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these are better treated by other means.--Dr. CRAIG hadused the liquid extract of viburnum extensively for threatenedabortions, and knew of no drug that was more effective.—Professor SIMPSON had given it in threatened abortion, andwith sufficient results to encourage its use.--Dr. HAULTAINadministered it in dysmenorrhnea and as a uterine sedative.On the cutting pains of the first stage of labour he had notseen any effect; for after-pains no drug gave such goodresults except opium.

Dr. HAULTAIN read a paper on a Rare Form of Abortion,and showed two specimens illustrating it. He describedcases where the amnion with the ovum or its remains hadbeen expelled as an entire sac, leaving the decidua behind.In one case under his notice the decidua was removed sixweeks afterwards ; it required to be torn oil, the operationbeing attended with very free hæmorrhage. There had

evidently been pre-existing disease and death of the embryo,causing the attachment of the amnion to be less secure andits expulsion from the resulting uterine irritation. These

specimens showed death a considerable time before expul-sion. The decidua might go on growing, and would form acarneons mole. - Dr. J. W. BALLANTYNE questioned theabsorption of the fcetus in these cases, believing it was ratherdue to its non-development. - Professor SIMPSON said thatsometimes a little portion of cord would be found and yet nofaetu5 ; the cord showed that there had been a foetus, but ithad been absorbed. He attributed these cases to the specialtoughness of the amnion, which had permitted of its burstingits way through the other membranes and being expelledentire. The amnion was three times as tough as the chorion.The caul was almost always formed of amnion alone.

Reviews and Notices of Books.lJir; specielle Tuberculose der hanelmt2 und Gelenke auf

Grund 1’on Beobachtungen der Góttingen Iilittila.1. Das Kniegelenk. Bearbeitet von Dr. F. KOENIG,Professor der Chirurgie, Director der ChirurgischenKlinik. Mit 42 Hoizsnhnitten. Verlag von AugustHirschwald. Berlin, 1896. (On Taberculosis of Bonesand Joints; from Observations at the Göttingen Clinc.I. The Knee.joint. By Dr. F. KOENIG, Professor ofSurgery. Director of the Surgical Clinic. With 42 Wood-cuts. Berlin : A. Itirchwaitt. 1896.)PROFESSOR KOENIG has for twenty years filled the important

post of Director of the Surgical Clinic at Gottingen. Havingduring that time accumulated a very large experience intuberculous disease of bones and joints, he has resolved topublish a series of monographs based on this experience.The first is just published and treats of tuberculous disease ofthe knee. It is prefaced by a very careful and elaboratestatistical summary of 720 cases by Dr. Mertens and Dr. W.Koenig. Then follow chapters devoted to the considerationof the pathological anatomy, the clinical history, the pro-gnosis, and the treatment of this form of disease. The

volume is a most valuable treatise and a rich storehouseof material. It would be impossible in the space at our

disposal to go over in detail the ground so ablytraversed by Professor Koenig ; but we may say that

he is at variance with the late Bradshaw lecturer as to the

constancy with which the bones of the knee are involvedin cases of tuberculous disease of the joint, and he has foundthat in about half the cases the disease is a tuberculous

synovitis, and in a nearly equal number a tuberculous osteitis.No one routine method of treatment is advocated, but wideviews are taken. Rest and extension are recommended inthe early stages, and particularly in children ; to these aresometimes added injections of carbolic acid and iodoform.Where these measures fail to produce speedy improvementarthrectomy is practised in children and excision in adults.Stress is laid upon the importance of resorting to operationmore promptly in adults than in children, where the so-calledconservative measures do not avail. The next volume of the

series will deal with tuberculous disease of the hip.

.lllla.s dcs gesunden und kranken Nervensystems, ’nebst’Atlas des ges der Anatomie, Pathologie, und Therapie! Grundriss der Anatomie, Pathologie, und Therapie(7esselben. Von Dr. CIIRIST14RTIOD JAKOB. Mit einemVorwort von Professor Dr. AD. v. STRÜMPELL. Mün-chen : Verlag von J. F. Lehmann. 1895. Prcis M.10.(Atlas of the Nervous System i7i, Health and Disease, withÒutline of its Anatomy, Patholoq!l, and Treatment. ByDr. C. JAKOB. With a Preface by Professor AD. v.STRUMPELL. Munich : J. F. Lehmann. 1895.’" Price10s.) THIS forms one of a series of hand-atlases which are

in course of publication by the firm of J. F. Lehmann inMunich. Several volumes have already appeared, including-two on Obstetrics by Dr. Schaeffer, who also edits one onGynaecology ; one on Skin Diseases, by Dr. Kopp; one on Oph-thalmoscopy, by Dr. Haab; and one on Fractures and Dislo-cations, by Professor Helferich. The Atlas before us containsno fewer than seventy-eight plates, several of which include-more than one figure. In the first place, a series is.

devoted to the morphology of the central nervous system,in which are found anatomical drawings and reproductions.of photographs of the brain and spinal cord. Next comes,

a series (mainly diagrammatic) to illustrate the develop-ment and structure of the nervous system. An originalfeature in this part is a collection of twenty-one plates,to illustrate the appearances seen on section of the brain,

from the frontal lobe in series backwards to the medulla.

