STRICTURE OF THE RECTUM, ITS CLASSIFICATION AS TO CAUSATION, TOGETHER WITH ITS TREATMENT. By Chas. B. Kelsey, M. D.

This monogram is an able one, and its painstaking tabulation of diseases as regards cause and treatment, commends it to the profession. Its classification might have been more in accord with the etiology and pathology of the disease; yet for all practical purposes it is very good. The masterly advocacy of inguinal colotomy for the relief and cure of stricture, puts him in touch with the most progressive of European proctotomists. I dissent from him as to the frequency with which syphilis enters into the causation of stricture of the rectum. Observation in the outdoor department of St. Mark's Hospital, London, England, leaves me in no doubt as to the great frequency of syphilis as a cause of stricture. I am convinced more than fifty per cent. of all cases are directly traceable to syphilis. The hospital records at St. Mark's bear me out in this statement. According to Kelsey's table of cases, not more than ten or twelve per cent. of all cases are due to syphilis. As regards linear proctotomy for stricture, I quite agree with him that it should be complete and external.

St. Louis, Mo.

LEON STRAUS, M. D.

A TREATISE ON DISEASES OF THE RECTUM, ANUS AND SIGMOID FLEXURE. By Joseph M. Mathews, M. D., Professor of Principles and Practice of Surgery, and Clinical Lecturer on Diseases of the Rectum, Kentucky School of Medicine, etc.

In this progressive age when the "knowledge of to-day becomes the ignorance of to-morrow," how glad are we to welcome a new work, brimful of new teachings. Dr. Mathew's book is original, and eminently practical as well, in its teachings. The illustrations are generous, convincing, educating and correct. The author has carefully collected data all along the line and has reached conclusions that are peculiarly his own. Looking over the chapters devoted to Diseases of the Sigmoid Flexure-The Nervous Rectum, we are impressed with the original and eminently practical nature of the work. Every worker in surgery should be possessed of this volume, and more especially should every general practitioner secure it.

St. Louis, Mo.

LEON STRAUS.

RAILWAY INJURIES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THOSE OF THE BACK AND NERVOUS SYSTEM IN THEIR MEDICO-LEGAL AND CLINICAL ASPECTS. By Herbert W. Page, M. A., M. C., Cantab., F. R. C. S., Eng. W. M. Wood & Co., New York, 1892.

This is a book which everyone should read in connection with the subject of traumatism, and psychical or physical shock of the cerebrospinal system It is a legitimate sequel and fitting accompaniment of Erichsen's book, and antedates the work of Clevenger.

The author is rather inclined to the hysteria and psychical shock theory as an explanation of the phenomena of the so-called railway spine. He is

not very profound in his discussion of the subject of Electrical Tests in the Diagnosis of Cerebro-Spinal and Peripheral Nerve Disease. He is certainly not au fait on reaction of degeneration and its real significance in diagnosis, and is sceptical on Railway Spine, believing that simulation and psychical expectancy of possible recompense for injury, explains much in the peculiar symptomatology and delayed recoveries of the victims of railway accidents. The book cannot well be dispensed with by anyone who wishes to be thoroughly posted on the subjects on which it treats, whether the author's views are accepted or rejected by the investigators. This book has been before the medical profession for some time and has been well received. The date, 1892, is misleading.

THE MEDITERRANEAN SHORES OF AMERICA: or The Climatic, Physical and Meteorological Conditions of Southern California. By P. C. Remondino, M. D., member of the American Medical Association, of the American Public Health Association, of the State Board of Health of California; Vice-President of the California State Medical Society, and of the Southern California Medical Society. Illustrated with forty-five engravings and two double-page maps. In one handsome, royal octavo volume. 176 pages. Extra cloth, price, $1.25, net; cheaper edition, bound in paper, price, 75 cents, net. The F. A. Davis Co., Publishers, 1231 Filbert St., Philadelphia. This is a book of special interest to the health-seeking tourist, and of particular value to the physician looking for a suitable climate for his patients. Besides, the author is peculiarly well-fitted for the task he has assumed, and so well performed, by a large professional experience, liberal medical education and long residence in the delightful and salubrious section of our country about which he writes. The reviewer has been twice in Southern California, and at about all the places described in the book, and can verify, in general, its descriptions and conclusions.

