534 'Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology. 



ber of similar books have appeared, and many of the text-books of cHnical neuro- 

 pathology have full chapters on this field, and still it is difficult to find just what 

 one would like to put into the hands of a student as a real addition and supplement 

 to the existing works. 



Dr. L. P. Clark has undertaken the task of bringing the second edition up to 

 date. The many excellent features of the first edition are preserved. Indeed the 

 larger part of the work could simply be reprinted. The chief alterations consist 

 in the addition of 49 illustrations, especially in the first chapter on the structure 

 and function of the nervous system, the chapter on the diagnoses of the clinical 

 types, and the wholly rewritten chapter on the examination of the patient. 



The anatomical chapter has lost much of its simplicity and is not altogether free 

 of objectionable features. In too many places one feels that the mere translation 

 of nerve-cell into "neuron" is untimely and a decided disadvantage, as in "the 

 neuron exercises a nutritional influence over every portion of its structure," or 

 "groups of neurons .... are commonly called centers." Figs. 9, 11 

 and 12 might have been changed to advantage. Further, the lenticular nucleus 

 is put with the optic thalamus as "of great importance as primary terminals of 

 the great sensory system from the periphery." "All the fibers connecting the periph- 

 ery with the brain hemispheres pass through the crura cerebri (the olfactory 

 and optic tracts excepted)." The cross section of the cervical cord. Fig. 23, is in 

 two ways a poor substitute of Fig. 19 of the first edition rendering three levels, viz: 

 because thus the very diflFerent pictures of the dorsal and lumbar cord are suppressed 

 and because the section is turned so as to be no longer in harmony with the Fig. 28 

 and several others which follow the better usage of presenting the cord without that 

 sudden turn at the anyhow rather difficult transition into the hind brain. The 

 anatomy of the cerebral segments of the brain stem is much more fully treated 

 than in the former edition. But it is not very happily done and not sufficiently 

 harmonious. For instance, the auditory apparatus is represented in Fig. 47 in 

 a very schematic manner. This correct but not sufficiently explained figure is 

 supplemented in Fig. 48 by a second sketch attributed to Starr, which represents 

 the auditory fibers as forming the mesial fillet. From the first edition Fig. 55 

 is taken over giving quite a wrong idea of the domain of the posterior cerebral 

 artery. All in all the first chapter, which has grown from 68 to 83 pages, should 

 rather have gained in simplicity or might have been given so that it would facili- 

 tate the later parts and invite cross-reference. It is too difficult for the student 

 and not sufficiently correct. 



The chapter on the diagnoses of clinical types has received a number of illustra- 

 tions, and as mentioned above, the chapter on examination of the patients is treated 

 especially fully. But after Fig. 79 (p. 590) a renumbering of the figures begins 

 from "Fig. 48" to "Fig. 78," an oversight which the proofreader should not have 

 allowed to pass. 



In a third edition somewhat more attention might be given to facilitation of 

 survey of contents. The book contains many excellent helps, but it is too com- 

 pact for continued reading and not quite easily subdivided for quick reference. 

 The recent book of Stewart, while not as good and full in many special topics, 

 gives the student a greater feeling of ease. 



A. M. 



