Physicians. The next paper, one well worth reading, is on "Insulin and Diet in the Treatment of Diabetes," by Seale Harris, M.D., of Birmingham, Ala., who has visited Banting, Allen and diabetic clinics of others and incorporated his observations with studies of his own cases. There are eight surgical contributions, those of Drueck on "Rectal Surgery Under Local Anesthesia," and of Eisendrath on "Tuberculosis of the Kidney," being of the most practical value to the general praċtitioner. The other select articles are up to standard.

A Text-Book of Anatomy and Physiology for Schools of Nurses, Normal Schools and Colleges, by Jesse Feiring Williams, M.D., Professor of Physical Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City. With 369 illustrations, 25 of them in colors. Philadelphia and London: The W. B. Saunders Company. Canadian Agents: The J. F. Hartz Co. Limited, Toronto. Price $3.00.

This book is arranged to serve the needs of the student of anatomy and physiology outside the medical school-students of nursing, physical education, or allied fields. The recommendations of the "Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing" have been followed. The needs of the physiotherapy and occupational therapy aides, the problems of teachers and physical educators have been kept in mind. Emphasis is given to the anatomy and physiology of the child. The typography

and illustrations are excellent.

Rubber and Gutta Percha Injections, by Charles Conrad Miller, M.D. The Oak Printing and Publishing Co., 112 North Wells Street, Chicago, 1923. Price $1.75 postpaid. The author gives a history of featural surgery, recommends injections of rubber or gutta percha, tells how to prepare them, and describes the technic of administration.

The Canada Lancet

VOL. LXII

and

National Hygiene

Incorporating The Dominion Medical Monthly
THE CANADA LANCET VOL. LVIII., NO. VI

TORONTO, FEBRUARY, 1924

Editorial

Health Conservation

No. 2

An editor of a contemporary in summarizing one of his leading articles on this subject states that there is sufficient scientific knowledge extant, if intelligently and universally applied, to prolong the average human life many years, and to make all these years much more abounding with the joy of living that accompanies top notch physical condition than is the case with the average person to-day; and, whereas the average American life expectancy is now probably in the neighborhood of fifty years, there is no insurmountable obstacle in sight to increasing that average expectancy by at least twenty years in the next four generations. Surely, he says, this is a goal worthy of public health work.

Dr. E. R. Kelley, who writes the article, refers to the real, solid field of accomplishment in health conservation which lies between the view of the impractical enthusiast on the one hand and of the sanitary cynic on the other. The former holds that as soon as a scientific fact in the prevention of disease

or increasing vitality has been demonstrated it ought forthwith to be applied to the whole population; the latter considers all health work as partaking of the faddist.

Conservation of health, Kelley says, depends upon the conscious desire and conscious voluntary response to that desire by free human agents collectively or individually. Modern public health achievements would have been utterly impossible save by imparting a rudimentary understanding of modern sanitary science to the masses in schools and by books, papers and magazines. A knowledge of the ravages of malaria and yellow fever by mosquitoes, of bubonic plague by fleas; a knowledge of the value of good and sufficient food for proper nutrition; of better housing, sanitation and other standards of living-all have tended to lessen the incidence of sickness and premature deaths. Increased compensation to the worker, shorter hours, protection against heat, cold, dust, fumes and other occupational dangers have all added their quota to the lengthening of life and increase of high health and consequent happiness.

Much credit is due to organized health departments in states, cities and smaller municipalities and much to voluntary organizations in the fight against tuberculosis, venereal diseases and the like.

The story in Massachusetts serves as an example of what has been done and an index of what may further the accomplished:

In Massachusetts the average yearly death rate from all causes from 1885-88, inclusive, was 19.5 per 1,000 population; for 1920, the rate was 13.9 per 1,000. This means over 20,000 more lives were