REVIEWS 729 



cussed. " I shall here call the symptom insanity by the name of the form of 

 insanity and the different diseases that I include by the title of kinds of insanity," 

 but as the author states, classification of insanity has always been a stumbling- 

 block. We find Idiopathic insanity— yet with an assignable cause. We have 

 Dissolute insanity for Insanity of dissolution. Alcoholic insanity is partly 

 described under no less than three scattered separate chapters or headings. We 

 do not agree with the interpretation of the term Anoia, which is used as the 

 equivalent of Dementia rather than of Amentia. The author states " Dementia 

 may, as a form of insanity, be of any degree, from the slight blunting of intelligence 

 and feeling and the slight diminution of conduct that we all experience at the 

 end of a tiring day ... to Coma." Then, " the degrees of Anoia are practically 

 infinite. They range from the trifling decadence of intelligence, feeling, and 

 conduct that is exhibited by any one after an enfeebling illness, or at the end 

 of a tiring day," also " thus understood Anoia of some degree is present in every 

 case of insanity, and it is Anoia that constitutes insanity." 



Only confusion and embarrassment result from this misleading description. The 

 term Anoia has had a definite meaning ever since its first application in mental 

 nomenclature by John Mason Good a hundred years ago, and it is unjustifiable 

 from any standpoint to pervert its original use. We referred to the deficiencies 

 of this manual. There is too little about treatment in the volume, no mention 

 is made of the method of psycho-analysis, yet no modern psychiatrist — a term 

 which the author would deride as against his own of "alienist" — would attempt 

 modern mental therapeutics to-day without using the method of "free association." 

 No description is given as to lumbar puncture, and no details are given of the 

 Wasserman reaction and the two methods of administering neo-salvarsan or 

 salvarsanized serum are omitted. The subject of heredity is barely discussed, 

 and Mendelism finds no place, although from the Eugenic standpoint this is 

 vital, and although also the Cambridge School has related valuable findings in 

 regard to human heredity relating to left-handedness, the musical temperament, 

 brown eyes, and features, and the shape of hands and fingers. There is no index 

 to the volume ; and to open the book to ascertain the author's views upon points 

 of special interest is analogous to a visit to Selfridge or some other self-contained 

 emporium in search of underclothing, only to find oneself helplessly groping in 

 the motor department ! 



The book, however, is the product of a very able, experienced, and clear 

 thinker, who has a right to express himself in ex-cathedra statements upon the 

 subject of his life-work. Dr. Mercier is always interesting when discussing the 

 meaning of terms, whether insanity be a symptom or a disease, how it can best 

 be classified, its relation to crime, the basis of conduct, and the psychological 

 origin of abnormal actions and their relationship to the law. 



The book contains several errors of printing, type, and orthography. " Dul- 

 ness" is spelt throughout in the American fashion. "Agoraphobia " is Agorophobia, 

 p. 112; "any "appears for "my," p. 341 ; " Armentarium " for Armamentarium, 

 p. 81 ; "triponema," p. 264, for treponema, and a series of words seem to be 

 meaningless "by and large," pp. 88 and 90. "Insanity'' is commenced upside 

 down, p. 300 ; " in " is used for " is,'' p. 18, line 12 ; and there are others. 



Nevertheless, the book will be read by all students of psychiatry with apprecia- 

 tion, although certainly not with full agreement. 



