XX Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



gain in clearness. For instance his Chapter XI. shows that "the 

 affective agent in all faith cures is the unconscious mind." For this 

 we should say: The affective agent in all faith cures is the getting at, 

 and correcting of, mental attitudes, and also merely mentally induced 

 attitudes of the person which are incompatible with health. 



There are probably better presentations of the same topic. But 

 since they are usually not as entertaining, the plea of Dr. Schofield is 

 not to be disregarded, 3.nd with certain readers it will have a good 

 effect. We repeat, however, that a modest pluralistic attitude would 

 be a better ground than the dualistic assumption which is probably 

 more useful for certain schools of moralists than for the physician. 



ADOLF MEYER. 



Chase's General Paresis.' 



"General Paresis" by Robert Rowland Chase, A. M., M. D., 

 physician-in-chief of the Friends Asylum for the Insane of Philadelphia, 

 is more in the nature of a popular exposition, especially of the clinical 

 aspects of this disease, and is adapted to the purposes of the general 

 practioner rather than to those of the alienist. The first portion of the 

 book deals with the various stages of the disease, which are divided 

 into prodromal and first, second and third stages of the established dis- 

 ease. This is followed by two chapters devoted to varieties of the dis- 

 ease, including galloping, circular, melancholic, spinal, juvenile, senile, 

 simple progressive dementia, and paresis in women. The next five 

 chapters are devoted to symptomatology of the various types 

 of the disease in the different stages, followed by one chap- 

 ter each in differential diagnosis, etiology, pathology and 

 treatment. The chief etiological factors mentioned are heredity, 

 alcoholism, excessive venery, mental overstrain, excitement and syph- 

 ilis, no new phases of this question being brought out. The discussion 

 of the pathology of the disease is largely a review of the findings of 

 MiCKLE, W. Ford Robertson, Bevan Lewis and Berkley. Bevan 

 Lewis and Berkley advocate the view that the blood vessels are the 

 primary seat of the lesion; W. Ford Robertson that the disease depends 

 upon the occurrence of a general toxic condition, the exact nature of 

 which is still obscure but which is certainly in many cases the result of 

 antecedent syphilitic infection causing first changes in the blood vessels 

 followed by degeneration of the cortical neurones; finally Nissl, 

 TuczEK, F. W. Mott and others advocate the view that the neurone 

 is affected primarily. Nothing new in treatment is suggested. Although 



^Published by P. Blakiston's Son & Co., Philadelphia. 1902. 



