1765

in another part of the book. Ship owners are not all

alike in their requirements with respect to what may be

called systematic visits made by the surgeon to the

portions occupied by passengers, whether first-, second-, orthird-class, and the spirit as well as the letter of the Boardof Trade regulations must be kept in view. It will be

remembered that the Australian contingents during theirreturn home from the South African campaign suffered

severely from sickness and in the inquiry which followedcomplaints were made that the medical officers "did not

sufficiently take charge." For this reason we should like tohave had a few additional details as to the round of inspec-tion mentioned on p. 34 ; as to the number, position, andconstant readiness of hospital cabins ; and as regards sickpassengers who either neglect or refuse to send for the

surgeon, thereby exposing him to the imputation of

negligence if he respects their privacy or of intrusivenessif he does not.

Varicocele in Relation to the Army. By FRANK HOWARD,M.D. St. And., Colonel, Army Medical Staff (R.P.). London :Rebman Limited. 1906. Pp. 3.-In our issue of Sept. 23rd,1905, p. 923, under the heading of " Varicocele-Whatof It? " we published a letter in which Colonel Howardraised several important questions relative to this con-

dition. In the first place, he emphatically expressedthe opinion that varicocele was not a disability whichshould entail the rejection of an otherwise suitable can- Ididate for a commission in the army. Furthermore, heis strongly opposed to the performance of any surgicaloperation for the relief of varicocele in these circum-

stances. In this he is not in full agreement with theofficial view, for the army medical regulations as to the exa-minations of candidates for commissions state that " a slightdefect [i.e., as regards the existence of varicocele] if success-fully cured bv operation is not a disqualification." In the

pamphlet now under consideration Colonel Howard discussesthe question of varicocele in recruits and points out that theobjection to enlisting soldiers in whom varicocele exists isnot so much a question of surgery as of military discipline,because such soldiers when they wish to evade certain dutiescomplain of disabling pain in the parts and there is no meansof controverting their statements. Varicocele is therefore

held to be a disqualification for a recruit (who, if enlisted,would be a private soldier) but in Colonel Howard’s opinionthere is no reason why it should be a disqualification for anofficer.

Reminiscences oj a Contry Politician. By JOHN A.BRIDGES, J.P., Worcestershire. With frontispiece portrait.London: T. Werner Laurie. 1906. Pp. 274. Price 8s. 6d.net.-These are the remembrances and thoughts of a

member of the old Tory party, of one who would like tohave Lord Curzon in command and sees in his the hand tosave the Tories from extinction. He finds in the tariff

reform agitation the cause which brought about the recentdefeat and in his final chapter he speaks of Mr. Chamber-lain’s utterances and policy with considerable scorn. The

title suggests that the book would deal with politics alonebut the author touches on many questions and in his chapterheaded "Parsons I have Known" he tells some amusingstories in a not unkindly manner. The book contains muchthat is clever and amusing and we can imagine that itsgeneral tone and its genial comment upon men and mannerswould recommend it to a large number of medical prac-titioners.

JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES.

Edinburgh Medical Journal.-In the June number theeditors announce that for the future this well-known journalwill be closely connected with the Edinburgh Medical School,its new proprietors being Edinburgh men whose na.m:s are I

distinguished in medicine and surgery. The editors remainthe same. The present number contains among its originalarticles an interesting paper by Dr. W. Murrell and Mr. H.Wilson Hake on Coloured Urine due to aniline dyes andother pigments. Dr. Hugh A. Stewart records a case ofAortic and Pulmonary Obstruction with Pericarditis, the

diagnosis not being, however, confirmed by post-mortemexamination as the patient recovered. Mr. J. Hogarth Pringlerecords notes of some cases of Hernia in which several loopsof bowel were strangulated in the same sac and points outsome important peculiarities met with in this condition.

