Diseases of the Nose, Throat, and Ear

IN this book the author has collected most of the medical diseases met wvitlh in the fighting forces. It wvill therefore be useful to medical members of the fighting services in particular, for in a fewv minutes they can refer to (a book wvhich is almnost sure to contain the information they require. This may well be one of the reasons wvhy the book lhas already entered its second edition. T1he author has chosen experts to help him in sonme of the most specialised subjects, and the tout ense;nble makes a very readable book<:. The lirst thirteeni chapters are devote(d to functional nervous disorders. This may seem a lot, but in view of mistakes made in the last war in the treatment of these, and indeed of the failure to recognise these even at present, Sir Arthur Hurst's experience at Seale Hayne in the last war and after are a timely publication. There is a clhapter by the late T. A. Ross oni anxiety neurosis of war. This is excellent, and makes one realise the loss this author's deatlh has made to practical psychology. There is also a chapter on the effort syndrome. On the organic side, chapters are (levote(l to infectious and contagious fevers, includling the more common tropical (liseases. Digestive disorders, epi(lemic jaundice, nephritis, and tetanus are well considered, and Dr. A. WV. Barber wivites a very helpful chapter on skcin diseases of wvar. Thllis should be particularly valuable to those in charge of evacuees, as all skinl disordlers so prone to occur in this sectioni of tlle communuiiity are discusse(l. The last chapter is devoted to the treatmllent of gas-poisoning. Criticisms are few, but the chalpter on cerebral anid spinal concussion miglht be improved. It is unfortunate that the wvords "shell-slhock" should be mentioned, and e-en to justify its use in certain cases. The ilmore modern term "blast" should conmmenid itself, so that the use of the former term might be forgotten for ever. Mlore of the physical signs in cerebral concuLssioni would have been hielpful, as little is yet knoxvni of the acute stage of this conditioni. Spinal coIn-cussion is treated better. The book is of ai lhanldy size and the references are many. In spite of its price, it is a book to be recommended. To quote from the preface to the first edition, the above is an effort to plrovide a textbook "'for the …