1098

for Fibroids and Inflammatory Disease." The volume quitemaintains the high standard of excellence reached by its

predecessors.dental Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and :i7terapeitties.

By CHARLES W. GLASSINGTON. London: J. & A. Churchill.1896. Price 6s.-A good text-book dealing with dentalmateria medica has been sorely needed for some time, andalthough we can hardly state that Mr. Glassington’s bookcomes up to our most sanguine expectations, neverthelessit must be regarded as a distinct advance on anything asyet published. There are some omissions and a fewinaccuracies which will no doubt be remedied in a futureedition and so increase the value of the book, which shouldbe a welcome help to the dental student and practitioner.

JOURNALS AND REVIEWS.

Science Progress (April, 1897). - This issue providesabundant material for study and reflection and should suit avery wide range of readers. Perhaps the most widely interest-ing contribution is that by Professor Poulton (Oxford) on aRemarkable Anticipation of Modern Views on Evolution, inwhich the author draws attention to the very pregnant con-clusions of "that great pioneer of modern anthropologicaland ethnological research James Cowles Pritchard " (born1786) as bearing upon the views of the present dayin regard to the transmission of acquired characters.These views, which were arrived at independently byProfessor Weismann over half a century later, appear,strange to relate, to have passed unnoticed. Even Darwinmust have overlooked all notice of the remarkable anti.

cipations published in a second edition of Pritchard’s workon "Researches into the Physical History of Mankind."The issue contains also some papers of interest to the

physicist, chemist, botanist, and student of medicine, whilea paper on "Wind Scorpions" contains a very interestingaccount of these curious but somewhat discomposingcreatures. They occur in Arabia, and are described as look-ing like "a piece of thistledown driven before the wind,"and possess somewhat remarkable anatomical characters.

They have terrible jaws and exhibit in general very formid-able powers.

Journal of Mental Science (April, 1897).-In the currentnumber of this quarterly Dr. Julius Mickle continues hisinteresting observations on Atypical and Unusual Brain-formsin Relation to Mental States. Dr. J. F. Woods relates his

personal experience of suggestion, with or without hypnosis,as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of mental and nervousdiseases. He commenced experiments in 1892 with verydecided scepticism as to the value of this method ; but theresults he has achieved in the course of five years have con-vinced him of its efficacy, and he affirms that, in certain

disorders, no other mode of treatment can compare with it.Dr. C. Hubert Bond, in a paper of much clinical interest,throws considerable light upon the relationship of diabetes,including glycosuria, to insanity. In a vigorous articleDr. Mercier discusses the question of Medical Reticence,both as regards sane and insane patients. He formulates hisviews in no half-hearted manner, but goes straight to thepoint, and strenuously upholds the sacredness and inviolabilityof professional secrecy. Duty to the patient, he says, should bethe first and paramount consideration. He deplores the apathyand silence displayed by the great medical corporations onthe subject, and indulges in a free criticism of some of theevidence tendered during a recent celebrated trial. Dr.Mercier reviews in detail the various exceptions to the

general rule which were brought forward at the time, andwhich aroused so much discussion. With regard to sanepatients he will hear of no exceptions, and states that amedical man is not, under any circumstances, justified in

revealing the confidence of a patient without the patient’sconsent. Respecting the communications of insane patientsthe circumstances are somewhat different, and he concludesthat the information obtained from an insane patient may berevealed when, and only when, it is expedient for the welfareof the patient or for the public safety. The whole questionwill come up for discussion at the annual meeting of theMedico-Psychological Association, and should give rise to ananimated and interesting debate.The Hunmaaitarian for April has an interesting article on

" The Women of the Pit," by John Pendleton. The life ofthe woman who helps to supply our hearths with fuel is verydifferent from what it was before the Act of 1842 prohibitedfemale toil in mines, but the pit-brow lassie still exists and,notwithstanding the smallness of the pay, seems to love hercalling. Says this writer: I I Whether the Legislature will ulti-mately decide that the pit-brow lass must abandon her work, orwhether her muscular help will be superseded by mechanicalappliances remains to be seen; but her own verdict is

emphatically in favour of the continuance of her industriallife. She prefers it to the enervating work of the cottonmill; in fact, she is so attached to the free, though toilsome,employment on the pit brow, that after she has listened tothe love avowal of miner or weaver and entered into thebonds of matrimony she is loth to leave her old career, andif her husband has no objection sometimes resumes her toilon the pit brow."The April issue of Knowledge contains a brief summary of

the progress of Chemistry and the Chemical Arts during theQ,aeen’s reign by Professor Thorpe, LL.D., F,R.S. This is

the contribution for the month to the serial articles dealingwith the science of the Queen’s reign. He concludes with

the pessimistic opinion that, " so far as can be seen,there is no immediate hope that this country will be

able to compete with Germany in the manufacture ofthose products which are the direct outcome of the

application of the higher and more recondite branchesof chemical science to industry, nor will there be

even the prospective hope until our manufacturers as a

body bring the spirit of science into their work and showa greater receptivity and a more widespread desire to turnthe ever growing development of the science to practicalaccount."

New Inventions.CELLULOID CYLINDER DRESSING-BOX.

A CONVENIENT means of keeping surgical dressings in anaseptic condition and available for imme-diate use is sure to have a favourable

reception, and most of the qualitiesrequisite for this purpose seem to be com-

bined in a receptacle which has beendevised by Messrs. Reynolds and Bransonof Leeds. This article is in the form ofa tall cylinder, which being made ofcelluloid is transparent, ligh, and neatin appearance ; moreover it is not liableto be affected by antiseptics nor isit easily broken. The cover of the cylinderis an 11 air filter," a shallow circular dish,also of celluloid, fitting tightly into theupper part of the cylinder, and filled withcotton wool; the lid and the bottom ofthis dish are perforated, so that after thecylinder is closed air cannot enter withoutpassing through the cotton wool. The

cylinders are meant to be carried in aninstrument bag; they are made in two

sizes, one: being 9 in, deep and 3 in. in diameter and tl1BJother. 7 ion. deep and 24- in. in diameter,