Scottish Mediecal and Surgical Journal.-In the June

number, in an inaugural address delivered before the Sectionof Pathology at the recent Australasian Congress of Medicine,Professor D. A. Welsh deals with the views on Cancer andother Tumours which have been put forward as the resultof the work of Professor J. B. Farmer, Dr. E. F. Bashford,and others. Dr. H. G. Langwill records two cases of

Transitory Hemiplegia in which attacks exactly resemblingthe hemiplegia of cerebral haemorrhage occurred in elderlypersons and passed off as suddenly as they arose in the

space of a few minutes. Spasm of some vessel is

suggested as the underlying condition. Mr. E. W. ScottCarmichael pleads for Surgical Interference in Cases ofIntracranial Haemorrhage in the Newly Born which are

likely to lead to permanent paralysis and Mr. AlexanderDon discusses the Diagnostic Value of Radiography in

Fractures. Professor R. Jardine gives notes of two cases ofVesicular Mole in which there was not the rapid enlarge-ment of the uterus usually looked on as diagnostic of thecondition and remarks that he has never seen a case in

which the passage of vesicles in the discharges was notedbefore the uterus was actually emptying itself.Journal of Physiology. Edited by Sir MICHAEL FOSTER,

K.C.B., F.R.S., and J. N. LANGLEY, F.R.S. Vol. XXXIV.,No. 3. London : C. F. Clay. May 31st, 1906. Price 7.—The following articles are contained in this number of theJournal of Physiology. 1. On Some Physiological Actions ofErgot, by H. H. Dale. The nature of the active principle orprinciples of ergot has not in the author’s opinion been

quite satisfactorily determined. He finds that the physio-logical effects of preparations from ergot, such as cornutineand sphacelotoxin, fall into two groups : (1) stimulant effectson organs containing plain muscle, evidenced in contractionof the arteries, the uterus, and the sphincter iridis ; and (2) aspecific paralysis of the motor elements in the structuresassociated with sympathetic innervation which adrenalin

stimulates, the inhibitory elements retaining their normalfunction, as do also both motor and inhibitor autonomicnerve-supplies of cranial and sacral root origin. It is prob-able that these two’sets of effects are produced by differentactive principles of which the one responsible for the

peripheral paralysis appears also to be concerned in thecentral convulsant effects described by Kobert and others.Several incidental conclusions are arrived at and the articleis illustrated by many tracings. 2. The Action of Radium

Rays on Tyrosinase, by E. G. Willcock, Newnham College.The experiments showed that tyrosinase constituted an appa-rent exception to the general rule that radium rays are inju-rious to ferments. 3. The Regeneration of the Blood afterHoemorrhage, by C. Gordon Douglas, B.A. It appeared fromthe experiments (made on buck rabbits) that after bleedingto the extent of from one-fourth to one-third of the totalvolume of blood there was rapid restoration of the volume ofblood to its normal value followed by an increase above thatvalue. 4. On the Non-uniformity in the Rate of Dischargeof Impulses from Cells of the Spinal Cord Poisoned withStrychnine, by David Fraser Harris and William Moodie. Theauthors found the rate of discharge during the first second as

I hig h as 26 in the second, which they think may be explained

1766

on the assumption that the two extensor muscles concernedin their experiments-the peroneus and tibialis anticus-were discharging alternately each at 13 per second but after-wards discharged synchronously. 5. Concerning Cystinuria,by Archibald E. Garrod, M.D. Oxon., and W. H.Hurtley.6. On the Secretion of Urine, by T. G.’Brodie, F.R.S., andWinifred C. Cullis, lecturers on physiology,. London Schoolof Medicine for Women. The authors’ results negativeLudwig’s theoryof the mode of action of the kidney and inaddition show that the glomerulus will secrete more waterand probably more salt when its activity is opposed by asmall ureter pressure. 7. On Secretion in the Frog’s Kidney,by Winifred C. Cullis,.:’London School of Medicine for

Women. The writer of the article holds’ that the pro-duction of urine both from the glomeruli and from thetubules is a true secretory process. She is therefore opposedto the theory of Ludwig. The number contains the Pro-

ceedings of the Physiological Society for March 24th.

