Hæmatological Investigations. Neumann (E.). Virchow's Archiv., Bd. 174, Heft 1. Observations on the variability of the white blood corpuscles. Respiratory System. In Gangrene of the Lung and Cerebral Abscesses. Benjamin (R.). The Formation of Cysts in Nasal and Laryngeal Polypi. Kessler Decortication of the Lung in Chronic Empyæma. Violet (H.). Mediastinal Tumours. De la Camp. Charité-Annalen, Bd. 27. A Alimentary System. Infection of the Gall-bladder by the B. typhosus. Jundell (J.). Hygiea, 1903, S. 204. In a case in which Widal's reaction was positive, symptoms of cholecystitis and gall-stones appeared and the gall-bladder and stone were removed. Typhoid bacilli were cultivated from the contents of the gall-bladder. Vide Med. Chron., April, 1904, p. 46. The Effect of Injection of Micro-organisms into the Portal System, on the Sterility of the Bile in the Gall-bladder. Carmichael (Scott). Edin. Roy. Coll. Phys. Laboratory Reports, 1903, Vol. viii. After the injection of pathogenic micro-organisms into the mesenteric veins the bile remained sterile. Thus the infection of the gall-bladder by extension from the abdominal tract does not generally occur through the portal vessels and liver. Tuberculosis of the Parotid Gland. Wood (G. B.). University of Pennsylvania Med. Bull., Dec., 1903. Nine cases; in one, infection extended from a tuberculous lymphatic gland against the lymph stream. Histogenesis of Primary Growths of the Pancreas. Fabozzi (Salvatore). Ziegler's Beiträge, Bd. 34, Heft 2. Five scirrhous growths. At the boundary line between the normal and new formed tissue, the islands of Langerhans were much increased, and appeared to coalesce; their union was associated with a disappearance of the glandular tissue, and Fabozzi considers that the primary pancreatic growths most frequently arise from the cells of Langerhans' islands. The Lesions of the Bile Channels in Retention of Bile. Cornil. Contribution to the Question of "Liver Ophthalmia.” Genito-Urinary System. Vollbracht Scarlatinal Uræmia Treated by Venesection. Lundgren (C.). Transplantation of Supra-renal Tissue into the Kidney. Schmieden Renal Apotherapy. Busscher. La Belgique Méd., 1904, No. 4. A paper dealing with the probability of an internal secretion of the kidney. Nervous System. Pathogenesis of Myoclonic Epilepsy. Lundborg (H.). Upsala Läkare Forhandl., 1903, Bd. 8, S. 566. Cerebro-Spinal Fluid from a Case of Hydrocephalus. Langstein. Jahrbuch f. Kinderheilkunde, Bd. 58, Heft 6. The fluid contained albumin and globulin and an acid mucinoid crystalline substance, a derivative of galactose. No albuminoses were found and the potassium salts were not present in excess. Glioma of the Fourth Ventricle (Neuroepithelioma gliomatosum columnocellulare veli medullaris posterioris). Muthmann and Sauerbeck. Ziegler's Beiträge, Bd. 34, Heft 3. The growth consisted of four different elements; large cylindrical epithelium, cells sarcomatous in type, extensive fibrillary network and numerous blood-vessels. The origin of the tumour is traced to the ependymal and neuroglial cells. A full bibliography is appended and stated under two headings(1) the simple, pure epithelial growths of the nervous system; and (2) the more or less complicated epithelial tumours of the nervous system. Tumours of the Brain and Spinal Cord. Bittorf (A.). Ziegler's Beiträge, Bd. 35, Heft 1. Conclusions similar to those of the preceding paper. In a man, æt. 55, a typical hydromyelia with gliomatous walls, associated with central gliomatosis of the succeeding lower segments. Numerous epithelial cells were present amongst the glial tissue. The growths apparently arise from some abnormality of development, although they are more frequent in individuals who present general degenerative changes. Tumours of the Pons and Ventricles. Henneberg. Charité Annalen, Bd. 27. Three cases. Full clinical and pathological Cerebral Metastases in the So-called Deciduoma Malignum. Siefert. Sarcoma of the Spinal Cord. Senator. Charité-Annalen, Bd. 27. Pathological Chemistry. Kjeldahl's Method. Kutscher und Steudel and other workers have lately stated that this method does not give reliable results for the estimation of the total nitrogen in the organic substances which are included in the domain of the pathological chemist. Other observers have, however, made numerous and extended observations and concluded therefrom that if the primary boiling with sulphuric acid is continued for some little time after the fluid is quite clear and white then the process gives exact results. The error previously supposed arose principally from a shortening of the boiling period. Enzymes of the Thymus and Supra-renal Glands. Jones (W.). The bases boiling the Wolff (H.). Amer. Journal of Physiology, Bd. 10, No. 6, p. 24. Enzymes, present in both these glands, are able to break up the nucleoproteids into xanthin bases and phosphoric acid. are, however, not identical with those obtained on gland substance with dilute sulphuric acid. Milk-white Ascites in Carcinoma of the Omentum, etc. Hofmeister's Beiträge, 1904, Bd. 5, S. 208. A small quantity of fat was removed by ether, but the fluid was still opaque. Slow extraction with chloroform yielded esters of cholesterin. Precipitation with saturated ammonium sulphate removed the "cloudy" material, together with eu-globulin. On purification, a "buttery" substance was obtained, composed of higher esters of cholesterin. It is supposed that the globulin was loosely combined with the cholesterin bodies. Formation of Oxalic Acid. Monturri (Adolfo). Rend. Acend. Sci. Fis. Mat. Napoli, 1903, 9, p. 202. When malic, tartronic and citric acids were given to dogs, oxalic acid was found in excess; with lactic acid only small amounts appeared; with B-hydrobutyric acid the gastro-intestinal disturbances produced rendered the results valueless. The administration of oxalic acid, sodium citrate and urea to a dog, increased the secretion of uric acid. Reviews. "The Physiology and Pathology of the Urine, with Methods for its Examination." By J. DIXON MANN, M.D., F.R.C.P. Pp. 266, with Priee 8s. 6d. net. index. London: Griffin & Co., 1904. THIS book will become a classic in urinology. There is no other book with which it may be adequately compared, since it is intended to serve as a clinical guide in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and yet it covers a large part of the ground which constitutes advanced chemical pathology. It is divided into the following sections:-General Characteristics of the Urine, Inorganic Constituents, Organic Constituents, Amido and Aromatic Acids, Carbohydrates, Proteids, Nitrogenous Substances, Pigments and Chromogens, Blood Colouring Matter, Bile Pigments, Bile Acids, Adventitious Pigmentary and other Substances, Special Characteristics of Urine Toxicity, Kryoscopy, Conductive Capacity, etc.