Nosography—The Evolution of Clinical Medicine in Modern Times

from the seventeenth century. There would be many others and among them, we hope, a I543 Vesalius bound in vellum!" In passing to the nineteenth century, the outstanding topic is surgical anesthesia, and the subject is handled with great circumspection. "The 'Death of Pain', as S. Wier Mitchell so aptly describes the discovery of ether anesthesia, is not only the greatest contribution Massachusetts has made to medicine, but, indeed, the most important advance in medicine ever made in America." Dr. Viets deals with the various claimants to priority-Colton, Wells, Jackson, and Long-and makes it quite clear that the laurels should unquestionably pass to W. T. G. Morton, since it was he who took entire responsibility for the outcome of the first public demonstration on human beings, and since the action of ether had been thoroughly tested previously on animals it was a great triumph for the experimental method. It is this last circumstance which makes Morton's position particularly secure. The book ends with a brief chapter on modern development in surgery and medicine, in which we are reminded of Fitz's discovery of appendicitis and pancreatitis and his recommendation of radical surgical intervention for the cure of each, and of Harvey Cushing, who is described as the foremost contributor to surgery in the last twenty years. The book terminates very appropriately with an account of the great contribution of Minot and Murphy. J. F. FULTON