beach Crescent, St Clement, Jersey, CI, price 65p, post lOp (cheques should be made payable to 'I. G. Moignard re Jersey Lifeboat History').

In the spring issue of THE LIFEBOAT an article was published on the development of the Arun class from which, unfortunately, the name of the designer of the hull was omitted. The prototype was of course designed by J. A.

McLachlan, FRINA, of G. L. Watson and Co., Glasgow..