PROGRESSIVE MEDICINE. Vol. 13, No. 2, June 1, 1911. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia and New York. Three hundred and seventy-nine pages, illustrated, (Price, paper bound, $6.00; cloth, $9.00.) The present number contains a discussion of hernia by Wm. B. Coley; of abdominal surgery by Arpad G. Gerster; of gynecology by John G. Clark; of diseases of the blood, diabetes, and the like, by Alfred Stengel; of Ophthalmology by Edward Jackson. Being itself a digest of advances, discoveries and improvements, it is practically impossible to review this work thoroughly and we hesitate to select at random, any particular topic as a sample. Progressive Medicine is by no means a short lived book, as the discussions, though based on current literature, are scholarly and thorough. THE PRACTICAL MEDICINE SERIES. Vol. II, General Surgery. Edited by John B. Murphy. Series 1911. Chicago, The Year Book Publishers. Linen. Price, $2.00. An excellent compend of the year's progress in surgery. It may be heartily recommended to the general practitioner as a good succinct exposition of the present status of the surgical questions of the day,. and to the surgeon as a ready amnual of reference to the most important recent literature-one that will often save him a search among bulkier literary indices. The ramarks and the expressions of personal opinion that the editor, J. B. Murphy, has appended to many of the articles, greatly enhance the value of the book. PRACTICAL TREATMENT. Vol. II. A Handbook of Practical Treatment. In three volumes. By 79 eminent specialists. Edited by John H. Musser, M. D., Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; and A. O. J. Kelly, M. D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Vol. II, Octavo of 909 pages, illustrated. Philadelphia and London; W. B. Saunders Company, 1911. Per volume: cloth, $6.00 net; Half Morocco, $7.50 net. The second volume of Musser and Kelly's work on Treatment has appeared within a comparatively short time after the publication of the first, concerning which we have already published a review. The present volume begins with an interesting article upon disease of the cardiovascular system by Sir Clifford Allbutt, which covers over 150 pages, and this, in turn, by one upon the surgery of the heart, which covers about eight pages. The third article is upon typhoid fever, and the fourth upon the surgical complications of this disease. Following this is an article upon pneumonia, one upon diphtheria by Dr. George H. Weaver, and this is followed by one upon intubation and tracheotomy by Dr. John H. Jopson. Dr. Weaver then contributes the articles upon the other exanthemata which are commonly met with. Infection by the gonococcus is written by Dr. Edward Martin, and vaccinia, smallpox, and chicken-pox by Dr. Schamberg. Amongst the other contributors of articles upon the infectious diseases are Professor Barker of Johns Hopkins University; Professor Stengel of the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Bloodgood of Baltimore. Tropical diseases are covered by Dr. Rosenau and Dr. Anderson. Dr. G. E. de Schweinitz writes upon the ocular complications of the infectious diseases, while Dr. Richardson, of Washington, discusses the oral complications, and the surgical treatment of joint complications is written by Dr. Goldthwait, of Boston. The last chapter on animal parasites is contributed by Dr. Riesman, of Philadelphia. Of all the articles in the volume we think that perhaps the most interesting is that of Professor Allbutt. It is filled with many practical and valuable suggestions, but it is not our intention to make invidious comparisions. WYOMING SECTION WESTERN MEDICAL REVIEW Per Published Monthly by WESTERN MEDICAL REVIEW COMPANY, Omaha, Nebr. Annum, $2.00. The WESTERN MEDICAL REVIEW is the Journal of the Wyoming State Medical Society and is sent by order of the Society to each of its members. OFFICERS: Dr. A. G. HAMILTON, Thermopolis. President DR. W. H. ROBERTS, Cheyenne, Secretary DR, NEIL DAVID NELSON, Shoshoni, Treasurer All matter for publication in this section should be sent to FRED W. PHIFER, M. D., Editor, Wheatland, Wyo. COLLABORATORS-SUBJECT TO REVISION. Pestal, Joseph. Douglas; Keith, M. C.; Casper; Marshall, T. E., Sheridan; Nelson, N. D.; Shoshoni; Wicks, J. L., Evanston; Wiseman, Letitia, Cheyenne; Young, J. H. Rock Springs. Vol. XVI. CHEYENNE, WYO., NOVEMBER, 1911. EDITORIAL. The Diseases of Alaska. No. 11 From the observations made by Assistant Surgeon H. E. Hasseltine, while on board the revenue cutter Rush, from April 8, 1910, to March 20, 1911, and published in the Public Health Reports for May 5, we learn that poliomyelitis exists among the native children in Juneau, Douglas, Chicagoff and Yakutat, among other places. As might be expected from their limited acquaintance with civilization, tuberculosis is the great scourge of the Alaskans. Dr. Hasseltine thinks that fully 33 per cent of the natives are attacked. There is much syphilis, which does not worry the natives much unless the lesions are very prominent, and trachoma causes considerable diminution of vision, particularly in southwestern Alaska. It is very hard to impress the natives with