Reviews

Title: "Vertebral Subluxation Complex" (poster)

Author: Richard Hartman, DC

Category: Patient education

Price: $55.00

This poster represents one doctor's answer to a problem we have all faced: "There are so many good posters to use for patient education where do I put them all?" Dr. Hartman has given us one solution, the Vertebral Subluxation Complex poster.

This is a 21" x 35" full color poster which includes much of the information we want to communicate to a patient during a report of findings. As we all know, many patients learn far more by seeing a picture than by reading a brochure. In this poster, Dr. Hartman has included a spinal nerve chart demonstrating a lateral view of the full spine, the areas supplied by the various nerve root levels and some of the possible problems associated with that area. There is also a close-up diagram of the cervical and lumbar spine indicating the type of problems associated with the components of the VSC and immediately below the diagrams a description of each of the five components of the VSC. On the top of the chart is a series of radiographs demonstrating the four phases of spinal degeneration in the cervical spine.

I believe Dr. Hartman has done a wonderful job of incorporating multiple images onto one poster. The only drawbacks I found were the lack of thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs and the column of "Possible Effects and Conditions," which I feel sometimes portrays an absolute relationship between certain spinal levels and certain disease for which we don't have research as of yet.

Overall, I found this to be a good poster, and one which could be used by all members of the profession.

Savoie Rating: 8.5

Stephen Savoie, DC

Title: One Liners for Your Success, Health, and Happiness

Author: Will Tickel, DC

Category: Aphorisms

Publication: Soft cover, 134 pages

Publisher: Tickel Productions, Inc.

Price: $19.95

This collection of aphorisms by Will Tickel (his second book), is what he calls a "workbook" or a "checkbook to check where you currently are." The book was designed as a devotional from which to glean inspiration and balance in the pursuit of "success, health, and happiness." It is, occasionally, a compilation of Tickel's favorite quotations, old saws, and original reflections. I read it in its entirety, then as he recommended, as a daily ritual. Either way it came up pap.

It is a string of sayings, one per page, droning on for 134 pages. Many, although heard before, cite no source. Many were so common as to be trite: "Dis ease is lack of ease." Some sayings, although illustrative of a fine turn of phrase or a good metaphor, were worthy of a gag reflex: "Innate is the frame dwelling I occupy on earth, situated at the corner of temporal and everlasting."

The topics chosen offer great fodder for reflection: self-discovery, peace of mind, healing capacity and commitment. However, the maxims used were for the greater part insipid and self-evident. Many build upon each other, page after page, but I question what was constructed. "Life is a miracle." "Expect a miracle." "Life is healthy."

When I first picked up the book, I thought, "Huh?" When I put the book down after my third time through it I still said, "Huh?" I could see it surviving as a devotional pamphlet at a quarter of the cost, but for the same money I would rather seek inspiration from a text by Calliet, reflections by Esteb, or a religious text already on my shelf. In the words of one quote from the book: "The less I say, the more I say." I've said enough.

Silvestrone Rating: 4

Judy Silvestrone, DC