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The Alphabet of the National Insurance Act
360
PUBLIC HEALTH.
measles, a disease is s p r e a d largely b y the school, school holidays do h a v e s o m e effect in checking its spread, the a m o u n t of success in this direction d e p e n d i n g upon t h e facilities for street a n d d o m e s t i c i n t e r c o u r s e between the infected and the susceptible children. I n diseases in which school infection is not i m p o r t a n t , e.g., scarlet fever, holidays have not m u c h effect upon the spread. Although m y r e m a r k s h a v e been restricted to the incidence of these diseases in large towns, it is likely t h a t t h e y will, with s o m e modifications, a p p l y also to individual districts of large towns, as well as to s o m e w h a t smaller towns, t h o u g h p r o b a b l y not to villages, rural districts, or to individual schools in u r b a n districts. I n conclusion, I m u s t express m y t h a n k s to Dr. H o p e for kindly placing at m y disposal the i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g Liverpool. REVIEWS. MANUAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH LAW. By Bertram Jacobs, Barrister-at-Law. London: Sweet and Maxwell, I912. Price, 7 s. 5d. Books on the law relating to public health fall for the most part into two classes ; either they are massive tomes, running into thousands of pages, quite beyond the purse of the ordinary private purchaser, or they are little books of a size that can be carried in the pocket, in which the chief provisions of public health law are set out in a highly condensed form for the consumption of students preparing for examination. The present volume occupies a place between these two extremes. It consists of not more than 204 octavo pages, but contains a large amount of information set out in so agreeable a style that the book may fairly be described as readable. The text of the Acts is not given, but their provisions are explained in language which, as far as possible, is free from technicalitles. One excellent feature of the book is that it explains not only the law, but also the authorities, central and local, that administer the law. The respective functions of the various authorities concerned in English public health administration, form a subject that most beginners find hopelessly confusing. T h e student will find the book distinctly helpful ; it will explain much that is difficult ~co understand in most books on the subject, and he will be able to learn from it. To public health officers it will also be useful A
ThE SCIENCE OF HYGIENE. .By W a l t e r C. Pakes. Second Edition, revised by A. T. Nankivell. London : Methuen & Co., 1912. Price 5s.net. In preparing the second edition of Dr. Pakes' e~cell, ent. text-b~ok, Dr. Nan, kivell h~s made many
JUNE,
alterations. H e has omitted the chapters on physics, bacteriology, and vital statistics that formed part of the first edition and has confined the book simply to the laboratory work required by students preparing for the D . P . H . examination. H e has, however, added considerably to the information contained in the first edition, and has brought all the matter well up to date. T h e result is a most useful book, which can confidently be recommended to the student. It contains m a n y practical demonstrator's " tips " which the student will find of considerable assistance in preparing for the ordeal of examination. TttE PREVENTION OF DENTAL CARIES. By Dr. J. Sim Wallace. Second Edition. London : Published at the Office of The Dental Record, i912. Price, is. 6d. net. The appearance of a second edition of this book within a few months of its first appearance is evidence that it has attracted considerable attention. T h i s is not surprising, for dental caries is a subject in which most persons are interested, and Dr. Sim Wallace has some important things to say about it. H e maintains that '"the cause of caries is the prolonged retention or stagnation of fermentable carbohydrates in more or less immediate contact with the teeth, and undisturbed by the free access of saliva." T h e usual preventive measures advocated, antiseptic mouthwashes, tooth-brushing, and tooth-powders, he considers are of little avail, being ineffective as cleansing agents, and possibly productive of harm. Dental caries, he holds, can only be prevented by a proper choice of diet. Food, particularly the food of children, should be of such consistency as to require vigorous mastication. Efficient mastication keeps the mouth physiologically clean and the teeth and gums strong and healthy, and there is no other really effective way of prevention. Such is the teaching of Dr. Sim Wallace, and we strongly recommend this suggestive and stimulating boak to all medical practitioners, and especially to those engaged in the practice of preventive medicine. THE ALPHABET OF THE NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT. By C G. Moran, Barrister-at-Law. London : Methuen & Co., I912. Price, is. net. The object of this book is to explain the Insurance Act in plain English, and to set out its provisions in alphabetical order for convenience of reference. It is an explanatory index of a very difficult complex measure. For instance, under the heading " Sanatorium Benefit" will be found all the provisions, drawn from the various sections of the Act in which they appear, relating to that subject. T h e book is a useful work of reference .and a ,real ai.d. to the study of the Act.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
