The Reviewer's Table. Books, Reprints, and Instruments for this department, should be sent to the Editors, St. Louis. ******** STARR has long been recognized as an authority on the nutritional disorders of infancy and childhood. This book is a comprehensive statement DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS IN IN FANCY AND CHILDHOOD, with Chapters on the Diet and General Management of Children, and Massage in Pediatrics. By LOUIS STARR, M. D., Late Clinical Professor of Diseases of Children in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Consulting Pediatrist to the Maternity Hospital, Philadelphia, etc. Third edition, rewritten and enlarged. Illustrated. Published by P. BLAKISTON'S SON & CO., 1012 Walnut St., Philadelphia. 1901. Price $3.00 net. of his extreme clinical observations and practical deductions therefrom, and is a tribute to his scholarly attainments, both as an observer and author. It is one of those books from which the reader absorbs the enthusiasm of the author as well as receiving at first hand knowledge that is of service in everyday work. The subjects treated embrace more than what the title would thus imply, thus the introduction on general management of children is exceptionally thorough, likewise the chapters on "Diseases Produced by Improper Foods and Imperfect Nutrition;" then follows Diseases of the Digestive Organs," then "Affections of the Throat, Stomach and Intestines." The chapter on "Tuberculosis of the Mesenteric Glands and Intestines" is a valuable one. The "Affections of the Liver and of the Peritoneum" are considered in a brief, but serviceable manner. Much of the material in this book is new, and consequently upto-date in every respect. This book should be in the hands of every physician having to deal with children, and especially should the beginner in practice have at hand such an authority to help him solve the perplexing problems of nutritional disorders of infants and children. F. P. N. THE association which issues a volume of transactions such as this volume is doing excellent work for scientific medicine. TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC ASSOCIATION. Complete account of Ninth Annual Meeting held at Washington, D. C., September 19, 20, and 21, 1899; also Tenth Annual Meeting held at New York City, September 25, 26, and 27, 1900. Illustrated. Pages 391. Price, Extra cloth, $2.00 net, delivered. Philadelphia: F. A. DAVIS COMPANY, Publishers, 1914-16 Cherry Street. Electro-therapy is not well understood by the physician in general because of the paucity of literature in our medical journals. This volume, comprising the transactions for two years, 1899 and 1900, is very useful in presenting information along the lines of practical therapy and by experts of authority. To those physicians who seek information in this field of practice this volume is invaluable as representing the very latest and best methods of practice. Among the numerous authors are the following: Robert Reyburn, A. D. Rockwell, Robert Newman, Apostoli, G. Belton Massey, W. J. Herdman, W. J. Morton, D. R. Brower, W. B. Snow, E. R. Corson and others. The subjects discussed are: The X-Ray in Various Applications; Papers on Electricity in Application to Treatment of Respiratory and Cardiac Failure; In Sciatica; Tuberculous Glands of the Neck; Dilatation of Stomach; Nose, Throat and Ear; Cancer by Massey Method; Nervous Diseases of Women; Neurasthenia; Insanity; Urethra Strictures, etc. Then papers on technique, appliances, combined currents, etc. In all the volume is very serviceable, and is a valuable addition to the literature of today. F. P. N. THIS attractive manual thoroughly explains all that concerns intelligent prescription-writing. We have never seen the subject more clearly or more ably handled. The grow. ing popularity of the metric system in prescription-writing com. pels all members of the profession to familiarize themselves with its workings; nowhere can a more brief yet comprehensive exposition be found than here. The book should reach students in college -it will prove a great help to them-and post-graduate students who are writing prescriptions in a slip-shod fashion will spend time to a good advantage in studying its pages. A BRIEF MANUAL OF PRESCRIPTION-WRITING in Latin or English for the use of Physicians, Pharmacists, and Medical and Pharmacal Students, By M. L. NEFF, A. M., M. D., Cedar Rapids, Ia. Pages 152. Size 8x5 inches. Extra Cloth, 75 cents_net, delivered. Philadelphia, Pa.: F. A. DAVIS CO., Publishers, 1914-16 Cherry Street. THIS volume is in keeping with the superior excellence of volumes one and two. We have mentioned in previous reviews the thorough revision to be noticed throughout this work. Many new subjects are discussed and old ones revised up to date. The illustrations are numerous, apt and helpful