Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
April,  1920.) 
Book  Reviews. 
277 
Dr.  James  M.  Anders  has  given  a  very  interesting  memoir  of 
Dr.  Samuel  Gibson  Dixon  who  filled  so  brilliantly  for  twleve  years 
the  position  of  Health  Commissioner  for  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  organized  the  department,  having  been  appointed  the  first 
commissioner  by  Governor  Pennypacker,  who  was  well  acquainted 
with  his  ability. 
At  the  time  of  his  appointment  he  was  President  of  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  which  office  he  held  for  twenty-one  years.  Pos- 
sessed of  an  excellent  education  acquired  both  in  this  country  and 
in  Europe,  he  was  well  qualified  for  this  new  position. 
To  give  an  idea  of  his  unceasing  efforts  in  behalf  of  public  health 
we  mention  the  following  bureaus  into  which  the  department  was 
organized:  Bureau  of  Vital  Statistics,  also  that  of  Medical  In- 
spection; Sanitary  Engineering;  Division  of  Laboratories;  Dis- 
tribution of  Biological  Products;  Accounting  and  Purchase  of  Sup- 
plies; Tuberculosis  Dispensaries  and  Sanatoria;  Bureau  of  Housing; 
The  Division  of  Public  Service,  the  Control  of  Narcotics ;  and  that  of 
ChiM  Hygiene,  and  lastly  a  Division  for  the  treatment  of  Social 
Diseases. 
Much  of  Dr.  Dixon's  best  energies  and  closest  supervision  was 
devoted  to  the  organization  and  planning  of  the  tuberculosis  work  of 
the  state.  Dr.  Chas.  W.  Burr  has  furnished  a  most  interesting 
biography  of  Jean  Paul  Marat,  physician,  revolutionist  and  paranoic. 
He  was  one  of  the  three  monsters  (Marat,  Robespierre  and  Danton), 
who  incited  and  pushed  the  French  Revolution  in  such  a  heartless 
manner,  shedding  the  blood  of  many  of  the  bravest  and  ablest  sons 
and  daughters  of  France.  "Marat  wanted  to  be  a  leader.  He  be- 
lieved he  could  rule  the  country  if  only  enough  people  were  killed. 
He  was  shrewd  enough  to  know  that  if  he  shouted  long  enough  and 
loud  enough  that  he  was  the  people's  friend,  that  many  would 
believe  and  follow  him. 
"His  creed  was  simple,  all  that  the  rich  own  belongs  to  the  poor 
because  they  stole  if  from  the  poor.  His  theory  of  government  was 
equally  simple.  If  you  don't  agree  with  me  you  are  not  a  patriot, 
if  you  are  not  a  patriot  the  proper  punishment  is  death.  Therefore 
we  will  kill  everybody  who  disagrees  with  us  and  then  we  will  have 
the  millenium,  the  brotherhood  of  man."  He  came  to  an  end,  none 
too  soon,  by  the  dagger  of  Charlotte  Corday  for  he  had  caused  France 
to  wade  through  rivers  of  blood. 
This  volume  is  a  book  of  300  pages,  well  printed  and  bound,  a 
credit  to  the  College  of  Physicians.  C.  B.  lyOW^,  M.D. 