A DICTIONARY OF PSYCHOLOgical MediciNE. Giving the Definition, Etymology, and Synonyms of the Terms used in Medical Psychology, with the Symptoms, Pathology, and Treatment of the recognized Forms of Mental Disorder, together with the Law of Lunacy in Great Britain and Ireland. Edited by D. Hack Tuke, M. D., LL. D., Examiner in Mental Physiology in the University of London, Co-editor of The Journal of Mental Science. Two volumes, cloth. A large number of short definitions of words have been introduced. Articles of greater length treat of the most important subjects which fall under the head of Psychological medicine. An account is given of the methods of Psycho-Physical Research which have been introduced in recent times into Psychological Laboratories established in various universities in Europe and in the United States; also of the results which have been reached in regard to the Reaction time of Mental Phenomena. An important feature of the Dictionary is the introduction of Bibliographical References in connection with the most important subjects treated of in the Articles; and, in addition to these, a copious Bibliography of English works bearing upon Psychological Medicine will be found at the

close of the work. Some of the most eminent names in psychological medicine have contributed articles and definitions. P. Blakiston, Son & Co., 1012 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, are the publishers.

Some subjects discussed at considerable length in these volumes are scarcely appropriate in a dictionary of psychological medicine, such as the sebaceous excretion and the cerumen of the ear, the details given being more appropriate to a work on physiology, and the prolonged detailed discussion of pachymeningitis, especially of the spinal variety, would suit better a treatise on neurology.

Hammond's Miryachit, Beard's Jumpers of Maine, and the simulation by the Insane, are not discussed or defined in this book.

The author's views are sound on moral insanity, and maintained with ability and skill. The differing views of this vexed question held by alienists results from mistaking the moral insanity of Prichard, or folie raisonnante of the French for moral depravity, whereas it is a disorder of the affective mental power, and may be manifested to extravagant conditions.

The author likewise gives undue space to the subject of neurasthenia. When we consider that he disputes the claims of Bouchut and Beard to having it classified as a morbid condition, distinct from hysteria, and falls into the common error of attributing to Beard the invention of the term, whereas it may be found in Dunglison's American Dictionary of Medicine, so far back as 1854, if not further, and was used by Van Deusen, of Kalamazoo, Mich., an asylum superintendent, who described the disease more definitely and appropriately in its psychopathic relations before Beard's first contribution on neurasthenia appeared .This chapter, which is by Rudolph Arndt, is, however, a very good one, though American neurologists who have seen much of this disease, and treated it often, probably take a more hopeful view of treatment and prognosis than the author, our own experience being that neurasthenics can almost always be cured, if they can be under medical management and have the means to carry out the treatment by rest, diversion, neural and psychical tranquilization, pending the reconstruction of the general neurotrophia, upon which the neurasthenia depends.

But these objections are trivial. It is easy to note defects in reviewing almost any book, especially first editions. It might even further be said without disparagement, that the subjects and authors yet omitted would almost equal those included in the text, that is, if all neurological subjects bearing on psychiatry be considered germane to the purpose of the book, for to include such would have too greatly enlarged the work for handy use.

And

The Anglicized term psychiatry does not appear in this dictionary, at least in its proper place, or if it does, we have overlooked it. this is a dictionary of psychiatry more accurately speaking, rather than of psychology, for it more especially discusses phases and symptoms of mind morbid, than of mind normal.

But it is almost captious to refer to these omissions, and we

would criticise in no such spirit. The editor takes, in our opinion, & proper view of the subjects of illusion and hallucination in wishing, after Esquirol, to give them distinctive differentiation in definition, notwithstanding Mr. Ball's objection. There is a special clinical value in the distinction.

The book is altogether a most valuable and much needed addition to the current literature of the psychoses. It is the most complete English contribution of its kind extant upon the subject. In fact, it is the first exclusively psychological dictionary ever attempted, and the author and many of his collaborators are well and favorably known to English, American and foreign alienism. It is high time such a book of reference in the English language should appear, and for one, we hail its coming with pleasure, and shall surely enjoy its pages with profit. It will be found of especial value to the student of morbid psychology as a work of ready-reference replete with accurate definitions, and the descriptions often as elaborate and complete as the illustrations are instructive. We especially commend the account of general paralysis of the insane, the facial illustrations of types of insanity, idiocy and other psychopathic states, the writing of the insane, the hand-pictures of nervous states, the pathological illustration of goiter and the chapter on the "Philosophy of Mind," and the historical sketch of the insane. . We, however, hope in the next edition to see its bibliographical list, and many more subjects in psychiatry and allied neuropathology, added to the text, especially from other than English sources.

