REVIEWS 



The Disorders of Post-Natal Growth and Development. By Hastings 

 Gilford, F.R.C.S. [Pp. xxii + 727.] (London: Adlard & Son, 191 1. 

 Price 15-y. net.) 



Mr. Gilford in this work propounds the novel thesis that all post-natal disease 

 is primarily inherent, though it may be aggravated by outside agencies : disease, 

 he contends, is the expression of an exaggeration of phases in the normal life- 

 history of cells. 



A curious and not uninteresting faculty of looking on the wrong side of things 

 and a tendency to place effect before cause are the keys to the " theories " with 

 which the book abounds. Thus in dealing with the influence of heredity on 

 post-natal disorders, the statement is made that the characters latest acquired 

 are those most easily lost ; such elementary logic, of which examples abound 

 throughout the book, is contrary to the whole experience of practical stock- 

 raisers and of professed students of the principles of heredity. 



The statement is often made that the constituent cells of essential organs are 

 capable of degenerating individually yet of continuing to live in altered and accord- 

 ing to the author more primitive forms : thus we read — " Cancer, cirrhotic liver, 

 acromegaly, though seemingly possessing nothing in common, are all examples 

 of the same morbid variation — i.e. a premature old age of groups of cells." It 

 is scarcely necessary to point out that so little is known as to the nature of 

 cancer that no such extreme statement can be justified ; cirrhosis of the liver 

 is well known to be the result of the replacement of dead liver-cells by fibrous 

 tissue after their degenerate remains have been removed by phagocytes ; and 

 it is accepted that acromegaly is due to interference with the internal secretion 

 of a part of the pituitary body. The exactness of the resemblance between these 

 conditions would seem hard to seek. 



Again, we are told that fullness of blood and excess of red blood corpuscles 

 result in a tendency to apoplexy. It is not generally recognised that the rare 

 disease Polycythemia Rubra quoted by the author in support of this statement 

 is alone responsible for death from cerebral haemorrhage or thrombosis. 



As a final example of the author's peculiar views, aberrant growth may be 

 quoted. Abnormal growth is most excessive at the period of greatest relative 

 activity. Hence the astounding application : " We must look for hypertrophy 

 of the pylorus shortly after birth when the stomach, a new and untried organ, 

 comes first into use," springing at a bound, as the author says., into activity. 

 Criticism of this flight of the imagination seems needless. 



No doubt much labour has been expended by the author in compiling this 

 remarkable book ; it is to be regretted, however, that neglect to consider in- 

 ternal secretions of organs and the profound effect of bacterial infection render 

 the volume almost worthless. The book, one of great length, is clearly printed ; 

 the illustrations — few of which are original — are well reproduced ; and it is provided 

 with an exhaustive index. 



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