A Practical Treatise on Palatable Prescribing, containing the favorite formulary of the most eminent medical and surgical authorities, and embracing a resume of the most eligible prescriptions for the administration of recent additions to the materia medica. By B. W. Palmer, A. M., M.D., author of "Favorite Prescriptions of Distinguished Practitioners," Member of the New York County Medical Society, of the New York Medico-Legal Society, etc. Detroit: Geo. S. Davis. 1884. 8vo. Pp. 136. Flexible cloth. Price, $1.

This book contains about six hundred prescriptions, covering pretty much the whole field of human ills and ailments, and extending, alphabetically, from the prevention of Abortion to the treatment of Yellow Fever. The doctor who is too ignorant, too indolent, or too timid, to originate his own prescriptions, will find here a treasury open to his hand, while the student, who simply wishes to study prescriptions on general principles, will here find them as taken from the writings of many of the most eminent in the profession.

Intestinal Obstruction, its Varieties, with their Pathology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. The Jacksonian Prize Essay of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1883. By Frederick Treves, F. R.C.S., Surgeon to, and Lecturer on Anatomy at, the London Hospital; Hunterian Professor of Anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. With 60 illustrations. Philadelphia: Henry C. Lea's Son & Co., 1884. Columbus: Geo. H. Twiss. 12mo. Cloth. Pp. 515; $2. It is estimated that at least two thousand persons die annually in England, of intestinal obstruction, exclusive of hernia. This shows the importance of the subject, and the abundance of material from which the author is able to draw.

The classification is based on pathological grounds. The illustrations are nearly all original, and are excellent.

Under treatment, the author places opium first among medicinal agents, claiming for it that it allays pain and relieves spasm, and thus in many cases effects a cure. As, however, this narcotic tends to obscure the symptoms, caution is urged in its employment until after a diagnosis has been made, and a definite line of treatment decided upon. Cathartics are, of course, condemned, and the use of ice, massage and electricity cautiously approved of. Enemata are recommended in suitable But laparotomy finds a warm advocate in our author, as, indeed, it does among nearly all modern surgical writers. He advises a median incision. The hand should then be introduced and the cecum searched

cases.

for and examined, as a guide to the seat of trouble, which is to be relieved, if possible, according to subsequent rules. In a series of one hundred and twenty-two cases of laparotomy for intestinal obstruction (exclusive of intussusception) collected by the author, the mortality was about sixty-three per cent. But, as Mr. Treves observes, there is no doubt the death-rate after laparotomy is higher than that shown by this table, for the published cases probably bear to those that are unpublished the proportion of one to ten, "and it may be surmised that the great bulk of these unpublished cases ended in death."

The book is a most excellent one for both reading and reference.

The Science and Art of Surgery; a Treatise on Surgical Injuries, Diseases and Operations. By John Eric Erichsen, F. R.S., LL.D., F. R. C.S., etc. Eighth edition, revised and edited by Marcus Beck, M. S. and M. B. London, F. R. C. S., etc.; with 984 engravings on wood. Vol. I. Pp. 1124. Vol. II. Pp. 1205. Philadelphia: Henry C. Lea's Son & Co. Columbus: Geo. H. Twiss.

1884.

Erichsen's surgery needs no introduction from us. It has been a standard work in this country, as well as in Great Britain, for a third of a century, and has steadily grown in favor during that period. The last edition is deserving of all praise. In its preparation the author has been assisted by a number of his friends and former pupils. No pains have been spared to bring the work up with the progress of the day; the various new operations have been described, and their difficulties pointed out. Special attention has been paid to surgical hygiene, both general and local. Our language possesses no more complete text-book than this, nor one in whose teachings more implicit confidence can be reposed.

Human Osteology. Comprising a description of the bones, with delineations of the attachments of the muscles, the general and microscopic structure of bone and its development. By Luther Holden, ExPresident and member of the Court of Examiners of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, etc., ete. Assisted by James Shuter, F. R. C. S., M. A., M. B., etc., etc., with illustrations. Sixth edition. 8vo. Cloth. Pp. 276. New York: Wm. Wood & Co. 1885.

This is the January volume of Wood's Library for the current year. The principal illustrations are on heavy tinted paper, so that they appear to excellent advantage. The book is not intended so much for a text book for students, as for a work for reference, and as such it makes a good beginning for the series.

WOOD'S LIBRARY OF STANDARD MEDICAL AUTHORS.-Diseases of the Urinary and Male Sexual Organs. By Wm. T. Belfield, M.D., author of Relations of Micro Organisms to Disease, Surgeon to the GenitoUrinary Dept., Central Dispensary, Chicago, etc.

The Therapeutics of the Respiratory Passages. By Professor James, M.D., Lecturer on Materia Medica and Therapeutics at the London Hospital Medical College, etc.

A Manual of the Medical Botany of North America.

By Laurence Johnson, A. M., M.D., Lecturer on Medical Botany, Medical Dept. of the University of the City of New York, etc.

These three volumes complete the series of the Library for 1884. I. This is a plainly written work, well illustrated, presenting in a clear way the well-established views as to the nature and treatment of these diseases. The author dwells especially on the diagnosis of the affections.

2. The therapeutics of the respiratory passages are well given, and in the condensed style of the book just named. All matters pertaining to hygiene are given in detail, while the various drugs-iron, phosphorus, alcohol, etc.; neurotics, expectorants, etc., are described in full, with the indications for their administration. The work is, avowedly, not written for students or inexperienced physicians, but for mature and thoughtful practitioners.

