there are chapters on Prescription Writing, Medical Latin, Medical Pharmacy and Practical Anesthesia, Tables of Doses, of Poisons and Antidotes, Incompatibilities, and a Therapeutic Index of Diseases and Remedies and the General Index, forming a valuable volume, which covers the field of Materia Medica in use at the present time. The book is attractively and wellarranged for practical use. It enjoys the distinction of being concise and well-written. One criticism can be made and that is in the treatment of the subject of electricity; the writer being apparently wofully ignorant that there exists such a current as the static, which has a wider therapeutic range, particularly when considered in connection with the x-ray, than any other electrical agent. It is to be deplored that such a well-written book should neglect to mention the static current, with its twenty or thirty different modalities, which are in use at the present time by some of the most advanced thinkers in this country and abroad. Otherwise the work can be highly recommended as one worthy a place in every physician's and medical student's library.

THE ABDOMINAL AND PELVIC BRAIN WITH AUTOMATIC VISCERAL GANGLIA. By BYRON ROBINSON, B. S., M. D., Chicago, Ill.; Author of "Practical Intestinal Surgery," "Landmarks in Gynecology," "Life-size Chart of the Sympathetic Nerve," "The Peritoneum, its Histology and Physiology," "Colpoperineorrhaphy and the Structures Involved," "The Mesogastrium," "Splanchnoptosia"; Professor of Gynecology and Abdominal Surgery in the Illinois Medical College; Consulting Surgeon to the Mary Thompson Hospital for Women and Children, and the Women's Hospital of Chicago. Published by Frank S. Betz, Hammond, Ind.

In this volume, the writer gives his views concerning the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the abdominal and pelvic brain. The abdominal brain he designates as the solar or epigastric plexus, and the pelvic brain the cervical uterine ganglia. The book is practically a treatise of the abdominal sympathetic nerves and constitutes a résumé of the views which the author has previously discussed in current medical literature for the past fifteen years. He discusses, in detail, gastro-duodenal dilatation, splanchnoptosia; its physiology, anatomy, and pathology, as well as its treatment, medical, mechanical, and surgical, are considered, with a comparison of its clinical features. Throughout the book the author has endeavored to call attention to the dominating influence of the genital viscera over the other viscera, explained by the magnetical influence over the nerve supply. The author lays stress upon the term visceral drainage, by the systematic and persistent use of which the physician can accomplish vast benefit for the patient. The volume contains a large number of drawings showing the gross and minute anatomy of the various distributions of the sympathetic nerve and its relation to the glandular and circutory structures. The work covers a unique field, in which the author seems to have made careful investigation. Seven chap

ters are devoted to Pathologic Physiology, including General Practus, Intestinaluş, Genitalus, Abdominalus, Lympaticus. A chapter is also devoted to the consideration of Splanchnoptosia and another of the Sympathetic Relation of the Genitalia Organs. Constipation-its Pathologic Physiology, and its treatment, by exercise and diet, and "visceral drainage," Shock and Sudden Abdominal Condition are also considered. It is a unique work and contains much valuable information for progressive practitioners, and should receive high recommendation. TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN CLIMATOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION for the year 1906. Volume XXII. Philadelphia. Printed for the Association 1906. Copies of this report may be had of Dr. Guy Hinsdale, the Secretary of the American Climatological Society, Hot Springs, Va. Volumes XXI and XXII contain the complete index of all the volumes.

This volume contains articles of interest to the student of physical therapeutics, including articles on Artificial Nauheim. baths, by Brown; Balneology in Relation to Renal Disease, by Chas. C. Rabsom, M. D.; The Hot Morning Bath, by Norman Bridge; Light-Radiant Energy, by W. D. Robinson; Metabolism and Climate, by Boardman Reed, and numerous other articles, referable particularly to the treatment of cardiac and lung affections. The volume contains the report of a very interesting session of the American Climatological Association.

NEW AND IMPROVED APPARATUS.

This department is devoted to publishing, with illustrations, drawings, and descriptions, new apparatus, electrodes, etc., for the benefit of those interested in the progressive improvements in armamentaria. THE WAPPLER ROTARY MECHANICAL INTERRUPTER FOR X-RAY AND ALL HIGH FREQUENCY

CURRENTS.

