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A Synopsis of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
114
PUBLIC HEALTH.
supervision of Professor F. A. :E. Crew, Director of the Institute of Animal Genetics. The study represents a co-operative undertaking between Professor Crew and the National Committee o.n Maternal Health, Inc., of New York City. T h e ultimate objective of the study was to. find an effective, harmless, easily available chemical in a form that should keep in good condition over a lo.ng period of time and in all climates, and be so easy to use that the most ignorant woman in the Orient, the tropics, the rural outposts, or the city slums might be protected. The author has, therefore, entirely neglected the ethical aspects of the subject, and has devoted himself to a careful search into the principles underlying the various methods employed in contraceptive practice, t i e provides a review of the action of pure chemicals upon the life and mobility of the spermatozoon. The vehicles in.which these spermicides are suspended are also dealt with, and considerable attention is devoted to p r o p r i e t a r y chemical contraceptives. These are criticised with a view to attaining greater reliability. In a special chapter practical considerations in relation to other contraceptive methods are presented, and in this connection certain points in regard to the nature and properties of rubber, its manufacture, ageing, labelling and storing, are discussed. The volume is one of the most important of those published on the subject of contraception, and as such, is unhesitatingly recommended to health officers and workers.
DECEMBER,
written book, the ~tinister of Health (Sir Hilton Young) claims education as one of the most important methods of advancing the cause o.f public health. " In this respect," he adds, " this book renders a valuable service." With that view there is complete agreement, and for that reason, and because it is in several ways helpful, it is warmly commended.
BRIGHT ASHFORD, B.A., Barrister-atLaw and HUMPHREY BAKER, M.A., Bar-
A Synopsis of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. By E. W. CARYL THOMAS, M.D., B.SC., D.P.H., Barrister-at-Law, Medical Officer of Health, Dagenham. Bristol: John Wright and Sons, Ltd. ; London : S~mpkin Marshall, Ltd., 1933. pp. 1 5 2 . Price 7s. 6d. net. In attempting to deal exhaustively w i t h i n the compass of a small volume with the considerable variety of subjects that forensic medicine or medical jurisprudence embraces, the author of this manual, as he himself admits, has tackled an almost impossible piece of work. In the short space permissible to one preparing a synopsis, however, he has managed to compress a tremendous amount of detailed information. This he has done by making wide use of telegraphese and of a small, painfully small, type : except in the case of top and side headings where actually, of course, the nature of the type matters least. Forensic medicine being like public health, a subject that the medical student always crams, a cram-book of some sort is an essential. In spite of what 10r. Caryl Thomas says, this seems to contain an amount of information almost excessive for a cram-book, but in spite of this it may be chosen. If chosen, it will be found to possess this as a quality, that it is accurate as far as it goes.
rister-at-Law. London : The Scapa Society, 71, Eccleston Square, S.\V.1. pp. 50. Price Is. net. The medical officer of health is not the least amongst the many who recog-nise the m a n y and real difficulties associated with the problem of house refuse in rural areas. He will, therefore, find himself grateful to the authors o.f this little book for having made an effort to attract attention widely to, the existence of the need, in the interests of health and amenity, for the making of arrangements for the orderly and sanitary disposal of the refuse of rural communities as well as that produced in towns and cities. In a foreword to this very well and convincingly
THE Governing Body of the British PostGraduate Medical School have appointed, as Dean of the School, Dr. M. H. MaeKeith, Fellow of Magdalen College and Dean of the Medical School, Oxford University. Dr. MaeKeith will take up his duties in the new year. It will be recalled that the foundation stone of the new School, which will adjoin, and be associated with, the London County Council Hospital at Ducane Road, Hammersmith, was laid by the Chancellor of" the~ Exchequer (the Rt. Hon. Neville Chamberlain, M.P.), on July 17th, 1933. It is hoped that the School will be open to students towards the end of 1934. Further announcements will be made in due course.
Rural Refuse and its Disposal.
