718 REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS._

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found. These naturally contain their views more fully andmore readably expressed. No references are given at theend of the articles and so no means are afforded of remedyingthe feeling of incompleteness not rarely produced. A fewof the contributions are masterly- e.g., Ewald on Auto-intoxication, Senator on Bright’s Disease, and Oertel onBradycardia. But much is very dull and not a little quiteuseless.

The Science and Art of Obstetrics. By THEOPHILUS PARVIN,A.M., M.D., LL.D., Professor of Obstetrics and Diseasesof Women and Children, Jefferson Medical College,Philadelphia. Third Edition. Edinburgh and London :Young J. Pentland. 1895.

THE first edition of this work appeared in 1886 as a

complete exposition of the science and art of midwiferyby an obstetrician of over thirty years’ practical expe-rience, during twenty of which he was a teacher. Suchan education was an excellent preparation for the writingof a text-book which would prove useful alike to studentsand practitioners. Men with a long record like that of theProfessor of Obstetrics at Jefferson Medical College are

usually too busily engaged in practice to prepare a text-book, and thus, after having from personal observation

collected material as a basis, have difficulty in findingtime and opportunity to complete such a task. Veryoften, therefore, text-books are prepared by younger menwho, without much experience, merely summarise the

accumulated literature of the subject, and not always in

the most methodical manner, for students. Dr. Parvin’sbook has proved a good text-book, and its cordial reception Iboth in this country and in America showed that it was muchappreciated, for it was soon followed by a second and nowwe have to record the appearance of a third edition, much ofwhich has been rearranged and rewritten. As a rule, it isabreast of the recent advances in midwifery, but in some ofthe chapters-as that on Ccesarean Section-we expected tofind it a little more up to date.

LIBRARY TABLE.

Clinical Lectures on Mental Diseases. By T. S. CLOUSTON,M.D. Edin., F.R.C.P. Edin. Fourth edition. London :J. and A. Churchill. 1896. Price 14s.-We congratulate theable author of this text-book on the appearance of a fourthedition. The value of the work is generally recognised,and the importance of the new edition is increased byvaluable additions, which bring it up to the present levelof knowledge. In the appendix are three new coloured

plates which illustrate typical changes in the brain cortexin certain forms of insanity. The cellular degenerationwhich takes place in general paralysis is particularlywell represented. A considerable number of new clinicalfacts are embodied in the text. Dr. Clouston attributes

great value to thyroid extract as a powerful thera-

peutical agent. In large doses he has found it of markedbenefit in cases that threaten to become chronic, and heis strongly of opinion that no case should be allowed

to become incurable without a trial of this method. The

large amount of practical teaching contained in this bookreadily appeals to the practitioner and the student, andthe new edition ought to extend the already wide circula-tion of a favourite work.

Original Investigations on the Natural History (Symptomsand Pathology) of Yellow -Fever. 1864-94. By JOSEPHJONES, M.D., LL.D. New Orleans, Louisiana. Reprinted fromthe Journal of the American Medical Association. Chicago :American Medical Association Press. 1894.-The author ofthis volume has seen a great deal of yellow fever, andhas, consequently, had ample opportunities of studying its

symptoms and pathology. It is possible that some of ourreaders have already had an opportunity of perusing Dr.Joseph Jones’s investigations, which are reprinted from theJournal of the American Medical Association. The volume

exhibits much learning about the subject generally andcontains a great deal of clinical material ’and a record ofcases with pathological observations.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES FOR THELONDON BOARD SCHOOLS.

ON March 5th a meeting of medical practitioners was heldat 20, Hanover-square. Dr. J. G. Glover took the chair, andthe following resolutions were unanimously passed :—

Resolution 1.-That this meeting of medical men interested in the-question of School Board certificatfs for Board School children, asaffected by the Resolution of May 30th, 1895, records its opinion thatthe system so adopted is offensive to the profession and is likely to be-disastrous to the health of the children in the schools.Resolution .—That this meeting is of opinion that pending the

alteration of this system medical men should decline to supply certifi-cates to the children attending Board schools.Resolution S.-That the above Resolutions be transmitted in the

name of the meeting by the Chairman to the Chairman of the LondonSchool Board, with a respectful request that the policy of the Resolu-tion of May 30th be revised by the Board, so as to secure the heartycooperation of the medical profession in protecting the children of the-elementary schools from infectious and other diseases, and securing theproper attendance of the children.

The Chairman was requested to forward the resolutionsto the Board, and we hope that that body will cease from itsostrich-like policy of sticking its head in the sand. To ourminds the Board much resembles the Turks. Everybodyknows there are but two ways of getting anything out of aTurk. One is to bribe him, the other is to kick him. So.with the Board. Say it is doing a magnificent work, is rearinga race of Huxleys, Tyndalls, and Voltaires and go out into-the highways and compel the maimed, the halt, and theblind to come in and sit upon a scientifically constructedseat in a temperature of 63°, and the board will gather up its.grant and do anything it is asked. The other way, which wemuch prefer, is that taken in Resolution 2. We do notremember having seen among the thirty-six subjects of studytaught by the Board that of French history, but no doubtthe Board will recollect that there were two degrees in

severity of examination in the French courts. These werethe " question ordinaire " and the "question extraordinaire." The former has been tried with the Board without effectapparently. It remains to apply the latter.

THE CASE OF MR. R. B. ANDERSON.

THE Council of the British Medical Association is sup-porting Mr. Anderson and recommending his case to the

favourable consideration of the branches, to which copies ofpetitions to members of Parliament are being sent by theCivil Rights Defence Committee for the purpose of securingthe signatures of constituents. The following letter, whichwe have been requested to publish, refers to this subject:-

[COPY.]Ed. Cureton, Esq., M.D., &c., President of the Shropshire and Mid°-

Wales Branch of the British Medical Association.DEAR SiR,-May I ask you to accept my very sincere thanks, and to

convey them also to the Branch, for the very valued and powerful sup-port which the course taken in addressing members of Parliament forborough and divisions in the district of the branch will be certain to-bring us.Your strong expression of sympathy before the first interim report

was published was amongst the influences which then and since (videpages 37 and 41 of that report) have so greatly aided in giving eon&denc&to the committee in its difficult and novel undertaking, and encouragedme to carry on what so many have told me was a hopeless struggle, andwhich, but for the kindness of many friends and such generous expres-sions from my professional brethren and the medical press, must havs-been far beyond my spirit and my strength.May I ask as a particular favour that the steps taken by the branch

should be fully mentioned in the notice of the meeting for publicatiomand I trust you will have no objection to my publishing this letter.

I am, dear Sir, yours very faithfully,30, Montague-place. London. W.C. R. B. ANDERSON.

Feb. 27th. 1896.