Every coil producing high tension or high frequency currents requires an interrupter.

The purpose of the interrupter is to change the current strength in the primary;-as the strength changes in the primary, so correspondingly changes the potential in the secondary. The more suddenly this change takes place in the primary, the greater is the difference of the potential in the secondary.

The size of the coil and interrupter play a very important part; a spark from a 12-inch coil operated with this mechanical interrupter, it is claimed, equals radiographic results seldom obtained with the best 15-inch coil, using the chemical interrupters.

All objectionable features heretofore existing in mechanical interrupters have been carefully eliminated. In this new interrupter an independent motor is made use of without windings upon the armature; this insures positive control of speed and certainly eliminates a previously existing defect of burning out the armature winding, there being no winding to burn out." The range of frequency is under absolute control of the oper

ator, and may be regulated from a few hundred to many. thousands per minute.

The contact surfaces are made especially large across their face and are made of a composition metal, capable of rapid heat diffusion, thereby insuring longevity.

This interrupter combines the following advantages:

(1) It is a mechanical interrupter; no acid fumes in the room; no mercury poisoning. (2) It is the only interrupter giving the spark of quality. (3) It shortens the time of exposure and lengthens the life of the tube. (4) It costs very little more, in the first place, and costs nothing for maintenance. (5) It will work as many hours as required without heating. (6) Five amperes, with this interrupter, give better radiographic results than twenty amperes with chemical interrupters. (7) It makes less noise than most acid interrupters. (8) It is less liable to get out of order than other interrupters. (9) The high frequency discharge is twice as great with less than onehalf the amperage. (10) It has been thoroughly tried and

tested by the makers before putting it upon the market, and is absolutely guaranteed.

The interrupter is patented and manufactured by the Wappler Electric Controller Company, 117 East Eightyseventh Street, New York.

A NEW SPHYGMOMANOMETER.

The Riva Rocci Sphygmomanometer, modified by Dr. Henry W. Cook, of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, is an apparatus for estimating arterial blood pressure or pulse force.

A closed system of air connects a rubber bulb held by the operator, a rubber band placed around the arm or leg of patient, and a mercury manometer. By the law of gases, equal pressure is transmitted to every point throughout the air system. When the pressure is raised by the operator to such a point that the pulse of the patient distal to the constricting band is obliterated, the height of the mercury column in the

C

manometer is equivalent to the maximum arterial blood pressure.

Anyone at all trained in pulse palpation can make an accurate reading at the first trial. The arm-piece is placed around the patient's upper arm, midway between elbow and shoulder, and adjusted to fit. The operator with one hand, increases the pressure by squeezing the rubber bulb "A," and, with the other hand, palpates the patient's radial pulse at the wrist. When the pressure just obliterates the pulse at the wrist, the height of the mercury column is noted, and it is then allowed to drop slowly until the pulse returns.

This convenient and practical apparatus is sold for $6.50 for hospital use and $8.50 portable in plush case, and is manufactured by E. Machlett & Son, 143 East Twenty-third Street, New York.

The Search for Possible Cancer Germs. No "Quest of the Holy Grail" compares in altruistic value to the human race with the labors of our modern knights of the laboratory, who with unwearied patience must question all things of the earth, air, and waters beneath for the germs themselves or their possible hosts in living plants or vegetables, from contact with which susceptible persons may be infected. The old theory of the tomato having an etiologic connection with cancer is suggestive but may tentatively be dismissed as improbable. Sanfelice, of Italy, announced several years ago that he had discovered the germ in a blastomycetic fungus, that others later found in the yeast-like rust of lemons, and Gaylord still later investigated the tumors on certain cabbage roots. A fruitful field for further research is indicated in these directions, and the research should include the many forms of distorted vegetable cells found in diseased corn, rye, and the so-called cancerous tumors of trees.

Alfred Haviland, of England, has made an inquiry into the geologic surface formations of various portions of the British Isles with reference to the distribution of cancer, and has embodied the results in several works and journal articles showing that cancer is more prevalent in wooded river valleys with clay subsoil, in which the rivers occasionally overflow their banks. These conclusions have been rejected by others, who point out that the river valleys mentioned were the seat of large towns containing infirmaries and hospitals to which pa