New Inventions.A UNIVERSAL LEG SPLINT AND CRADLE COMBINED..THIS splint, as shown in the illustration, consists of a

white enamelled metal frame 32 inches in length, 7 inches indepth, and 9 inches wide. Along the top on each side isfixed a row of brass studs which serve to secure a series of10 straps. These straps are each 3 inches wide and arebuttonholed or eyeletted so as to be adjustable to half aninch. They are made of pegamoid and may therefore besterilised by boiling. The advantages claimed for the splintare as follows :-1. It requires no padding, thereby savingtime and material. 2. The swing arrangement of the strapswhen in position is more comfortable than a perfectlyresistant surface. 3. By means of the adjustable straps it isadaptable to any size, shape, or length of limb, whetherchild or adult (even an amputation stump). 4. The splintcan be used for either leg. 5. It is of the greatest con-venience when heel pressure has to be relieved, which incase of either a short or long limb can be easily effected byremoving the strap at the location of the heel so that a spaceis left. 6. One of its greatest acquisitions is the elevation ofthe limb with steady graduated support to the whole under-surface, which is attained by graduating the length of thestraps on which the limb rests. 7. It is obvious also that byregulating the straps the splint can, if required, be used as adouble inclined plane. 8. One or more of the straps may beused over instead of under the limb, so as to keep the limbor amputation stump fixed in the case of a restless patient orchild. 9. If alternate straps are lowered nearly to the floorof the splint but not touching, so that the leg still swings,and the other ones are buttoned perfectly tense across thetop of the splint, the splint then acts as a perfect cradle

and all pressure of the bed-clothes is removed. If anyportion of the foot should project above the splint anadjustable and detachable guard is provided to remove theweight of the clothes. 10. After the leg has been put up infracture splints it may then be placed in the universal splintand active motion thereby prevented. 11. In case of amuch swollen limb or one to which application of bandageswould not be considered advisable for the reasons of eitheroverheating the parts or after-constriction by the bandagesin cases of increase in the swelling, with a sufficiency of topdressings only the straps can be arranged over the injuredpart of the limb to keep those dressings in place. 12. Whenexcessively wet dressings are required to be applied to thelimb, such as evaporating lotions, they can be kept in place

without the use of a bandage (which only absorbs themoisture and interferes with evaporation) and by the appli.cation instead of one or more of the non-porous pegamoidstraps, and by placing a dressing tray within the splintunder the suspended leg it acts as a receptacle for thedrippings from the moist dressings. 13. The placing of thestraps over the limb very much facilitates the keeping of anice bag in position and they can be made use of for thispurpose over any part of the limb, especially the knee insynovitis. I have found them of use in maintaining in

position my twin ice bag (made by Arnold and Sons) whenused for the leg. 14. The construction ofrthe splint is suchthat it may be perfectly cleansed. I have had frequent andvarious uses for the splint over a period of three years andhave found it of greatest service. It is manufactured byMessrs. Jas. Woolley, Sons, and Co., Limited, surgical instru-ment makers, of Manchester. MARTIN J. CHEVERS.Withington, Manchester. ____

MARTIN J. CHEVERS.

PUNCH-FORCEPS FOR OPERATIONS ON THEMAXILLARY ANTRUM AND OTHER

ACCESSORY NASAL SINUSES.Messrs. Mayer and Meltzer have ’for some time considered

the ’question of forceps for making a large opening intothe maxillary antrum by the nasal route andilhave madepunch-forceps from the design of Mr. T. Carwardine ofClifton, Bristol, which appear to have given satisfac-tion to several of their customers. The complete set con-sists of four pairs of punches : two of these are downward-cutting for enlarging- the right and left antral openingsrespectively in a downward direction, the third is directin cutting action, and the fourth is reversed to enlargethe opening backwards and forwards. They consist essen-tially of a strong hook and guide, the distal part of which iscurved and ends in a male cutting blade. The sliding femaleblade of the punch-forceps is hinged to a thrusting shaft toobtain lateral movement with a maximum of power. Thedownward-cutting punches are sufficiently powerful to removethe inner wall of the antrum down to the floor of the nasalfossa, where it is thickest ; the direct and reversed ones are

Iintended for removal of the remainder of the inner wall ofthe è..nrum. Though designed for operations by the nasalroute they are also useful for operation through the caninefossa. The direct-action punch-forceps may be used forother purposes in addition; they are of considerable powerand have been found useful for removing the base of thesphenoidal sinus for dependent drainage of that cavity.