in elucidating the text. Volume III commences with chloralamid and extends to Equinox Spring, discussing in alphabetical order all subjects that directly or indirectly pertain to the medical sciences. Of special mention in this volume are the monographs Chloroform, by Bennett, as an anesthetic, which is a most complete discussion of this subject; on the Chorion, by Warthin; on Diseases of the Choroid, by Weeks; a very elaborate discussion of the Circulation of the Blood by Dreyer; a full one on Diseases of the Cornea by Buller; on Dietetics by Stahl; on Diphtheria by Park; a specially practical discussion of Dislocations by Duncan Eve; on Dissection and Operation Wounds by L. W. Bacon, Jr. Diseases of the Ear are fully discussed in a series of valuable monographs, covering 107 pages of the text, by such authorities as Burnett, Roosa, Sprague, Alderton, Daly, Lewis, Randall, Stephens, McKernon, Sheppard, Green, Blrke, Clemens, Stout, Swain. These papers are designed especially to be of service to the general practitioner, and cover in their consider all of the essentials for the practical care care and treatment of diseases of the ear. Other subjects, notably Electricity, Embryology, etc., are well presented. Throughout the book the A REFERENCE HANDBOOK OF THE MEDICAL SCIENCES. Embracing the entire Range of Scientific and Practical Medicine and Allied Science. By Various Writers. A new edition, completely revised and rewritten. Edited by ALBERT H. BUCK, M. D., New York City. Vol. III. Illustrated by chromolithographs and 676 halftone and wood engravings. New York. WILLIAM WOOD & CO. 1901. text is concise, clear and is carefully edited. The printers have done their work well. All in all this is one of the great works commenced in the year 1901, and we will look forward for the succeeding volumes which are to appear from time to time. Every physician needs a reference work, and this one is the most complete published in any language. F.P.N. JONATHAN HUTCHISON, F.R.S., General Secretary of the New Syden ham Society, has requested Messrs. P. Blakiston's Son & Co., of Philadelphia, the American agents of the society, to announce the publication of "An Atlas of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Pathology," selected and arranged with the design to afford, in as complete a manner as possible, aids to diagnosis in all departments of practice. It is proposed to complete the work in five years, in fasciculi form, eight to ten plates issued every three months in connection with the regular publications of the society. The New Sydenham Society was established in 1858, with the object of publishing essays, monographs and translations of works which could not be otherwise issued. The list of publications number upwards of 170 volumes of the greatest scientific value. An effort is now being made to increase the membership, in order to extend its work. I. OUR MONTHLY QUIZ. Prizes Open to Fortnightly Subscribers. TOPIC FOR FEBRUARY. How do you treat the pernicious vomiting of pregnancy (medical and hygienic treatment)? TOPIC FOR MARCH. 2. How do you treat the rheumatic affections, viz.: Rheumatic fever, sub-acute and chronic rheumatism? Answers should reach this office not later than the 15th of the month. month. For the best and most practical answer to any one of these questions we will give a prize of $5.00. To the second best a subscription to the FORTNIGHTLY for the year. The answers must be short, no one answer to contain more than four hundred words. We shall publish the substance of such of the answers as seem most likely to prove interesting to our readers. Only subscribers to the FORTNIGHTLY will be recognized as competing (although we shall be pleased to hear from others who have ideas to suggest), and all persons known to be engaged in medical journalism are disqualified. Prizes will not be awarded to the same person more than once each year. Every answer must be accompanied by the writer's full name and address. PAPERS for the Original Department should be in hand one month in advance, and contributed to THE MEDICAL FORTNIGHTLY exclusively. A liberal number of extra copies will be furnished authors, and reprints may be obtained at reasonable rates, if request accompanies the manuscript. Engravings from photographs furnished free. Contributions, and books for review, should be sent to the Editors, 312 Century Building, St. Louis. COLLABORATORS. ALBERT ABRAMS, M. D., San Francisco. M. V. BALL, M. D., Warren, Pa. J. K. BAUDUY, M. D., St. Louis. A. V. L. BROKAW, M. D., St. Louis. Mr. REGINALD HARRISON, London, Eng. J. N. HALL, M. D., Denver. HOBART A. HARE, M. D., Philadelphia. F. J. LUTZ, M. D., St. Louis. E. E. MONTGOMERY, M. D., Philadelphia. H. M. WHELPLEY, M. D., St. Louis. Locomotor Ataxia; with Observations in Nine Cases. AN BY EVERETT J. BROWN, M. D., DECATUR, ILLS. Read