382 



NATURE 



[July i8, 1918 



icterus," primary arid secondary paludism, the fre- 

 quent repetition of imposing" words like " syn- 

 drome," the mistake about the parthenogfenicity, 

 do not tend to lucidity. 



One good result of studying this book may be 

 to impress medical men with the necessity for sus- 

 pecting malaria either as cause or as complication 

 in all cases of disease, no matter what, occurring 

 in intensely endemic districts or in patients return- 

 ing from such. 



In his preface Prof. Laveran criticises some 

 points in the treatment of malaria. Many of the 

 points mentioned above are dealt with in greater 

 detail in a preface which Sir Ronald Ross has 

 contributed to the English edition. 

 >■ (2) The purpose of this little book, as explained 

 'in the preface, is to help future workers in anti- 

 malarial measures by an account of the author's 

 own experiences in Macedonia. In the first chap- 

 ter the three parasites causing malaria are men- 

 tioned, and a brief account is given of the ano- 

 pheles prevalent in Macedonia and acting there 

 as hosts for the extra-corporeal phase of the Plas- 

 modium. A review of the prevalence of the disease 

 according to the weekly notifications follows. The 

 incidence appears to be at its lowest in January, 

 after which it rises gradually until the latter part 

 of May, when a slight remission takes place until 

 the end of June ; a rapid rise then occurs, and the 

 elevation continues until the third week of July. A 

 decline again takes place for a short time, followed 

 by another rise, which reaches its maximum at the 

 end of October. It is gratifying to read that there 

 has been a decrease in the number of cases re- 

 ported in 1917 as compared with 1916, although it 

 is pointed out that owing to the continuance 

 of relapses and carriers from the latter year 

 it is difficult to gu,airantee the accuracy of the 

 figures. 



Malaria in Macedonia has been responsible for 

 a much higher degree of invaliding than wounds 

 have. The infection is so widespread that even 

 units at the base and on the lines of communication 

 are liable to the disease. The difficulty in dealing 

 with the breeding-grounds of anopheles in " No 

 Man's Land " at the front is responsible for the 

 greater prevalence of malaria amongst the troops 

 in that area. 



The description of the topography of the coun- 

 try, with its swamps, rivers, streams, and wells, 

 and the deserted villages, together with the account 

 of the inhabitants, who seem to be almost univer- 

 sally infected with the parasite, renders obvious 

 the magnitude of the task with which the medical 

 authorities are faced. An outline of the general 

 system observed by them in dealing with the 

 problem shows that the measures adopted are both 

 systematic and thorough. 



The various means of combating the disease are 

 described in detail. They are too numerous even 

 for enumeration in a short review, but officers 

 engaged in anti-malarial work will find a perusal of 

 this section of valuable assistance. Stress is laid 

 on the necessity for destruction of adult anophe- 

 lines, which is regarded as being of even more 

 NO. 2542, VOL. lOl] 



importance than efforts to suppress the breeding- 

 places of the insect. 



The methods in use for protecting men from 

 mosquito attack are carefully described, and the 

 mechanism of using and keeping the new and im- 

 proved mosquito-proof bivouacs and tents is given 

 at length. The importance of educating officers 

 and men in anti-malarial measures is strongly ad- 

 vised. Routine gas-mask drills are carried out, 

 and the authors insist that if this is necessary, then 

 anti-mosquito training is much more so on account 

 of the very much higher percentage of invaliding 

 from malaria. 



The authors are guarded on the subject of quinine 

 prophylaxis, but, on the whole, one infers that the 

 administration of quinine (in the doses usually 

 given as a prophylactic) has not been attended with 

 success in the Salonika area. Prophylactic qui- 

 nine, however, is not believed by them to inter- 

 fere with the curative value of the drug if given 

 afterwards. 



The contents of tKe book are summed up in the 

 last chapter, and many suggestions are made for 

 the future, including propaganda amongst officers 

 and men by posters and pamphlets as in use 

 amongst our French Allies. Closer co-operation 

 between executive and medical officers and the 

 more rigid enforcement of precautions already 

 ordered are advised. 



The whole book provides very Interesting read- 

 ing, and it should be of valuable assistance to com- 

 batant officers and laymen as well as to medical 

 officers. It contains evidence of the endurance 

 and courage of our troops in a most difficult coun- 

 try under very trying conditions, and It shows the 

 skill and determination with which the R.A.M.C, 

 Is endeavouring to combat a big problem. 



F. W. O'Connor. 



FRENCH WORKS ON RADIOGRAPHY. 

 (i) Localisation et Extraction des Projectiles. 



Par L. Ombredanne et R. Ledoux-Leband. 



Second edition. Pp. iv + 305. (Paris : Masson 



et Cle, 1918.) Price 4 francs. 

 (2) Precis de Radiodiagnostic Technique et 



Clinique. Par Dr. Jaugeas. Preface de Dr. 



Bell^re. Second edition. Pp. xxviii + 563. 



(Paris : Masson et Cie, 1918.) Price 20 francs, 

 (i) TN this excellent volume — one of the "Collec- 

 ■»- tion de Precis de Medecine et de Chirurgie 

 de Guerre " — the authors set forth the most recent 

 methods employed in the localisation and extrac- 

 tion of foreign bodies. The appearance of a 

 second edition so soon after the first is testimony 

 to the need for such Information on the part of 

 the medical profession and also to the high value 

 which the work has attained since its appearance. 

 The appreciation of the work of our Allies In all 

 fields connected with the war Is always a pleasure 

 to workers In this country. The estimation in 

 which this book is held is evidenced by the recent 

 appearance of the first volume translated Into 

 English. We hope the editor of the first English 