the importance of sanitary measures; some of them spit regularly into a tin can, but only if one is conveniently to hand; when the can is filled they calmly empty it immediately outside the house. When told to burn the contents they answered that there was such a quantity as to render likely extinguishment of the fire. The death rate seems to exceed the birth rate everywhere. The faith of the natives in medicine is like that of more civilized people; once sure of a bottle of medicine, it is difficult to get them to bother about hygienic or other precautions. The food is largely fish, but they have game, berries, fish oil, seal oil and what canned goods they are able to buy. They admire the dress of the white man and are willing to wear it except when in a hurry, which causes them to run out in the most inclement weather insufficiently covered. There is much drinking, liquor being obtained from pedlers in violation of the law, and they are able to distill a beverage of their own from sugar, flour, water, and hops, the result being known as hootchinoo. As a rule the Alaskans are lax in morals. An exception is to be noted in favor of Metlakatla, a village under wise missionary control, where the conditions are better in every respect. The natives here are able to take care of their health, know how to make a living independently of the whites, are able to read and write English, have separate homes, and ABSTRACTS. Early Diagnosis of Measles. E. Apert describes two signs that he considers pathognomonic of measles, and that appear so early in the disease, or so late in the incubation period, that isolation begun at this time will prevent its spread to others in the family. It is not early enough to make the diagnosis when the catarrhal symptoms have appeared. The disease is then infectious and all precautions fail to prevent its spread. The signs that are of value are Koplik's spots and conjunctivitis of the pterygeal area, that is, of the conjunctiva between the lids. This appears when Koplik's spots are seen, that is three or four days before the skin eruption, and both signs have disappeared when Koplik's spots are seen-that is, three or four on the inner surface of the cheeks, rarely on the inner side of the lips, never on the gums or palate. At first they are like tiny, grayish granulations on the rosy mucous membrane, later becoming bluish.-Le Bulletin Medical. Psychoses of Child-Bearing. Dr. James Dudley Morgan, Washington, D. C. (Med. Rec., April 8, 1911), states that puerperal mania is not a disease entity, but that several kinds of psychoses may develop during pregnancy, the puerperium, and lactation. Psychoses developing in pregnancy will continue until labor is over; they are more frequent in multiparae than in primiparae. Age has not much influence on them. One cannot tell why one woman is exhilarated and another depressed by her situation; eclampsia and toxic infection are not more frequent with women who have conduct successfully a salmon cannery and a sawmill. maniac-depressive insanity than with normal women. One cannot say whether a psychosis will be produced by pregnancy or not, and whether it will occur in the puerperium or lactation. The mortality of the children of such mothers is very great. Negroes do not develop psychoses after miscarriages as readily as white women. The most frequent forms of psychosis are anxiety psychosis, collapse delirium, dementia praecox, and maniac-depressive insanity. Proper nursing and isolation will restore 80 per cent of these cases to health. Treatment of Typhoid Fever by Vaccines. In discussing this subject in the Canadian Medical Association Journal for June, 1911, Meakins reaches the following conclusions: 1. The prophylactic use of vaccines is of great value in diminishing the incidence and mortality of typhoid fever. 2. The treatment of typhoid fever by vaccines shortens the course and diminishes the severity of the disease. 3. This treatment has also a very beneficial influence on the number of complications, relapses and deaths in typhoid fever. 4. The only successful treatment of typhoid carriers has, up to the present time, been that of autogenous vaccination. NOTES AND NEWS. State Society Meeting Indefinitely Postponed. Dr. William H. Roberts, Sheridan, secretary of the Wyoming State Medical Society, announces that several unforeseen circumstances, including the failure of the Burlington system to complete its line to Thermopolis, have conspired to cause the indefinite postponement of the annual meeting of the society, which was scheduled to be held at Thermopolis, September 4 and 5. On a pleasant Sunday afternoon an old German and his youngest son were seated in the vilage inn. The father had partaken liberally of the home-brewed beer, and was warning his son against the evils of intemperance. "Never drink too much, my son. A gentleman stops when he has enough. To be drunk is a disgrace." "Yes, father, but how can I tell when I have enough or am drunk?” The old man pointed his finger. "Do you see those two men sitting in the corner? If you should see four men there, you would be drunk." The boy looked long and earnestly. "Yes, father, but-but-there is only one man in that corner." |