measles, a disease is s p r e a d largely b y the school, school holidays do h a v e s o m e effect in checking its spread, the a m o u n t of success in this direction d e p e n d i n g upon t h e facilities for street a n d d o m e s t i c i n t e r c o u r s e between the infected and the susceptible children. I n diseases in which school infection is not i m p o r t a n t , e.g., scarlet fever, holidays have not m u c h effect upon the spread. Although m y r e m a r k s h a v e been restricted to the incidence of these diseases in large towns, it is likely t h a t t h e y will, with s o m e modifications, a p p l y also to individual districts of large towns, as well as to s o m e w h a t smaller towns, t h o u g h p r o b a b l y not to villages, rural districts, or to individual schools in u r b a n districts. I n conclusion, I m u s t express m y t h a n k s to Dr. H o p e for kindly placing at m y disposal the i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g Liverpool. REVIEWS. MANUAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH LAW. By Bertram Jacobs, Barrister-at-Law. London: Sweet and Maxwell, I912. Price, 7 s. 5d. Books on the law relating to public health fall for the most part into two classes ; either they are massive tomes, running into thousands of pages, quite beyond the purse of the ordinary private purchaser, or they are little books of a size that can be carried in the pocket, in which the chief provisions of public health law are set out in a highly condensed form for the consumption of students preparing for examination. The present volume occupies a place between these two extremes. It consists of not more than 204 octavo pages, but contains a large amount of information set out in so agreeable a style that the book may fairly be described as readable. The text of the Acts is not given, but their provisions are explained in language which, as far as possible, is free from technicalitles. One excellent feature of the book is that it explains not only the law, but also the authorities, central and local, that administer the law. The respective functions of the various authorities concerned in English public health administration, form a subject that most beginners find hopelessly confusing. T h e student will find the book distinctly helpful ; it will explain much that is difficult ~co understand in most books on the subject, and he will be able to learn from it. To public health officers it will also be useful A
ThE SCIENCE OF HYGIENE. .By W a l t e r C. Pakes. Second Edition, revised by A. T. Nankivell. London : Methuen & Co., 1912. Price 5s.net. In preparing the second edition of Dr. Pakes' e~cell, ent. text-b~ok, Dr. Nan, kivell h~s made many
JUNE,
alterations. H e has omitted the chapters on physics, bacteriology, and vital statistics that formed part of the first edition and has confined the book simply to the laboratory work required by students preparing for the D . P . H . examination. H e has, however, added considerably to the information contained in the first edition, and has brought all the matter well up to date. T h e result is a most useful book, which can confidently be recommended to the student. It contains m a n y practical demonstrator's " tips " which the student will find of considerable assistance in preparing for the ordeal of examination. TttE PREVENTION OF DENTAL CARIES. By Dr. J. Sim Wallace. Second Edition. London : Published at the Office of The Dental Record, i912. Price, is. 6d. net. The appearance of a second edition of this book within a few months of its first appearance is evidence that it has attracted considerable attention. T h i s is not surprising, for dental caries is a subject in which most persons are interested, and Dr. Sim Wallace has some important things to say about it. H e maintains that '"the cause of caries is the prolonged retention or stagnation of fermentable carbohydrates in more or less immediate contact with the teeth, and undisturbed by the free access of saliva." T h e usual preventive measures advocated, antiseptic mouthwashes, tooth-brushing, and tooth-powders, he considers are of little avail, being ineffective as cleansing agents, and possibly productive of harm. Dental caries, he holds, can only be prevented by a proper choice of diet. Food, particularly the food of children, should be of such consistency as to require vigorous mastication. Efficient mastication keeps the mouth physiologically clean and the teeth and gums strong and healthy, and there is no other really effective way of prevention. Such is the teaching of Dr. Sim Wallace, and we strongly recommend this suggestive and stimulating boak to all medical practitioners, and especially to those engaged in the practice of preventive medicine. THE ALPHABET OF THE NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT. By C G. Moran, Barrister-at-Law. London : Methuen & Co., I912. Price, is. net. The object of this book is to explain the Insurance Act in plain English, and to set out its provisions in alphabetical order for convenience of reference. It is an explanatory index of a very difficult complex measure. For instance, under the heading " Sanatorium Benefit" will be found all the provisions, drawn from the various sections of the Act in which they appear, relating to that subject. T h e book is a useful work of reference .and a ,real ai.d. to the study of the Act.