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IMPROVED CLOVER'S (OR HEWITT'S) INHALER
324
Reviews of Books Diagnostic Roentgenology Vol.2.
Editor: Ross
GOLDEN, M.D., professor of radio-
logy, Cohunbia University. and Sons. Pp. 600.
New York: Thomas Nelson
Dr. Dyke has boldly - discarded his inadequate chapter the skull and intracranial contents and has drawn on his vast experience to describe in 250 pages (with 334 illustrations) every normal and abnormal radiological finding with’ their basic pathology. His section on traumatic disorders, with a table for the rate of healing of linear fractures of the skull, fills an important gap in radiological literature. Dr. Rabin adds to his chest section erudite papers on pulmonary markings, nodular and miliary diseases of the lungs, differential diagnosis of cavities, and X-ray artefacts. His ’statement that a positive Wassermann reaction in a patient with a nodular shadow should not deter one from making an immediate exploratory operation may be intentionally provocative. A new 150-page monograph on X-ray diagnosis in infants and children by Dr. Caffey of the Babies Hospital, New York, is welcome as the first comprehensive work on the subject in English ; few radiologists have much experience of diseases in infants. He describes system by system the radiological abnormalities in the newborn with separate chapters on blood diseases, storage ’ diseases, avitaminoses, pulmonary tuberculosis and syphilis. Much of this material is new and much could only have been obtained by worldwide study of published peediatric work. Dr. Lingley and Dr. Elliot’s brief chapter contains all that is known of soft-tissue radiography and Dr. Moore writes on body-section rontgenography, giving a useful chart of distances and exposures. In the final chapter on angiography Dr. Camp and Dr. Allen describe the work done so far, with particular reference to the collateral circulation in peripheral vascular diseases. They recognise that this method will find no permanent place in clinical radiology until a non-toxic, non-irritant opaque medium is discovered. The general editor is to be congratulated on index and bibliographies. Disorders of the Blood Pressure Editors : Sir HUMPHRY ROLLESTON, Bt., M.D. Camb., F.R.C.P., ALAN MONCRIEFF, M.D. Lend., F.R.C.P. London: The Practitioney with Eyre and Spottiswoode. Pp. 83. 6s. OF the recent advances in our knowledge of high blood-pressure the most important to the practitioner is the recognition of a malignant form of essential hypertension ; a special article in this booklet by various authors deals with the clinical and histological findings in this condition. High blood-pressure in general is reviewed in the opening chapter, which is followed by a ’ practical account of sphygmomanometry with special reference to prognosis for life-insurance. The article on treatment is in the traditional style ;_ the patient with symptomless hypertension is deprived of gravy, soup, stews and alcohol and no mention is made of the use of organic mercurials in the treatment of hypertensive heart failure. The " attainment of the optimum pressure " which the writer advocates is in more ways than one a counsel of perfection. The article on hypotension includes interesting case-records. The booklet suffers from lack of a uniform terminology. The terms essential on
’
’
’
’
hypertension, benign hypertension, malignant hypertension, hyperpiesia, nephrosclerosis, non-nephritic hypertension and diffuse hyperplastic sclerosis are used in succession by the different authors-who thus leave the general reader with the false impression that the subject is as confused as ever.