-Urinary Sediments, Urinary Calculi, and Urine in its Pathological Relations. The author has also introduced some account of the results of the most recent investigations in metabolism (so far as it affects the urine) both in normal and abnormal conditions of the body, so that the significance of the changes which take place in the urinary constituents shall be duly appreciated. The conception of the work is apparently to describe the properties and chemical reactions of the urinary constituents side by side with their application to everyday medicine, and the descriptions are given with a decisive conciseness which is a positive treat to anyone accustomed to work from some of the other available books upon urine. The details of the methods are similarly stated, and they betoken an actual acquaintance with the processes themselves-a remark not always applicable to "practical guides." Moreover, it is almost impossible to turn to any one of the subjects without finding the pith of the latest published researches in them; and the ordinary observer will find many points explaining the irregular working of tests in everyday use which may have bewildered him somewhat, and will, we think, be glad to know of the simple measures advised to eliminate every source of error. Take, for instance, a frequent observation noted in performing the boiling test for albumen with an acid urine, which to the uninitiated is difficult of explanation. If such a urine be boiled without further addition of acid a faint albuminous haze appears, which becomes intensified on the addition of a drop or two of acetic acid. This further precipitation may be due, Dr. Dixon Mann believes, either to serum albumen or to a compound proteid. The addition of one or two drops of hydrochloric acid will solve the question; if the haze disappears it is due to a compound proteid without pathological importance, but if it persists, to serum albumen. This is one of many similar points of the utmost practical value in the book. The section on urine in its pathological relations is also very good and full of valuable, practical information. A few pages are devoted to specific intrinsic intoxications, a condition or conditions which have received much attention recently. The cases included under this most interesting heading are (1) those in which the urine contains no sugar, but in which acetone is present in the breath, and acetone, diacetic acid, and possibly B-oxybutyric acid are present in the urine, and (2) cases in which none of these products are developed, but in which the urine contains an excessive amount of urinary indican. This section is treated in a very judicial manner, the indefinite evidence bearing on it being fully considered and judgment rightly reserved. Dr. Dixon Mann says: "In both classes the toxic agent is probably found in the intestinal canal, but the precise synthetic path taken by these portions of the intestinal contents which furnish the toxine is at present a matter of conjecture. Equally uncertain is it whether the intestinal metabolism is solely at fault or whether the tissue metabolism is also deranged." The methods of investigating the conditions of the urine and indirectly that of the kidneys by determining its electrical capacity, its calorimetry and its freezing point (kryoscopy) are all described, but not recommended as being of practical value to the clinician. As a specimen of the printer's art the book is somewhat curious. Whilst the small print is almost entirely free from typographical error, strangely enough two of the sectional headings in large capitals have proof errors, and several others have one or more letters of wrong founts of type. We can confidently recommend the book to the student, the practising physician and to the physiological chemist. "The Nutrition of the Infant." By RALPH VINCENT, M.D. London: Baillière, Tindall and Cox, 1904. AFTER giving due consideration to the characters and chemical composition of human milk, and the physiology and management of lactation, Dr. Vincent reviews in detail the requisites for obtaining the most reliable and satisfactory of cow's milk, since this source must in general continue as a basis when resorting to substitute feeding. The breed of the cow most suitable, its treatment and stabling, the influence of various conditions on the milk secreted, the composition of the milk, etc., are dealt with in a manner similar to that recently described by Rotch, and in addition Dr. Vincent strongly advocates the method of substitute feeding introduced by that writer, citing numerous cases from his own practice. Special chapters are devoted to the changes produced in milk. by heating, to the bacteriology of milk, to the possible rôle of bacteria. in digestion, and to the sanitary requisites connected with the farms, dairies, etc., concerned in the collection and distribution of the milk supply. In addition the digestive powers and nutritional needs of infants are treated of in some detail, as well as the effects so commonly met with from defective feeding. |