﻿406 ' REVIEWS. 



The Practice of Obstetrics, Designed for the Use of Students and Practitioners of 

 Medicine. By J. Clifton Edgar. With 1,279 illustrations, including five 

 colored plates and 38 figures printed in colors. Third edition, revised. 

 Cloth. Pp., 1071. Price, $6.00. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son & Co., 

 1907. 



If the measure of success of an individual's work be attainment of aim, 

 we may congratulate the author of this book, who expresses the desire "to 

 present the subject of midwifery from a practical and clinical standpoint, 

 so that it will best facilitate the requirements of the student of medicine, 

 and of the active obstetrician." 



The book is divided into ten parts, and each part carefully and fully 

 subdivided for convenience of reference, which is certainly obtained. 



The sections on Hygiene of the Sexual Function, Hygiene of Pregnancy 

 and the Hygiene of the Newly Born are full of good suggestions. In 

 the section on physiological pregnancy, much space is given to the "Ex- 

 amination of Pregnancy" and the possibilities of Rcentgen-ray pelvimetry 

 hinted at. The section on pathological pregnancy is important, contain- 

 ing lengthy discussions on all possible anomalies and diseases of the 

 membranes, placenta and cord, while unusual length of description is 

 given to deformities and monstrosities of the foetus. 



In antenatal diseases of the foetus, the author regards variola, cholera, 

 typhoid fever and syphilis as being most uniformly harmful to foetal life. 

 The toxaemia of pregnancy is defined as a state of the blood and of meta- 

 bolism possibly arising from hepatic insufficiency and is discussed at 

 length under the diagnoses of hyperemesis, eclampsia, polyneuritis, etc. 



Abortion and ectopic gestation each have lengthy chapters devoted to 

 them. 



The sections on labor, both physiological and- pathological, contain 

 very plain, clear statements and illustrations so that it would seem im- 

 possible for anyone to go astray after having read these chapters. 



Dystocia is discussed from every possible standpoint, even to the adop- 

 tion of an "anti-dystocia diet" according to Prochownik's scheme. 



The section on the physiological puerperium is particularly useful in 

 its clear statements of good management through the period. 



Morbidity in the puerperium is careful analyzed and classified. The 

 author does not seem to favor the use of antistreptococcic serum, either 

 as a preventive or as a curative agent in the treatment of puerperal 

 infection. 



The section on the "Xewly-Born" is very complete and lucid. 



The final section on "Obstetric Surgery" includes an interesting study 

 on "Posture in Obstetrics and its relation to increase or decrease of pelvic 

 diameters, also valuable hints as to corrections of faulty positions, the 

 use of the forceps, Caesarian section, etc." 