3. The first forty-eight pages are devoted to considering the elements of botany, which are here presented so plainly as to be within the comprehension of the dullest reader. Then follows a convenient dictionary of botanical terms. The remainder of the book gives, in their proper groups, all the medicinal plants of North America, their botany, habitat, parts used, preparations, medicinal properties and uses. The text is abundantly illustrated with engravings, and nine very beautiful lithograph pictures of our principal plants are added. The book is an elegant one, and forms a fitting close to the valuable series of the year.

The International Encyclopedia of Surgery. A Systematic Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Surgery by Authors of Various Nations. Edited by John Ashhurst, Jr., M.D., Professor of Clinical Surgery in the University of Pennsylvania. Illustrated with chromo lithographs and wood cuts. In six volumes. Vol. V. New York: Wm. Wood & Co., 1884..

This volume is occupied with the surgery of the head and its parts, of the neck, chest, breast, and abdomen, including hernia. The contributors are as follows: Dr. C. B. Nancrede writes on the injuries of

"

the head; Dr. F. Treves on malformations and diseases of the head; Dr. E. Williams on diseases and injuries of the eye; Dr. A. H. Buck on diseases and injuries of the ear; Dr. Geo. M. Lefferts on the nose and sinuses; Dr. A. C. Post on the surgery of the face, cheeks and lips; Mr. Christopher Heath on the mouth, fauces, tongue, palate, and .jaws; Dr. N. W. Kingsley an the teeth and adjacent parts; Dr. Geo. B. Macleod on the surgery of the neck; Dr. J. Solis-Cohen on the air-passages; Dr. E. H. Bennett on the injuries of the chest; Mr. T. Annandale on the injuries of the breast; Mr. Henry Morris on the abdomen; and Mr. John Wood, of King's College, London, on hernia.

It will thus be seen that all the articles are contributed by writers of wide reputation. Many of these articles are complete in, themselves, giving an admirable treatise on the subjects of which they treat.

This work, now so nearly completed, is a monumental one, and one which every surgeon will desire to possess.

System of Practical Medicine. By American Authors. Edited by William Pepper, M. D., LL. D., Provost and Professor of Theory and Practice of Medicine and of Clinical Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Louis Starr, M. D., Clinical Professor of Diseases of Children in Hospital of University of Pennsylvania. Vol. I. Pathology and General Diseases. Philadelphia: Lea Brothers & Co. 1885. Royal 8vo. Pp. 1094.

We have spoken of this great work before, when in receipt of the prospectus, and our present examination only confirms the impression then formed. This work is the production of American writers. Each writer has been selected on account of his special qualification for handling the subject assigned to him. Hence the work is necessarily, par excellence, the exponent of American teaching and American practice. The present volume opens with an article by Dr. Reginald H. Fitz, of Boston, on General Morbid Processes; followed by Dr. Hartshorne, on General Etiology, Medical Diagnosis and Prognosis; Dr. Billings, on Hygiene, and Mr. Geo. E. Waring on Drainage and Sewerage in their Hygienic Relations. Then follow the General Diseases by various authors, the contributors being Drs. J. Bemiss, John S. Billings, Reginald H. Fitz, Frank P. Foster, W. A. Hardaway, Henry Hartshorne, Jas. H. Hutchinson, James Nevins Hyde, A. Jacobi, John M. Keating, James Law, Wm. T. Lusk, William Pepper, H. W. Schmidt, Duane B. Simmons, J. Lewis Smith, Alfred Stille, George E. Waring, B. A. Watson, Jas. C. White, and Jas. C. Ditson.

Our Bodies; or, How We Live. An Elementary Text-book of Physiology and Hygiene, for use in common schools, with special reference to the effects of stimulants and narcotics on the human system. By Albert F. Blaisdell, M.D. Pp. 285. Price, 60 cents. Boston: Lee & Shepherd.

The author describes briefly and clearly the anatomy, physiology, and hygiene of the human frame, touching on dietetics and exercise; gives instructions for the care of the sick; adds various practical experiments of a simple character for the teacher to make, and gives references to a number of authorities for the convenience of those desiring to study the subject more at length. It is one of the best school books on this subject which has come to our notice. The language used throughout is simple, but for convenience a glossary is appended. A full index completes the volume. We would like to see the book introduced into all our public schools.

A Manual of the Practice of Surgery. By Thomas Bryant, F. R. C. S., etc. With 727 illustrations. I vol., large 8vo. Pp. 1039. & Co. Columbus: Geo. H. $7.50.

Fourth edition, thoroughly revised. Philadelphia: Henry C. Lea's Son Twiss, 1885. Cloth; $6.50; leather,

This is a direct reprint of the fourth English edition-just issuedwithout being subjected to alteration by an American editor. It will be observed, however, that the author has accepted a number of the additions made by Dr. John B. Roberts, who acted as editor of the preceding edition.

Although the volume is a large one, it is not too bulky for easy use, while its being all in one volume is certainly an advantage to the student, and for reference. Perhaps this accounts, in part, for its great popularity. The treatise takes in the whole field of surgery, the eye, the ear, the female organs, orthopedics, venereal diseases, and military surgery, as well the more common topics. All of these are treated with clearness, and with sufficient fullness for practical purposes. The illustrations are numerous and well selected.

One Hundred Years of Publishing, 1785-1885.

This is a neatly printed and bound book of twenty pages, devoted to a history of the well known firm of Lea Brothers & Co., of Philadelphia; from the time of its founding in 1785, by Matthew Carey, a political exile from Ireland, up to the present. During the greater part