’
Nutrition and Victory Food Problems in War and Peace. ERWIN PULAY, M.D. Vienna. London : Research Books and Wm. Heinemann (Medical Books). Pp. 118. 6s THE reader comes to this book with a prejudice in its favour. It is written by an obvious refugee, it has a charming dedication to Winston Spencer Churchill, it is well produced and a fleeting perusal shows it to be brightly written and well translated. The cover claims it to be one of the first contributions indicating the r6le of science in a new world order. Our material "
civilisation is built upon scientific discovery, our future progress depends upon the right use of the scientific method, and our only guarantee of a safe and happy future depends on the understanding of the merits and the defects of the scientific method by politicians and people ; so that any book which aims at expounding the r6le of science in the new world order is to be welcomed. In any country imbued with the scientific habit of mind the Aryan myth and the vagaries of eugenic and dietetic mountebanks would be laughed out of court. But it is to be doubted if a short book on dietetics can do much either for the general reader or for the expert. Dietetics is so new a subject, develops so rapidly, changes its viewpoint so often, is so ready to challenge at any moment axioms which seemed to older workers fundamental and is so beset by cranks and charlatans that it is doubtful if it can be given to the world in general except in one of two waysas a brief, dogmatic, approximate statement, rather like a creed ; or as a long, involved, highly critical and scientific treatise. There can be no half measures. What we do know about dietetics can be written on a thumbnail ; what may turn out to be the truth in dietetics demands a tome. This book, unhappily, is neither the one nor the other. Year Book of General Medicine, 1941 Editors: GEORGE F. DICK, M.D. ; J. BURNS AMBERsON, Jr., M.D. ; GEORGE R. MINOT, M.D., S D., F.R.C.P. and WILLIAM B. CASTLE, M.D., S.M. ;WiLLIAM D. STROUD, M.D. ; GEORGE B. EUSTERMAN, M.D. Chicago : The Year Book Publishers; London: H. K. Lewis. Pp. 848. 16s. 6d. THIS American book follows its useful plan, under its
usual editorship, of presenting abstracts of moderate length from the year’s outstanding contributions in general medicine. Their sources are predominantly
American and many are illustrated. The fields covered infectious diseases, metabolic diseases, and diseases of the heart and vessels, the lungs, the digestive system, the blood and the kidney. - The editors do not confine themselves to new work in the strict sense, but often summarise papers which review or revise our knowledge of important conditions. Many readers would welcome a little more of the editorial comment on which they venture as yet but sparingly. The general physician, consultant or otherwise, will find the yearbook good for reference and for dipping into. are
New Inventions IMPROVED CLOVER’S (OR HEWITT’S) INHALER BY means of a simple valvular device one’s old Clover’s inhaler can again become a valued possession ; new inhalers can also be made with the device already fitted. The bag of the old inhaler is discarded and an inspiratory valve inserted into the circular opening (A) to which the and an bag was attached expiratory valve (B) is let into the side of the face-piece. The anæsthetic chamber is filled with the anaesthetic to be used, and the strength of the vapour administered is regulated by the control handle. Rebreathing does not occur with this
standard
apparatus ;
on
inspiration
the dome valve opens and the face-piece one closes while on expiration the former closes and the latter opens. With both movements the clicking sound of the valves can be heard and so there is no danger of the patient stopping breathing without it being immediately noticed. By means of this modification of the Clover’s inhaler the volatile general anaesthetics (ethyl chloride, ether, can be given more safely, easily and chloroform, &c.) efficiently than by the open-mask method. These valves and inhalers can be obtained from Elliott’s of Sydney, but any hospital workshop could carry out the changes. G. S. THOMPSON, F.R.C.S. Sydney, Australia.
-
Reviews of Books Diagnostic Roentgenology Vol.2.
Editor: Ross
GOLDEN, M.D., professor of radio-
logy, Cohunbia University. and Sons. Pp. 600.
New York: Thomas Nelson
Dr. Dyke has boldly - discarded his inadequate chapter the skull and intracranial contents and has drawn on his vast experience to describe in 250 pages (with 334 illustrations) every normal and abnormal radiological finding with’ their basic pathology. His section on traumatic disorders, with a table for the rate of healing of linear fractures of the skull, fills an important gap in radiological literature. Dr. Rabin adds to his chest section erudite papers on pulmonary markings, nodular and miliary diseases of the lungs, differential diagnosis of cavities, and X-ray artefacts. His ’statement that a positive Wassermann reaction in a patient with a nodular shadow should not deter one from making an immediate exploratory operation may be intentionally provocative. A new 150-page monograph on X-ray diagnosis in infants and children by Dr. Caffey of the Babies Hospital, New York, is welcome as the first comprehensive work on the subject in English ; few radiologists have much experience of diseases in infants. He describes system by system the radiological abnormalities in the newborn with separate chapters on blood diseases, storage ’ diseases, avitaminoses, pulmonary tuberculosis and syphilis. Much of this material is new and much could only have been obtained by worldwide study of published peediatric work. Dr. Lingley and Dr. Elliot’s brief chapter contains all that is known of soft-tissue radiography and Dr. Moore writes on body-section rontgenography, giving a useful chart of distances and exposures. In the final chapter on angiography Dr. Camp and Dr. Allen describe the work done so far, with particular reference to the collateral circulation in peripheral vascular diseases. They recognise that this method will find no permanent place in clinical radiology until a non-toxic, non-irritant opaque medium is discovered. The general editor is to be congratulated on index and bibliographies. Disorders of the Blood Pressure Editors : Sir HUMPHRY ROLLESTON, Bt., M.D. Camb., F.R.C.P., ALAN MONCRIEFF, M.D. Lend., F.R.C.P. London: The Practitioney with Eyre and Spottiswoode. Pp. 83. 6s. OF the recent advances in our knowledge of high blood-pressure the most important to the practitioner is the recognition of a malignant form of essential hypertension ; a special article in this booklet by various authors deals with the clinical and histological findings in this condition. High blood-pressure in general is reviewed in the opening chapter, which is followed by a ’ practical account of sphygmomanometry with special reference to prognosis for life-insurance. The article on treatment is in the traditional style ;_ the patient with symptomless hypertension is deprived of gravy, soup, stews and alcohol and no mention is made of the use of organic mercurials in the treatment of hypertensive heart failure. The " attainment of the optimum pressure " which the writer advocates is in more ways than one a counsel of perfection. The article on hypotension includes interesting case-records. The booklet suffers from lack of a uniform terminology. The terms essential on
’
’
’
’
hypertension, benign hypertension, malignant hypertension, hyperpiesia, nephrosclerosis, non-nephritic hypertension and diffuse hyperplastic sclerosis are used in succession by the different authors-who thus leave the general reader with the false impression that the subject is as confused as ever.