By :ETHEL
PUBLIC HEALTH.
supervision of Professor F. A. :E. Crew, Director of the Institute of Animal Genetics. The study represents a co-operative undertaking between Professor Crew and the National Committee o.n Maternal Health, Inc., of New York City. T h e ultimate objective of the study was to. find an effective, harmless, easily available chemical in a form that should keep in good condition over a lo.ng period of time and in all climates, and be so easy to use that the most ignorant woman in the Orient, the tropics, the rural outposts, or the city slums might be protected. The author has, therefore, entirely neglected the ethical aspects of the subject, and has devoted himself to a careful search into the principles underlying the various methods employed in contraceptive practice, t i e provides a review of the action of pure chemicals upon the life and mobility of the spermatozoon. The vehicles in.which these spermicides are suspended are also dealt with, and considerable attention is devoted to p r o p r i e t a r y chemical contraceptives. These are criticised with a view to attaining greater reliability. In a special chapter practical considerations in relation to other contraceptive methods are presented, and in this connection certain points in regard to the nature and properties of rubber, its manufacture, ageing, labelling and storing, are discussed. The volume is one of the most important of those published on the subject of contraception, and as such, is unhesitatingly recommended to health officers and workers.
DECEMBER,
written book, the ~tinister of Health (Sir Hilton Young) claims education as one of the most important methods of advancing the cause o.f public health. " In this respect," he adds, " this book renders a valuable service." With that view there is complete agreement, and for that reason, and because it is in several ways helpful, it is warmly commended.
BRIGHT ASHFORD, B.A., Barrister-atLaw and HUMPHREY BAKER, M.A., Bar-
A Synopsis of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. By E. W. CARYL THOMAS, M.D., B.SC., D.P.H., Barrister-at-Law, Medical Officer of Health, Dagenham. Bristol: John Wright and Sons, Ltd. ; London : S~mpkin Marshall, Ltd., 1933. pp. 1 5 2 . Price 7s. 6d. net. In attempting to deal exhaustively w i t h i n the compass of a small volume with the considerable variety of subjects that forensic medicine or medical jurisprudence embraces, the author of this manual, as he himself admits, has tackled an almost impossible piece of work. In the short space permissible to one preparing a synopsis, however, he has managed to compress a tremendous amount of detailed information. This he has done by making wide use of telegraphese and of a small, painfully small, type : except in the case of top and side headings where actually, of course, the nature of the type matters least. Forensic medicine being like public health, a subject that the medical student always crams, a cram-book of some sort is an essential. In spite of what 10r. Caryl Thomas says, this seems to contain an amount of information almost excessive for a cram-book, but in spite of this it may be chosen. If chosen, it will be found to possess this as a quality, that it is accurate as far as it goes.
rister-at-Law. London : The Scapa Society, 71, Eccleston Square, S.\V.1. pp. 50. Price Is. net. The medical officer of health is not the least amongst the many who recog-nise the m a n y and real difficulties associated with the problem of house refuse in rural areas. He will, therefore, find himself grateful to the authors o.f this little book for having made an effort to attract attention widely to, the existence of the need, in the interests of health and amenity, for the making of arrangements for the orderly and sanitary disposal of the refuse of rural communities as well as that produced in towns and cities. In a foreword to this very well and convincingly
THE Governing Body of the British PostGraduate Medical School have appointed, as Dean of the School, Dr. M. H. MaeKeith, Fellow of Magdalen College and Dean of the Medical School, Oxford University. Dr. MaeKeith will take up his duties in the new year. It will be recalled that the foundation stone of the new School, which will adjoin, and be associated with, the London County Council Hospital at Ducane Road, Hammersmith, was laid by the Chancellor of" the~ Exchequer (the Rt. Hon. Neville Chamberlain, M.P.), on July 17th, 1933. It is hoped that the School will be open to students towards the end of 1934. Further announcements will be made in due course.
Rural Refuse and its Disposal.
By :ETHEL