REVIEWS 177 



medicine, in veterinary science, and in agriculture — to whom the originals are, for 

 one or other reason, not accessible. 



A few words of hope, in anticipation ! At the present rate the completed 

 volume would contain roughly 400 pages and 1,100 abstracts. Judging from 

 similar publications in other countries, there may be expected in an ordinary year 

 upwards of 3,000 papers to be abstracted. This figure suggests that the bulk 

 of the volume must inevitably be increased. It further arouses the hope that 

 the conciseness shown in his abstracts by W. D. H. may be, in some degree, 

 acquired by his collaborators. Failing this, the volume — if it is to maintain 

 completeness — must become inconveniently bulky. 



A feature of cardinal importance, in a volume of abstracts, is the index ; for 

 on it depends the permanence of their value. In itself, the index of authors 

 is usually adequate. A good index of subjects is, however, uncommon ; and 

 without a good index of subjects the value of abstracts is little more than 

 momentary. 



These Physiological Abstracts are intrinsically valuable. We venture, there- 

 fore, to express the hope that the volumes will, from the beginning, be so indexed 

 as to ensure that their value shall be permanent. 



W. L. Symes. 



Radium, X-Rays and the Living Cell. With Physical Introduction. By 

 Hector Colwell, M.B., D.P.H., late Assistant in the Cancer Research 

 Laboratories, Middlesex Hospital, and Sidney Russ, D.Sc, Physicist to 

 the Middlesex Hospital. [Pp. x + 324, with 2 plates and 61 figures in the 

 text.] (London : G. Bell & Sons, 191 5. Price lis. 6d. net.) 



The publication of this book marks a new step in the progress of scientific 

 medicine. It is the combined work of a medical man and a physicist, and in all 

 probability it is the forerunner of other works dealing with kindred subjects. 

 The subject-matter is dealt with in a clear and convincing manner from the 

 physical, the chemical, and the biological point of view. It is the type of book 

 which at the present time is needed by the medical man who, before advising his 

 patients to undergo radiation treatment, wishes to learn something of the manner 

 in which these agents act, and to satisfy himself that the treatment is truly 

 scientific and not of the nature of a " placebo." 



A perusal of the book shows clearly the principles upon which present-day 

 radiation therapy is based, and indicates the possible development of the future. 



The introductory chapters deal with the physics of X-rays, radium, and allied 

 bodies. They form an excellent resume of the investigations carried out by many 

 workers, and should be invaluable to the practical radiologist. 



The first chapter deals briefly with the Rdntgen or X-rays, the historical resume" 

 s complete, the method of production is" clearly described, and the question of 

 measurement of X-rays is discussed. The point is clearly made that up to the 

 present no satisfactory method of measurement in clinical work has yet been 

 produced. 



The important subject of secondary X-rays is clearly dealt with in Chapter II. 



The transmission of X-rays through matter is exhaustively treated, and a great 

 deal of valuable data provided. 



Radioactive substances are next discussed in practically all their aspects, and 

 indications given of their properties. 



The radiations from radioactive bodies are also dealt with fully, the three types 

 of rays being described, and the striking differences from one another indicated.. 

 12 



