172

injurious....... I have long looked on hot water as the mostreal stimulant that we have." These quotations, from

pages 39 and 42, comprise the essentials of the author’s

system of therapeutics, which he briefly expounds in apleasant style and defends with the courage of one v,,ho is

convinced, and whose personal habits are in accordance withhis somewhat exceptional views. The first of these passagescan hardly be taken literally, otherwise the unfortunate

patient would fare even worse than those under the care ofDr. Sangrado. It is a relief to learn that a favourite pre-scription with the author in most cases of illness is a mixtureof well-diluted milk, lime-water, and white of egg, combiningboth food and medicine. Dr. Skene Keith began medicalstudy in 1836, took the degree of M.D. at EdinburghUniversity in 1841, and for the last forty years has used asparing dietary, especially as regards animal food, to whichabstemiousness as well as to complete avoidance of aperientshe attributes the fact that he is now " a good specimen of anold man who lives a most simple life." The book is wellworth reading, but the cautions against indulging in the

pleasures of the table ought surely to have been supple-mented by diet tables or some other instructions for the

guidance of individuals in ordinary health who may bedesirous of leading a simpler life."The Methods of Microscopical Research. By ARTHUR

C. COLE, F.R.M.S. Second edition. pp. 200. London:

Baillière, Tindall, and Co. 1895.-This work conveys in

clear and simple language information with reference to

the hardening and embedding of animal tissues, and theinjecting of bloodvessels, which will be most useful forthe beginner. The section on Staining is very inadequate.Many modern methods are entirely omitted, and the instruc-tions for the use of each reagent are very meagre. The con-

cluding chapters on microscopic drawing and photo-micro-graphy are clearly written and will be very useful, and thehints about details of technique throughout the book are

evidently the fruit of long experience.

MAGAZINES.

The Parctitioner.-This excellent journal has with the newyear been enlarged to 112 pages, owing to the addition of aseries of articles on Heroes of Medicine and a P6s?tm6 ofMedical Literature for the Month. The editorial pageslead off with a disquisition upon the Monstrous Regiment ofNurses—"regiment" being used in its strictly etymologicalsense. It would seem that the profession, having beendelivered from the Queen Log or Gamp rule, are now groaningunder the Queen Stork dynasty of the modern nurse. Trulythe woes of the modern medical man are as the sands ofthe sea for multitude. These are, perhaps, but imaginary,but the cases of Surgeon-Captain Fowler and Mr. F. J. Lea,referred to next, are very real troubles, and we sincerelyhope that when the military and naval authorities can

turn their attention to matters connected with home thecase of these officers, who erred (if, indeed, they erredat all) from excess of zeal, may be favourably con-

sidered. The original communications include one from SirWilliam Roberts on Sugar-testing ; some interesting cases ofHydatid Mole, by Dr. Champneys ; the Curability of Hernia,by Mr. Golding-Bird ; Renal Diseases, by Dr. W. M. Ord;and Notes on Empyema, by Dr. Crawford Renton. The

hero for the month is the great Vesalius, and the Medico-Literary Causerie slates" that silly and offensive pro-duction, "Les Morticoles," about which we expressed ourviews on Dec. 8th, 1894.

The Edinburgh Medical Journal.-The first article in this

periodical is Dr. Freeland Barbour’s dignified and courtlyvaledictory address to the Edinburgh Obstetrical Societyon the occasion of his resigning the presidential chair.

Dr. J. W. Ballantyne contributes an inquiry into the Cause ofMonstrosities ; and a most interesting paper it is, full of out-of-the-way information gleaned from the classics, mediævalwriters, and authors like Licetus. Surgeon-Major Macdonaldrelates a case of Abdominal Transfixion by an Elephant’sTusk. The patient’s abdominal cavity having been carefullycleansed and sutured, he recovered. Dr. Robertson continueshis valuable series of papers on the Pathology of the NervousSystem in relation to Mental Diseases.

The Medical C7tronicle, Owens College.-Dr. H. D.Rolleston has an interesting paper upon that distressing,though fortunately not common, disease-Primary Carcinomaof the Larger Bile-ducts. For treatment he recommendsas affording great relief in cases where the common duct isinvolved, a cholecystenterostomy, so as to prevent bile beingdammed up in the liver. Dr. W. Milligan has a paper uponTuberculous Disease of the Middle Ear, and Mr. W. R.Williams one on the Pathogenesis of Cancer.

The Humanitarian for January has an article on CycleRiding and Racing for Women by Mr. E. B. Turner.The latter form of amusement the author rightly condemns,and the former praises, given the following : "Moderation,again moderation, and loose clothing." To which we wouldadd a very careful regard in respect of a proper form ofsaddle.

The Photographic News.-This useful weekly (price nowld.) has with the dawn of a new year been enlarged, andseveral new and attractive features have been introduced.The first number contains an instructive and comprehensiveseries of well-illustrated articles which are sure to engagethe interest of the amateur photographer.

Journal of Mental Science. January, 1896.-The currentnumber of this quarterly contains matter of importantclinical interest which should prove acceptable to the generalbody of the profession. The articles alluded to are the

following: Mental Symptoms occurring in Bodily Diseases,Mental Changes in Graves’s Disease, Mental States asso-

ciated with Visceral Disease in the Sane, and Some Pointsin the Relation of Diabetes to Insanity. The recent pro-

posals regarding habitual drunkards are ably discussed,both from the legal and medical standpoint. In the Psycho-logical Retrospect will be found Professor Fournier’s viewsregarding the Relation of Syphilis to General Paralysis.

Analytical RecordsFROM

THE LANCET LABORATORY.

STERILISED MILK.

(THE PURE BACTERIA-FREE MILK ASSOCIATION, LIMITED, I, NFTIIElt-LAND." LONDON AGENCY : S. DUSSELSlI1.A, 48-48A, OUTER

TEMPLE CHAMBERS ; 222-225, STRAND, W.C.)WE have received two samples of milk in glass-stoppered

bottles, one of which has been kept for six months duringthe hottest part of the year, while the other had been

recently prepared. Both were quite sterile. Even when

placed in the incubator bath-i.e., at blood-heat-for aweek no objectionable developments occurred, the milkin both cases being quite sweet and in good conditionat the end of the experiment. The samples containedno trace of objectionable preservatives. In spite of the

sterilising process, which is carried on at a temperaturea little higher than the boiling point of water, the

taste was good, and freer than is usually the case from"boiled" or "scorched" flavour, and the colour of the

milk had changed to hardly any appreciable extent. There is