Book Reviews and Abstracts

This volume is the first contributed by the medical and consultant staff of the Stoke Park Colony, near Bristol, under the editorship of the Medical Director, Professor Berry. It is dedicated to the memory of the late Reverend H. N. Burden, who founded the Colony and who, until his death in 1930, acted as Warden, a position now held by Mrs. Burden. It gives, in a memoir on the life of the founder, the history of the founding of the institution and Particulars of the actions taken by the late Warden and the present Warden to foster research in mental deficiency. The work is well presented in a very readable form, and is amply illustrated by photographs, charts and diagrams. There are seventeen articles on various scientific and clinical aspects of the subject. Not all the work has been done at Stoke Park, but there is ineluded certain work done elsewhere at various times by the Staff. A comprehensive bibliography is given at the end of the volume. Much of the work is on anatomical lines and there are several interesting articles deallng with the neurological aspect. One contribution by the Editor deals with a practical njeth?cl of the detection of potential social inefficiency and high-grade mental deficiency, and is based on a former work published by 11111 in association with Professor Portens. The value of head measurements in diagnosis is greatly stressed. One would, however, 1 ' a^on8" with most clinicians, to regard hese as by no means generally accepted as e<?nclusive, but to be considered in their place with many other diagnostic points, the accurate psychological examination of jle lowest grades has always presented probjjlllsA very suggestive and helpful article by ^j1, RG. Gordon on the application of the foerriH-Palmer tests promises much useful infRation. More details are to be given in a Work which will be published at a later