MATERIA MEDICA, PHARMACY, PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS.— A Handbook for Students. By Wm. Hale White, M. D., F. R. C. P., etc., Physician to and Lecturer on Materia Medica, Guy's Hospital; Examiner in Materia Medica, Royal College of Physicians, London, etc. American Edition, Revised and Edited by Reynold W. Wilcox, M. A., M. D., Professor of Clinical Medicine at the New York PostGraduate Medical School and Hospital; Assistant Visiting Physician Bellevue Hospital, etc. 580 pages. P. Blakiston, Son & Co., Medical Publishers and Booksellers, 1012 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.

This is a plain and practical condensation of the subject (together with the author's own views) from such works as those of Mitchell, Bruce, Lauder Brunton, Sidney Ringer, Shoemaker, Martindale and Westcott, Squire and Elborne, Patton, Wood, Hare, Bartholow, Biddle and the U. S. Dispensatory.

FERMENTATION, INFECTION AND IMMUNITY. A new theory of these processes, which unifies their primary causation and places the explanation of their phenomena in Chemistry, Biology, and the Dynamics of Molecular Physics. By J. W. McLaughlin, M. D., Austin, Texas. Published by Eugene Von Boeckmann, Austin, Texas.

Diseases of the Lungs, Heart and Kidneys. By N. S. Davis, Jr., A. M., M. D., Professor of Principles and Practice of Medicine, Chicago Medical College; Physician to Mercy Hospital; Member of the

American Medical Association, Illinois State Medical Society, Chicago Medical Society, Chicago Academy of Sciences, Illinois State Microscopical Society; Fellow of the American Academy of Medicine, Author of "Consumption, How to Prevent it and How to Live with it,' etc. No. 14 in the Physicians' and Students' Ready-Reference Series. In one neat 12mo volume of 359 pages, extra cloth, $1.25 net. The F. A. Davis Co., 1231 Filbert Street, Philadelphia.

The Scarlet Letter. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. Vernon Bros. & Co., paper makers, 65 and 67 Duane St., New York, have adopted a novel method of advertising their book papers by printing books of celebrated authors as samples. The sample before us is printed in their No. 60 bulky laid novel paper.

Rupture of the Aortic Valves with Demonstration of Specimen. Aneurisms of Right Auricular Appendix. By Ludvig Hektoen, M. D., Chicago.

An Operation for the Radical Cure of Stricture of the Lachrymal Duct, with Description of a Stricturotome. By Charles Hermon Thomas, M. D., of Philadelphia.

Pseudo-Chromesthesia, or the Association of Colors with Words, Letters and Sounds. By William O. Krohn, Ph. D., Fellow in Clark University.

Tuberculin and the Living Cell; an Inquiry as to how the One Aids the Other in a Fight Against Tuberculosis. By Charles Denison, A. M., M. D.

A Contribution to the Study of the Care of the Insane: being Chapter III, Vol. II., Hospital and Asylum Construction. By Geo. F. Hammond. Architect, Cleveland, Ohio.

Report on Abdominal and Pelvic Surgery, Including Thirty-Two Successful Cases of Laparotomy, By William H. Watnen, M. D., M. D., Louisville, Ky.

Some Illustrations of the Working of the Plea of Insanity in Criminal Prosecutions. A Plea for the Better Regulation of Expert Testimony. By Richard Dewey, M. D.

Ataxia. Clinical lecture delivered at the Arapahoe County Hospital. By J. T. Eskridge, M. D., Denver, Colorado.

The Pathological Anatomy of Acute Arsenical Poisoning. By Ludvig Hektoen, M. D.

Criminal Responsibility in the Early Stages of General Paralysis. By Frank P. Norbury, M. D., Jacksonville, Ill.

The Trial of Alice Mitchell for Killing Freda Ward.-Forensic Psychiatry. By F. L. Sim, M. D.