By a lavish use of colour the distinctive structures are made-apparent. In a fourth section are illustrations of the general’pathological anatomy of the nervous system, and, in a fifth,.of the special pathology of the spinal cord and nerves *

Appended to the Atlas is a concise account of the subject.occupying about 200 pages. Altogether the Atlas is well

planned and executed, and its use should prove of distinct-advantage to the neurological student, who will find in it a.safe guide through the anatomical mazes of the nervous.

system.

Diseases of the Spinal Cord By BYROM BRAMWELL. .1l.D.,F.R.C.P.Edin. Third Edition. Edinburgh : W. F. Glay.1895.

FEW words are needed to direct attention to the appear-ance of a new edition of Dr. Byrom Bramwell’s interestingvolume. Its author has the gift of lucidity in teaching, is.

fully aware of the advantages of illustrations in explaining, textual descriptions and ding in their right interpreta-

tion, whilst he has, moreover, in such a subject as diseases’! of the spinal cord one which to an unusual degree.! demands such systematic and illustrative treatment. The. subject is dealt with in the form of lectures, which ha-?.

enabled the author to emphasise mportant facts and’- to speak with greater freedom thin is customary in

a purely formal treatise. After some general remarks on the.; anatomical, physiological, and pathological bearings of the. subject, he opens his description of diseases of the cord withr acute anterior poliomyelitis, departing from the usual ordert in considering its morbid anatomy before dealing with its clinical features. This topic leads naturally to prcgressivet1 muscular atrophy, although he is careful to point out that.1 the latter condition is one which is often associated with, and,s dependent on, primary sclerosis in the adjacent pyramidal. tract. The distinctions between this amyotrophic laterale sclerosis and the form of chronic anterior poliomyelitis to1 which the clinical term progressive muscular atrophy is-e alone applicable are clearly set forth. From these topics he... diverges to speak of the muscular dystrophies, of which.t pseudo-hypertrophic paralysis is the most striking example.;. The changes described in the spinal cord in thisn affection are hardly adequate to account for the musculard defect, and, as is pointed out, the disease is now

e generally regarded as a primarily myopathic affection.This chapter is illustrated by a number of well-executed)

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portraits. Locomotor ataxia occupies several lectures,and its remarkably varied clinical and pathological his-

tory is well narratecl. The rarer conditions of Friedreich’s

ataxia, ataxic paraplegia, and syringomyelia receive con-siderable attention, and are deserving of careful study. In

particular we would draw attention to the very careful anddetailed analysis of the symptoms of syringomyelia, espe-

cially as regards its differential diagnosis from the numerousconditions that simulate it. Acute myelitis, chronic myelitis,and acute ascending paralysis are next discussed, and

are followed by the subject of multiple cerebro-spinalsclerosis. Here again, in regard to differential diagnosis,Dr. Bramwell is full and explicit. His remarks on this head

should prove of much service, especially those made inrespect to the differentiation of disseminated sclerosis fromgeneral paralysis of the insane and from hysteria. Meningealaffections, tumours of the cord and membranes, concussion ofthe spine and traumatic lesions, with especial reference to" railway spine," complete a volume which has the merit ofbeing readable and instructive, accurate without being toorecondite, and above all practically helpful as a guide inthe differentiation and treatment of spinal cord affections.Opportunity has evidently been taken to subject the work tocareful revision, and its indefatigable author may be assuredthat his book is one which will be of service to many a prac-titioner who is unable to devote the time necessary to mastermore voluminous treatises of neurological science.

DIARIES.

