A Manual of Selected Biochemical Methods, as Applied to Urine, Blood and Gastric Analysis
1922
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
First, the translation of the title is wrong. It should be "Atlas of Electrodiagnosis and Physiotherapy." There is considerable space given to matter not pertaining to electricity; e. g., fifty-eight pages on articulations. The book is made up of plates, fifty-two of them, with descriptive text. Some of the plates are purely anatomic, having nothing directly to do with electrodiagnosis or physiotherapy, and are mere repetitions of standard anatomic illustrations. Many are excellent cuts of
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... es and nerves, showing the motor points of muscles and where the nerves are most accessible. There is a very good table of the electric excitability of nerves and muscles, but the faradic excitability is expressed in terms of centimeters on a standard French machine and is consequently of little practical value, except in relativity. The figures and text on the joints are of no especial value to a physician with a library, and are useless for a layman. The illustrations are handy for quick reference, but the work is too limited in scope for the general practitioner, who will be better served by one of the several manuals on electro¬ diagnosis and electrotherapy already in circulation. For the nurse or layman doing electric work it will serve as a reliable and very useful guide-tinder proper supervision. The trans¬ lation is only fairly well done. It shows lack of medical knowledge and of familiarity with the English equivalents of anatomic and electric terms. Applied Colloid Chemistry. General Theory. and sciences. The nature and laws of absorption, surface tension, colloidal solution, emulsion and foam formation are discussed in a clear, brief manner, with a minimum of mathematics and a maximum of elucidation. Most of the cases selected for illustration are taken from industrial chemistry, but many are from everyday life, and they help maintain the reader's interest. The biologic and medical applications receive no special consideration. As a statement of the general theories of colloidal chemistry, which is all it pretends to be, this book is a reliable and altogether readable exposition. An equally well prepared and up-to-date companion volume on colloid chemistry in biology and medicine would be an invaluable addition to the literature of these sciences. We hope it may follow soon. of diseases of the pleura. The articles as a whole seem to us somewhat above the standard of those that have appeared in previous volumes. We have been especially attracted by the articles on Rocky Mountain fever, Hodgkin's disease and hookworm disease, though more critical examination might show that others were fully as deserving of praise. The sixth volume is incomplete. It contains a good article by Warfield on diseases of the arteries\p=m-\arteriosclerosis, thrombo-angiitis obliterans, aortitis, aneurysm, coronary thrombosis, etc. There is a brief but comprehensive and practical discussion of clinical blood pressure. Acute endocarditis is discussed by H. G. Webster. The picture of the malignant type is none too clearly drawn. The table showing the characteristics of the principal endocardial murmurs is fragmentary and would be more suitably placed.in the chapter on chronic valvular disease where, in fact, all these points are repeated. T. F. Reilly handles the subject of chronic valvular disease of the heart and handles it well. We are pleased to note that under the head of treatment he prescribes hope for his patients. He truthfully says: "It is one of the best medicines. ... It is surprising what a beneficial effect hopeful announcements have on the cardiac patient." There is a short chapter on heat exhaustion by L. C. Johnson, and a full consideration by Schereschewsky of morbid condi¬ tions due to changes in barometric pressure-compressed air illness and mountain sickness. Seventy-five pages are devoted tu a discussion by Soutter of diseases of the bones and joints. The chapter can hardly be regarded as satisfying whether considered from the standpoint of internal medicine, general surgery or orthopedics, because the descriptions are of such a meager, quiz-compend character. About half the space of this chapter is taken up by illustrations, many of them, however, quite helpful. Hoover has a short article devoted to diseases of the muscles. He cites several illustrative cases from his own experience. The seventh volume is likewise incomplete. There is a short chapter on diseases of the salivary glands by Joachim, and one on stomatitis by J. S. Davis. Joachim also writes on diseases of the pancreas.
doi:10.1001/jama.1922.02640540070038
fatcat:dgulelklu5empgqz3o36fjzewm