before the Central District Medical Society, Pana, III., October 30, 1901. N expert neurologist once remarked to me that the general practitioner knew as little of neurology as he did of skin diseases; he said that few cases of spinal cord and brain lesions in their early stages were properly diagnosed by the general physician. That there is considerable truth in his statement cannot be questioned, and quite a number of successful general practitioners have confessed to me that they always dreaded to meet a case of disease of the nervous system, and that they rarely attempted to diagnose them. Many cases of locomotor ataxia exist for years without being recognized, and I have known one case, which from a recital of the symptoms I am sure was tabes, pass on to a fatal termination with the general diagnosis of "paralysis." When a boy I heard my father, who was a physician, relate a case of multiple fractures of the long bones in an old man which gave all the physicians a great amount of worry, but which I know now must have been a case of locomotor ataxia, Locomotor ataxia, or tabes dorsalis, was formerly described pathologically as a posterior spinal sclerosis, and the disease is often called by that name, but since the acceptance of the neuron theory it has been regarded as a primary degeneration of particular sets of sensory neurons, especially those whose neuraxons form the posterior columns of the spinal cord (columns of Goll and Burdach) and the optic nerve; we know now that the sclerosis is only a secondary process in which the vacancy left by the degenerated neuraxons is replaced by connective tissue. In the neuron theory we comprehend no longer the existence of a nerve cell and a nerve fibre, but only a nerve cell with minute processes and prolongations, vary ing in length from less than the diameter of the cell itself to the full length of the spinal cord, or from the brain to the body periphery. Locomotor ataxia is a slowly progressive disease lasting from a few years to half a lifetime; apparent arrest may occur for many months or several years, but usually each year shows a little more advance over the preceding; clinically the disease is usually divided into three periods: (1) The pre ataxic stage with the lancinating pains, rectal and vesical symptoms, impotence and neurasthenic manifestations. (2) Ataxic stage with muscular incoordination, modified knee jerks and rigid pupils. (3) Paralytic or terminal stage, in which patient is bedridden and helpless, often blind, but often without the pains of the earlier stages. Very few patients with locomotor ataxia come to the physician to be treated for the ataxia; the incoordination in walking may not occur for many years after other symptoms develop, and as Patrick says, "The symptom locomotor ataxia is of minor importance in the recognition of the disease locomotor ataxia." This has been my experience, for in these cases which I report today only one patient consulted me for difficulty in walking; three came for rheumatism in legs; one for progressive blindness; one for phthisis and neuralgia of legs; one for lightning pains in legs; one for gastric crisis, which he called bilious attacks, and one for an indolent ulcer on sole of foot at site of an old corn. The part played by syphilis in the causation of tabes is now universally recognized, as a history of syphilis may be obtained in a large majority of cases (60 to 90 per cent), it is never an early but always a late manifestation of the infection, usually five to fifteen, or even twenty-five years after the initial lesion. But recognizing syphilis as a causative agent does not help much in the treatment, as the iodides and mercury have little effect; this is because tabes dorsalis is not syphilis of the spinal cord, but is a degeneration following luetic infection; the lesion is spoken of as a parasyphilitic one, and occurs in persons who have been vigorously treated for a long time, as well as in those who have not been treated at all. Strumpell says that tabes stands in the same relation to syphilis as diphtheritic paralysls does to diphtheria. The two most important symptoms of tabes are the lost knee jerk and the rigid pupils (the Argyll-Robertson pupil). Diller gives the five cardinal symptoms of the disease as : I. Failure of knee jerk. 2. Romberg symptom, or swaying of the body with eyes closed. 4. Lightning pains. 5. Loss of functions of bladder and sexual organs. The symptoms may be best considered under those affecting the sensory sphere and those affecting the sympathetic nervous system. (1) Motor symptoms: (a) Ataxia. This symptom which has given the disease its name is now considered of minor importance in the early recognition of tabes, for the disease may last for years-even a quarter of a century-without showing any incoordination of movements. When |