BOOK REVIEWS 259Dale Kenmuir is a research officer at the Lake Kariba Fisheries Re-search Institute. He is a quiet man who has proved to be very fluent withthe pen. Some years ago. he admitted a temptation to change his career tojournalism. The text of his latest book reflects this desire in its free, easilyreadable style yet backed by scientific discipline and observation. The bookis an account of biological changes which have taken place in the ZambesiValley since the pre-impoundment surveys to the present time. Emphasishas been placed on early predictions (guesses) by various authorities andplanning committees of what would occur and then what actually happenedand continues to happen in the maturation process of an artificial lake.The story unfolds in nineteen short chapters. These cover the planningstage, the pre-flooded riverine environment, the river people, OperationNoah, changes to the fish populations, Kariba weed, drowned trees, tiger-fish and sardines, eels, jellyfish, shrimps and sponges, birds and crocodiles.Woven into the thread of the text are quotations from scientific reportsand papers from virtually every person who has been in some way involvedin the multifaceted biology of Kariba over the past twenty years. MrKenmuir has done his homework well.A review should include deserving criticism. I have only one comment.Those chapters dealing with fish catches (sardine, tigerfish and gill-netfisheries) stress the need for increased efficiency to realize the full protein-production potential of the lake. That the lake is currently underfishedappears obvious. Mr Kenmuir has however omitted to warn of the existenceof upper limits of exploitation in animal communities which if exceededlead to biological overfishing. Examples exist for fish and whales of thegreat oceans and closer to home, Lakes Victoria and Malawi. Kariba cannotsupply an unlimited source of food and careful management of its resourceswill become increasingly important.The small pencil sketches by the author's wife, Morag, and the lateRussel Williams (killed by terrorists) provide a visual atmosphere and tothose who have lived there, a recall of irreplaceable memories. Whetheror not you have been to Kariba you should read its story.The National Museum, Bulawayo B. G. DONNELLYThe Struggle for Health By J. Gilmurray, R. Riddell and D. Sanders. Gwelo,Mambo Press, Rhodesia to Zimbabwe No. 7, 1979, ZR$0,65.This small book, one of a series being published as Occasional Papersconcerning the transition to majority rule in Zimbabwe, is written by threegraduates of the University of Rhodesia, one an economist with an interestin development studies and the other two medical practitioners. The text,in six chapters, sets out a considerable amount of information concerningthe demography of the people of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, their disease patternand the historical development and present-day position of the health servicesin the country. There are extensive references to the various authoritiesand reports from which the authors derived their factual information andfor a small booklet the information therein is extensive.The authors state (p.34) that 'In general the health care services weregood by standards in many other parts of the African continent.' They arealive to the contribution made to improved health in other parts of the26O BOOK REVIEWSworld, particularly the developed world, by better nutrition, good watersupplies, adequate refuse and sewage disposal and reasonable shelter.Improvements in these essential needs can be brought about only byimproved social conditions engendered by economic prosperity and thecessation of the present war which has had an adverse effect on thedevelopment of the country.Few would argue with the authors that there must be an increasingdelivery of health services at rural levels; the problem is to encourage peopleto work in such areas. They advocate the training of large numbers ofvillage health workers (V.H.W.s) who would be invaluable, provided theyare willing to remain working in these areas on a part-time basis. Onlytime will tell whether those already trained will be acceptable. In referringto the Advanced Clinical Nurse (A.C.N.) they state (p.43) that 'the A.C.N.is really a doctor in practically everything but name'. I would take issuewith this and say they are highly skilled members of the nursing profession,a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant in modern parlance, but theirbasic training remains far short of that on which one would base the trainingof a medical practitioner. Efforts have been made in the Faculty of Medicineof the University of Rhodesia to expose students throughout their career tothe needs of community medicine, including a three-week attachment in theirfinal year in a rural area. Of recent years, owing to the war situation, thishas had to be curtailed but experience in primary medical health services isgiven in a rapidly developing urban township where many rural people arearriving daily. It is noted that neither of the two medical authors have spentany time working in the rural areas of Rhodesia, where their experiencemight have been broadened and thus brought greater professional relevanceto the text.In this reviewer's opinion the basic structure of the health services ofZimbabwe is sound. Their development depends on peace not war andincreasing economic prosperity. Many of the ideas suggested by the authorsare already incorporated in the programme for the future and others willbe readily adopted when the situation, both economic and military, allows.It is pleasing to see, even if from two authors who appear to be Londonbased, that they are aware of the needs of rural as opposed to urban healthservices. It is to be hoped that they and others will join with those inZimbabwe to help in providing the expertise to develop many of theirproposals in the future.University of Rhodesia W. FRASER ROSSAlternatives to Poverty By R. Riddell. Gwelo, Mambo Press, Rhodesia toZimbabwe No. 1, 20pp., ZR$0,30.This booklet is the first in a series of monographs in which a range of issueslikely to confront policy makers on development in a legally independentZimbabwe are discussed.The work falls into two main sections. One provides an historicalsummary of the process of development which has shaped the economy asit now stands, noting a number of current social and economic problemareas. The other, looks to the future, attempting to address in broad outline