rapy, dietotherapy; not forgetting of course, the older methods worth preserving.

Read his plan of applying cold compresses, particularly that to the neck. The book will repay reading-instructive, suggestive and enjoyable.

Pathological Technique. A Practical Manual for Workers in Pathological Histology and Bacteriology including Direc tions for the Performance of Autopsies and for Clinical Diagnosis by Laboratory Methods by Frank Burr Mallory, A.M., M.D., and James Homer Wright, A.M., M.D., S.D. Eighth edition, revised and enlarged, with 180 illustrations. Philadelphia and London: The W. B. Saunders Company. Canadian Agents: The J. F. Hartz Co., Limited, Toronto and Montreal. 1924. Price, cloth, $6.50

net.

This is the eighth edition of this well known and standard work on this subject. It contains chapters on Histological Technique and Culture Media, Culture Methods, Microscopical Examination of Bacteria, Descriptions of Bacteria, Animal Parasites, The Blood Serological Technique, and Post Mortem Examinations. In addition to the subjects dealt with in the previous editions, brief directions in regard to photography of gross pathological specimens, and the essentials of photomicrography have been added.

It is one of the most useful and complete books of its kind and can be recommended to any one who is interested in Pathology or Bacteriology. It has been re-written so that it has been brought entirely up to date.

The Diagnosis of Nervous Diseases, by Sir James PurvesStewart, K.C.M.G., C.B., M.D. Edin., F.R.C.P., Senior Physician to the Westminster Hospital. Sixth edition, revised. London: Edward Arnold & Co., 41-3 Maddox Street, W. Price, 30s. net. 1924.

The author has endeavored in this edition to throw inaccurate and unhelpful material of former editions into the discard and to incorporate important facts in neurology which have come to light since the publication of the fifth edition. He has approached the subject from the clinical standpoint. We have been particularly enlightened by Sir James' chapter on the psycho-neuroses which has been written anew; to us it appears a sanely logical informative exegesis of the subject, particularly in respect to the Freudian doctrines.

Following the usual anatomical and physiological introductions the author wisely describes how to take the history of a case of nervous disease. He then discusses delirium, coma, convulsive seizures, involuntary movements, aphasia, disorders of articulation, lesions of the cranial nerves, pain and other abnormal subjective symptoms, organic paralysis of the upper and lower neurone types, palsies, inco-ordination, postures and gaits, trophoneuroses, and reflexes.

Particularly interesting are his views on affections of the vegetative nervous system and (as we have said) the fune tional (?) neuroses. He devotes a chapter to electro-diagnosis and electro-prognosis; and also-which is timely-on the cercbro-spinal fluid. A discussion on sleep and intra-cranial tumors closes this excellent work.

How Is Your Heart? Intimate Talks on the Prevention of Heart Disease and on the Care of an Already Damaged Heart, by S. Calvin Smith, M.S., M.D. Boni & Liveright, publishers, New York. 1924. Price, $1.75.

We cannot describe this book better than by quoting what appears on the fly leaf, as follows: "How is your heart? Ask yourself the question at the 19th hole, or on the morning after or at the fag end of a gruelling business day or at the 27th dance or after the last course of a swell dinner. The heart these days is being abused in proportion to its importance which means a pretty stiff dose of abuse. A knowledge of how to treat your heart as it deserves, how to interpret its messages, how to live more keenly and more happily is what this book offers." The author has succeeded.

Practical Chemical Analysis of Blood. A Book Designed as a Brief Survey of this Subject for Physicians and Laboratory Workers, by Victor Caryl Myers, M.A., Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Department of Biochemistry, New York Post-Graduate Medical School and Hospital. Second revised edition, illustrated. St. Louis, Mo.: The C. V. Mosby Company. Canadian Agents: MeAinsh & Co., Toronto. Price, $5.00. 1924.

The only fault to be found in this book is the title, which might lead one to believe that it contained merely a description of methods and chemical examination of the blood. True, the chemical tests of the blood are described, but more useful still to the internist, the surgeon and the general praetitioner, are the pages which describe the various clinical conditions in which abnormalities of the chemical constituents

of the blood are described and discussed. The preface states "The object has been to present briefly a discussion of the chemical blood determinations which have been found of definite value in the diagnosis and treatment of disease."

The name of the author is a guarantee of the soundness of the work and of the opinions discussed. Tables of the normal constituents of the blood and the variations found in disease are given and are of great help to any one looking for such knowledge.

Chemical blood estimation is work for a highly trained chemist and such an one will find the book most useful for it is written by an authority on the subject. For the internist and surgeon it is also to be highly recommended.

Anesthesia, by James Taylor Gwathmey, M.D., First President of the American Association of Anesthetists. With Collaborators on Special Subjects. Illustrated, second revised edition. New York and Toronto: The Macmillan Company. 1924. Price, $9.00.

A book of 800 pages! Such indicates the rapid development of this branch of medicine and surgery. Surgeons, in addition to having their patients insensible to pain during operation so that they can work with freedom and confidence, further insist that the patient's vitality shall be maintained, the severity of shock lessened as much as possible and the patient secured (in so far as the anesthetist can secure it) as comfortable a convalescence as possible.

This book gives the essentials of the administration of anesthetics, emphasizing the fact that keeping the patient in the borderline between life and death is no fool's job.

The history of anesthesia, of course, is treated early; a complete list of anesthetics is given; the chemistry, therapeu ties and actions on the bodily tissues are discussed; and process of elimination of anesthetist described.

New subjects taken up and old ones emphasized are: heat (98°F.) oxygen, rebreathing, and oil-ether colonic anesthesia; heating ether vapor by the shipway apparatus; oxygen for routine administration instead of air; spinal analgesia and intravenous anesthesia for more definite indications; local and paravertebral anesthesia.

All anesthesia specialists will read this volume and any doctor who is called even occasionally to administer an anesthetic will profit much from reading this important volume; and obstetricians will read with especial interest the chapter on painless childbirth.