Cyclopccclia of the Diseases of Children. Vol. I. Edited by J. M. Keating, M.D. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippmcott Co. Edinburgh and London : Young J. Pentland : 1889.

This is the first instalment of a very large undertaking, which is to consist, when completed, of four volumes, and to embrace " not only the medicine and surgery of paediatrics, but also all the

specialties tributary to it, as well as collateral subjects of interest

and importance." It is, in fact, a collection of monographs arranged in the form of a systematic treatise, and devoted to the considera- tion of the anatomy, physiology, medicine, surgery, and hygiene of

infancy, childhood, puberty, and adolescence ; and even this broad scheme does not take in all the subjects treated of, as in the pre- sent volume, which contains almost 1000 pages, we find articles of considerable length on

" Outlines of Practical Bacteriology," " Maternal Impressions,"

" Diseases of the Foetus," "Wet Nurses," and "

Embryology," which do not usually come under the head of diseases of children.

The articles are written for the most part by authors, both American and British, whose names are well known in connexion with the subjects treated of; and if the remaining volumes are conceived and executed in the same broad spirit, and with the same general excellence, the cyclopaedia will be a valuable addi- tion to the physician's library, as a storehouse of information in all

1889.] CYCLOPAEDIA OF THE DISEASES OF CHILDREN. 551

that pertains to childhood in health and disease. The present volume is divided into two parts?Part I. dealing with genera subjects, Part II. with fevers and miasmatic diseases. Of the general subjects, the chapter on Anatomy, by Dr br.

M'Glellan, is very well done, and is well up to date. -To the prac- titioner it should be of great use, as it contains in a condensed form much information as to the size, exact position, and growth of organs which is not to be found in any treatise 011 the diseases 01 children, and which should help to make the examination of the child more exact and scientific. It is illustrated by a number 01 excellent photographs, a form of illustration which is much better suited to anatomical than to pathological subjects. The chapter on Physiology, by Dr Angel Money, we do not think So good; the subject is, as the author admits, " a comparative y unworked field," and there is nothing specially new introduced. _ There is an excellent chapter on Diagnosis by Dr Finlayson, in which he rightly insists on the necessity for greater accuracy m this department. It contains many hints on the conduct of t re

examination of the sick child which may be read by practitioners, old and young, with much advantage. His remarks 011 Diagnosis Made Easy?Teething," are very much to the point. He deals in an interesting way with the peculiarities in the disorders of the various systems of childhood.

the article on " Maternal Impressions" a large number ot cases are collected and compared, and the conclusion is arrived at that such impressions do occasionally, though not often, cause the defects which are ascribed to them. The "Diseases of the Foetus" form an interesting chapter, which has the advantage, not shared by most of the articles, of con- taining copious references to original sources. These would be out ot place in a text-book, but in a book of reference such as this

they are indispensable. The chapter on "Injuries to the New-born, oy Parvin, contains a mass of matter not easily accessible elsewhere. Infant Feeding," of course, requires a long chapter, in which t le character and composition of human milk and the various milk ??ds are very fully and ably discussed, and all that relates to the preparation and administration of food to infants is reviewed. In Part II which contains articles on the Fevers and Miasmatic

Diseases, Malaria, Cholera, etc., in detail, there are some admirable chapters. One of the best in the book is that on Diphtheria, by ,r J. Lewis Smith. It begins with a most interesting historical resume. The disease, he considers, is due to a micrococcus, and does not originate de novo. It is extremely contagious, and is likely 0 be " the scourge of America in the future. There is much that as well as alarming in his views of the vaiious ways in which the disease is propagated and spread. The questions of pathology cure, and treatment are discussed with a breadth of knowledge and experience which make it a most valuable contribution to thesubject.

552 CYCLOPAEDIA OF THE DISEASES OF CHILDREN, ETC. [DEC.

Rheumatism is the title of another excellent chapter, contributed by Dr Cheadle, who takes a broad and comprehensive view of the

subject, and shows that the rheumatic state in childhood comprises a series of phenomena not limited to the joints and serous mem- branes, but extending frequently to the skin, mucous membranes, and even the central nervous system. Chorea, tonsillitis, erythema, pleurisy, tendinous nodules, are all common results of rheumatic disturbance. He insists strongly upon the vast importance of

heredity in this disease. He attaches more importance than most authors to the appearance of fibrous nodules, and looks upon them as specially associated with chronic endo- and pericarditis.

Erysipelas, Yellow Fever, Dengue, Malaria, and Cholera Infec- tiosa, are each fully treated of in this part of the work. The articles vary much in length, and are of unequal value. The

majority of them, some of which we have briefly noticed, are of

great and permanent value ; one or two, as, for instance, the

chapter on the Care of the Child at Birth, might have been

omitted with advantage. The type, printing, and illustrations are all good.