BOOK REVIEWS 1619

OPHTHALMIC MEDICINE. By James Hamil­ton Doggart, M.A., M.D., F.R.C.S. Philadelphia, The Blakiston Company, 1949. 330 pages, 28 colored plates, 87 il­lustrations, index. Price: $8.00. The author has replaced Foster Moore in

presenting a book on medical ophthalmology. He has been admirably successful in this task for his work is a beautifully illustrated manual of the subject that is suitable not only for the general physician for whom it is intended, but for all who are interested in ophthalmology.

The beauty of the book lies in the wealth of material compressed into such a short space without sacrifice of pertinent informa­tion. The author's style is pleasing and ex­presses his personality and philosophy on every page. It is a pleasant, scholarly per­sonality that is reflected.

There are 35 chapters and, so far as could be determined, every subject from infectious diseases that affect the outer and inner eye to skin and glandular disorders is covered. The first four chapters are particularly val­uable. They cover the subjects of history taking, symptoms, methods of examination, and physical signs. The book is highly rec­ommended. Derrick Vail.

COLOR PSYCHOLOGY AND COLOR THERAPY. By Faber Birren. New York, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1950. 233 pages, illus­trated, index, and bibliography. Price: $4.50. Here for the first time is an array of data

on the history of color, with a complete re­view concerning its biologic, psychologic, and visual aspects. The book is divided into four parts.

It begins with a description of the historical aspects of color as it relates to superstition,

the story of mystics, charms, amulets, and aural and color healers. The second part deals with the biologic aspects of electromagnetic energy and the effects of visible and nonvisi-ble rays upon plants, vertebrates, and inverte­brates.

In the third section there is a description of the psychologic aspects of color therapy, with special emphasis on emotional reactions, the response of neurotics and psychotics, associ­ations and analogies.

Part four concerns the effects of illumina­tion, brightness, and color on the eye directly, a considerable proportion of the discussion being devoted to anomalies of seeing, color and night blindness, and the problem of eye strain as it is related to ideal seeing condi­tions.

The chapters on functional color and prescribing color in part four are very inter­esting. The term "functional color" applies to the application of hue where it is applied to aid visual acuity. The eye sees best in white, yellowish or yellow-green light, yellow being the color of highest visibility. Where a tinted background might be desired, yellow is suita­ble, but all coloring, as shown by Ferree Rand, is inferior to white if the printed char­acters are to be black.

Types of colors for industrial purposes are discussed in an interesting manner and, in the prescription of color, the effects of major hues are noted with the significance of color specifications in hospitals, schools, and fac­tories.

The book is very well written and it con­tains a wealth of material which will interest certain medical practitioners, especially those engaged in industrial work. It is well to note, however, that there is and will continue to be a considerable difference of opinion as to the primary and secondary effects of color; a fair appraisal necessitates further research.

Irving Puntenney.