Book Reviews.

• CHRONIC DISEASE. The natural method of diagnosis and of successful treatment. By W. H. Burgess Avondale, Tenn. Published by the author. Price, in princess cover, $1.00 in leather, $1.50

This work includes a work previously published by the author entitled A New Field. The doctor is certainly an original investigator. He has been a very close observer of the direct action of drugs, in lines peculiar to himself. He has brought out a very great many practical suggestions concerning the action of remedies, that have not been otherwise presented, and his statements are devoid of quackery or undue egotism, but show plainly that a long experience and the obtaining of satisfactory results have convinced the author of the truth of the statements he makes. He draws upon all sources for his knowledge and for his remedies. He has used magnesium sulphate for a great many conditions, and succeeds in obtaining results from its action where others have never thought of using it. This is certainly a valuable little book.

• THE PHARMACOPEIA AND THE PHYSICIAN. A series of articles which discuss the chief substances in the U. S. P., classifying them according to their uses and endeavoring to show combinations which may be made to take the place of many well known proprietary preparations. By Robert A. Hatcher, of New York, and Martin I. Wilbert, of Philadelphia. Published by the American Association Press, Chicago.

This work is valuable from a pharmacological standpoint only. It contains but few therapeutic suggestions and those are based so exclusively upon laboratory observation as to possess but little value for clinical purposes except perhaps with a very few of the alkaloids. It says of aconite that it possesses almost no action except that of its alkaloid, and gives no uses whatever to this except for external purposes and toothache. Certain prejudices continually show themselves throughout the book which always greatly hampers one in the thorough study of the drug. It would be refreshing, indeed, to find a work published by this the highest of authorities in the profession in general, which would absolutely without prejudice bring out the properties of those remedies which are now being used successfully by all schools.

Ellingwood's Therapeutist, Vol. 2, 1908, was edited by Finley Ellingwood M.D.