MESSRS. BURROLTGHS, WELMOME, AND CO., Snow-hill-

buildings, London, E.C., have earned the thanks of manybusy practitioners by the publicaticn of their A B C MedicalDiary and Visiting List, which is so well and so favourablyknown as hardly to require detailed recommendation. Thevolume for 1896 is of a size very convenient for the pocket,and is strongly bound in blue cloth, gilt-lettered, with rededges, and a pencil holder at the back. The diary portion,which occupies about half the book, gives two pages (oneopening) to each week of the year and is conveniently ruledfor the insertion of patients’ names, cash entries, and other memoranda. The special feature of the work, which dis- tinguishes it from other publications of the same class andrenders it of utility to prescribers, is a copious list of all themost recent additions to materia medica, together with adescription of their actions and uses. Messrs. Burroughs,Wellcome, and Co. announce that they send a copy of thisdiary free of charge to every medical man in Great Britain,India, and Australia, and they invite hints and suggestionsfor incorporation in the issue for 1897.MESSRS. CASSELL AND Co., La Belle Sauvage Yard,

Ludgate-hill, send us Letts’s Medical Diary for 1896 invarious bindings, either red or maroon morocco, with a flap,inside pockets, and gilt edges, or in cloth with marbled

edges. Each four pages (two openings) are ruled and

headed to suit each week of the year. This diary is a long-established favourite.

MESSRS. HAZELL, WATSON, AND VINEY, 52, Long-acre,W.C., and 1, Creed-lane, E.C., are the publishers of Smith’sPhysicians’ and Surgeons’ Visiting List for 1896, which isnow in its fiftieth year of issue and is well known tomedical men. It may be had either strongly bound inmorocco with pockets inside the cover, or of less thicknessbound in cloth. The same firm are now bringing out Hazell’sPhysicians’ and Surgeons’ Visiting List for 1896, which is

about the same size as the thinner form of Smith’s List, buthas the distinguishing feature that each alternate page,ruled with the days of the week and month, is less than halfthe full width. This arrangement has the advantage that itenables the visits of one month to be seen in one opening at

a glance, and obviates the necessity for writing the nameseach week.

MESSRS. WILLIAM COLLINS, SONS, AND Co. (London andGlasgow) have a large variety of diaries for 1896, the largestbciug the Seribbling Diary, interleaved with blotting paper,of large foolscap size, ruled for three days on each page, andthe smallest being the Bijou, also ruled for three days oneach page, and of dimensions suitable for the waistcoat

pocket. The smaller sizes are hand-iornely bound in

morocco.

The British rzrcd Colonial Dru.ggi.sts’ Diary, 42, Bishops-gate Without, E.C., is now in its eleventh year of issue,and is a substantial volume of quarto size, interleaved withblotting paper, and ruled to show one week on each page.The introductory and concluding portions contain a largeamount of miscellaneous information useful to pharma-ceutists and prescribers, lists of the London hospitals, withthe hours of attendance, and (which we hope will be omittednext year) lists of " general and specialist " physicians andsurgeons in London and the provincial towns,

New Inventions.A VACCINATION SHIELD.

IN order to avoid the irritating and injurious friction andpressure of the clothing at the site of vaccination, I havedevised a shield which consists of a well-padded wire ring,bent to suit the contour of an infant’s arm, and having itsaperture filled by an open net-work of fine wire. There are no

constricting tapes, and the plan of fixing the shield by meansof adhesive plaster (preferably the American rubber plaster)renders any shifting of position impossible. In applying theshield, if care be taken that the strips of plaster do not over-lap at their ends, there can be no constriction of the armsuch as occurs when tapes are employed. The Chemists’

Association, Limited, Curtain-road, E.C., manufactures theshield and has the wholesale agency for it.

I Upper Tooting, S.W. EDWIN SMITH, M.B. Lond.

THE "BLUE BUOY" SWIMMING BELT.

MOST persons who have travelled by sea are familiar withthe ordinary life-belt, consisting of slabs of cork con-

nected by cords or fine canvas. Under the name of the

"Blue Buoy" swimming belt Mr. J. E. Holdsworth, of

19, Golden-square, London, W., has brought out a similararticle for the use of those who are learning to swim, theslabs of cork being replaced by japanned metallic cylindersabout two inches in diameter. As each belt contains nine of

these, conveniently fastened together by tapes, six of thembeing seven inches long and three of them ten inches long,its supporting effect in the water is sufficient to give con-fidence to the most timid novice, and when a certain amountof proficiency is attained the buoyancy of the belt may bereduced at will by the removal of some of the cylinders.The wearing of such a belt would probably enable bathingto be indulged in by anybody with safety, either in thesea or in fresh water.

FOREIGN UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.-The listof successful candidates for the M.D. Degree of the Uni ver-sity of Brussels was published on Tuesday, Dec. 10th. Itcontains the names of the following British practitioners :-Francis Howard Humphris, M.R.C.S. Eng. and L.R.C.P.Lond. ; Charles Baring Langton, Al.R.C.S. Eng. and L.R.C.P.Lond. ; William Egmont Kirby, L.S A. Lond. ; and MissHarrison, L.R.C.P. and S. Edin. Mr. Humphris and Mr.Langton have both won their diplomas " with distinction."