74 



NATURE 



[September i6, 1920 



The various chapters on forensic medicine and 

 toxicolog^y are well written, but a few points need 

 correction and revision in a future edition. For 

 example, in reference to "exhumation" it is 

 stated that disinfectants should be freely used. 

 The use of disinfectants in exhumations should, 

 on the contrary, always be avoided, since in 

 suspected poisoning-, which is a common reason 

 for exhumation, the use of disinfectants is likely 

 seriously to complicate the analysis. A classical 

 example of this was the Crippen case, where the 

 sprinkling of a disinfecting powder containing 

 carbolic acid and traces of arsenic on the remains 

 added considerably to the difficulties of the 

 analysis. 



In the chapter dealing with blood-stains refer- 

 ence should have been made to the benzidine test. 

 Also sufficient importance is not attached to the 

 serum test for human blood, which must now be re- 

 garded as being trustworthy, and one of the routine 

 tests which should always be adopted in the 

 examination of blood-stains in order to determine 

 with certainty that they are those of human blood 

 and not of other animals, such as sheep, horse, 

 ox, etc. 



We do not find any account of the influence 

 of status lymphaticus in cases of sudden death. In 

 the chapter on abortion there is no mention of 

 the effect of quinine and pituitary extract, which 

 are powerful abortifacients. Reference should have 

 been made to the changes introduced during the 

 war with regard to the procedure in coroners' 

 courts. In the chapters on toxicology one would 

 wish to have seen some description of the 

 poisons, such as tetrachloroethane, trinitro- 

 toluene, etc., which were responsible for so many 

 cases of fatal jaundice amongst munition workers. 



The book claims to be a handbook of medical 

 jurisprudence, and as such it has certainly justi- 

 fied its publication, for it will be most useful to 

 students for examination in forensic medicine and 

 to medical practitioners. 



Industrial Administration. 



Industrial Administration: A Series of Lectures. 

 By A. E. Berriman and 'Others. (Publications 

 of the University of Manchester. No. cxxxi.) 

 Pp. vii -1-203. (Manchester: At the University 

 Press; London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 

 1920.) Price 7s. 6d. net. 



THE lectures published in this volume were 

 delivered in the department of industrial 

 administration in the College of Technology, Man- 

 chester, during the session 1918-19, by various 

 well-known authorities on subjects relating to 

 NO. 2655, VOL. 106] 



industrial administration. Mr. Seebohm Rowntree 

 discourses on the " Social Obligations of Industry 

 to Labour," and endeavours to fix the minimum 

 wage compatible with the maintenance of a work- 

 ing man and his family in decency and moderate 

 comfort. In answer to the question: "Can in- 

 dustry afford to pay the minimum wages indi- 

 cated ? " he believes that the principal source to 

 which we must look for increased wages is in- 

 creased efficiency in the organisation and adminis- 

 tration of industrial enterprises. Many British 

 factories are run on very inefficient lines, with 

 antiquated machinery and ill-trained staff and 

 workers, and in such cases the profits are incon- 

 siderable even when wages are low. 



A most interesting and striking lecture on 

 " Occupational Diseases " was given by Dr. T. M. 

 Legge, who, in his capacity as Medical Inspector 

 of Factories, has been largely responsible for the 

 precautions taken to abate the evils of certain 

 industrial processes. The success of the pre- 

 cautions may be judged from some of the figures 

 he quotes. Whilst in 1900 there were 358 cases 

 of lead poisoning among white-lead workers, and 

 200 among pottery workers, in 1913 the cases 

 were reduced to 29 and 62 respectively. Of more 

 recent interest are the cases of trinitrotoluol 

 poisoning, which developed with alarming fre- 

 quency in the latter half of 1916. There were 

 43 fatal cases in the six months, and another 32 

 fatal cases in the first six months of 191 7, but by 

 that time the chief cause of the poisoning- — viz. 

 absorption through the skin — was tracked down, 

 and suitable precautions were taken. In the next 

 six months fatal cases fell to 12, and in the follow- 

 ing year to 10. 



Other lectures deal with the applications of 

 psychology to industry, industrial fatigue, and 

 education in factory management and administra- 

 tion, whilst Dr. L. E. Hill gives an interesting 

 account of his well-known investigations on 

 "Atmospheric Conditions and Efficiency" by 

 means of the katathermometer. Perhaps the 

 lecture of most general interest is that on " Indus- 

 trial Councils," by Mr. T. B. Johnston. The 

 national council recently formed in the pottery 

 industry is described in some detail, and it is to 

 be hoped that in course of time similar councils 

 will be formed in all the other staple industries. 

 Equal numbers of representatives of the manufac- 

 turers and of the operatives sit on all committees, 

 and they not only consider questions relating to 

 wages, employment, and the conditions of pro- 

 duction, but also encourage research into the in- 

 dustry, and consider inventions and improvements 

 designed by the workpeople. Most important of 

 all, the employers disclose full details of wages 