’
Nutrition and Victory Food Problems in War and Peace. ERWIN PULAY, M.D. Vienna. London : Research Books and Wm. Heinemann (Medical Books). Pp. 118. 6s THE reader comes to this book with a prejudice in its favour. It is written by an obvious refugee, it has a charming dedication to Winston Spencer Churchill, it is well produced and a fleeting perusal shows it to be brightly written and well translated. The cover claims it to be one of the first contributions indicating the r6le of science in a new world order. Our material "
civilisation is built upon scientific discovery, our future progress depends upon the right use of the scientific method, and our only guarantee of a safe and happy future depends on the understanding of the merits and the defects of the scientific method by politicians and people ; so that any book which aims at expounding the r6le of science in the new world order is to be welcomed. In any country imbued with the scientific habit of mind the Aryan myth and the vagaries of eugenic and dietetic mountebanks would be laughed out of court. But it is to be doubted if a short book on dietetics can do much either for the general reader or for the expert. Dietetics is so new a subject, develops so rapidly, changes its viewpoint so often, is so ready to challenge at any moment axioms which seemed to older workers fundamental and is so beset by cranks and charlatans that it is doubtful if it can be given to the world in general except in one of two waysas a brief, dogmatic, approximate statement, rather like a creed ; or as a long, involved, highly critical and scientific treatise. There can be no half measures. What we do know about dietetics can be written on a thumbnail ; what may turn out to be the truth in dietetics demands a tome. This book, unhappily, is neither the one nor the other. Year Book of General Medicine, 1941 Editors: GEORGE F. DICK, M.D. ; J. BURNS AMBERsON, Jr., M.D. ; GEORGE R. MINOT, M.D., S D., F.R.C.P. and WILLIAM B. CASTLE, M.D., S.M. ;WiLLIAM D. STROUD, M.D. ; GEORGE B. EUSTERMAN, M.D. Chicago : The Year Book Publishers; London: H. K. Lewis. Pp. 848. 16s. 6d. THIS American book follows its useful plan, under its
usual editorship, of presenting abstracts of moderate length from the year’s outstanding contributions in general medicine. Their sources are predominantly
American and many are illustrated. The fields covered infectious diseases, metabolic diseases, and diseases of the heart and vessels, the lungs, the digestive system, the blood and the kidney. - The editors do not confine themselves to new work in the strict sense, but often summarise papers which review or revise our knowledge of important conditions. Many readers would welcome a little more of the editorial comment on which they venture as yet but sparingly. The general physician, consultant or otherwise, will find the yearbook good for reference and for dipping into. are
New Inventions IMPROVED CLOVER’S (OR HEWITT’S) INHALER BY means of a simple valvular device one’s old Clover’s inhaler can again become a valued possession ; new inhalers can also be made with the device already fitted. The bag of the old inhaler is discarded and an inspiratory valve inserted into the circular opening (A) to which the and an bag was attached expiratory valve (B) is let into the side of the face-piece. The anæsthetic chamber is filled with the anaesthetic to be used, and the strength of the vapour administered is regulated by the control handle. Rebreathing does not occur with this
standard
apparatus ;
on
inspiration
the dome valve opens and the face-piece one closes while on expiration the former closes and the latter opens. With both movements the clicking sound of the valves can be heard and so there is no danger of the patient stopping breathing without it being immediately noticed. By means of this modification of the Clover’s inhaler the volatile general anaesthetics (ethyl chloride, ether, can be given more safely, easily and chloroform, &c.) efficiently than by the open-mask method. These valves and inhalers can be obtained from Elliott’s of Sydney, but any hospital workshop could carry out the changes. G. S. THOMPSON, F.R.C.S. Sydney, Australia.
-