The Brain” and its Diseases
Syphilis of the Brain and Nervous System. By Thomas Stretch Dowse, M.D. London: Bailliere, Tindall & Cox. Vol. i.
This little book is a first volume of a series the author proposes writing upon diseases of the Nervous System. He commences by giving a complete account of the history and nature of syphilis. This part of the subject is illustrated by diagrams.
He passes on to consider the diagnosis of syphilis as affecting the brain and spinal cord. Dr Dowse says, very properly, ” I would remark, however, that a heavy responsibility rests upon the shoulders of any medical man who neglects to en- force upon his patients the absolute necessity of a mercurial course in the primary stage of syphilis, for an incomplete, hesitating treatment of external syphilis specially predisposes to subsequent affections of the nervous system.”
It appears from the book before us that there are two prime factors which tend to induce syphilis to extend itself upon the brain and nervous system. The first, we are told, is an irri- table condition of these parts from hereditary predisposition; the second is due to an irritability, the result of inflammatory change, which may be either traumatic or idiopathic in its origin; or from molecular derangement, followed by want of due selective nutritive capacity in the nerve or connective tissue cells, by which their tonicity is impaired. Some very interest- ing remarks are made on the ” protean signs of syphilis of the nervous system.” ” Syphilis in its working is slow, alternately progressive and retrogressive.” A number of characteristic cases are now given, where pressure on the brain and cord were caused by endosteal gumma, as well as by other varieties of syphilis.
The author carefully discusses the diagnosis of the disease as affecting- the sympathetic system, treatment of syphilis, here- ditary syphilis, and syphilitic epilepsy, and the pathology of the disease. The work is very interesting, and the plates and dia- grams beautifully executed; it is complete in itself, and is well worthy the perusal of all interested in the subject. The pro- duction of such a work reflects great credit on the author, and we welcome his book as a valuable addition to the treatment and study of nervous diseases in their relation to syphilis.
INDEX MEDIGUS.
We think this an excellent idea and commend it to our readers, and publish with pleasure the following communications we have received on the subject:?
” 37 Park Row, New York, “Bee. 14, 1878.
” Journal of Psychological Medicine and Mental Pathology. ” Gentlemen,?
“The publishers of the Index Medicus, in joining the editors in their request for the co-operation of publishers and con- ductors of journals, would lay stress upon the fact that the enterprise in no way enters into competition with any medical publication, but rather supplements each by furnishing an Index not only to its own subscribers, but to the profession at large. Instead, therefore, of being a new rival in the field, it renders practical, i.e. advertising, service, such as is rendered by no journal to other journals. In reciprocation, the publisher would ask simply :
“First, cordial compliance with the request of the editors for earliest copies of your issues.
” The Index will be regularly mailed in exchange. ” Secondly, such friendly mention in the reading matter of the journals as may show the enterprise in the light of a useful aid to the profession. ” The specimen number of the Index will be sent as soon as issued. ” Yours respectfully, ” F. Leypoldt.” Literary Note.?The following mem. of a new biblio- graphical enterprise is submitted as of public and prof essional interest. The publisher ivould, of course, greatly prefer the insertion of an original notice from the editor. F. Leypoldt.
It is generally known to the medical profession and those interested in bibliography that Dr John S. Billings, Surg., U. S. A., in charge of the National Medical Library, at Washing- ton, is now ready to print his great “National Catalogue of Medical Literature,” as soon as Congress grants an appropriation for the purpose. This indexes under subjects, and by authors, books, pamphlets, and original papers in nearly all the medical periodicals of the world; including over 400,000 subject entries, and making ten volumes royal 8vo. of 1,000 pages each. This will be of the greatest value to physicians the world over, as it enables them to find analogues for peculiar and difficult cases, and thus often to save lives. In continuation of this work, it is now proposed to publish monthly, under the editor- ship of Dr Billings and of his assistant, Dr Robert Fletcher, M.R.C.S., a current medical bibliography under the title of the Index Medicus. It will be issued by F. Leypoldt, the bibliographic publisher, 37, Park Row, New York, at 3 dollars per year, and will enter all medical books and index the leading medical journals and transactions in English and other languages. A full list of the latter, numbering over 600, will form a part of the specimen number of the Index, soon to be issued.
Disclaimer
The historical material in this project falls into one of three categories for clearances and permissions:
Material currently under copyright, made available with a Creative Commons license chosen by the publisher.
Material that is in the public domain
Material identified by the Welcome Trust as an Orphan Work, made available with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
While we are in the process of adding metadata to the articles, please check the article at its original source for specific copyrights.