conditions are classed neoplasms, both malignant and non-malignant, also mechanical disorders and, most frequent, are infections. The organs to be considered are the stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, appendix and the inside of the entire gastrointestinal tract. In the stomach the order of frequency is-gastritis, malignancy, ulcers. The X-ray is considered almost indispensable, but should be combined with gastric content examination. In ulcer there is usually high acidity, both free and combined. In malignancy there is low acidity of both kinds, sometimes none whatsoever. However, infrequently these conditions are directly changed about. Palpation usually elicits a tender spot in ulcer but seldom causes much discomfort in malignancy. He states that we never get malignancies from ulcers of duodenum and only a small percentage in stomach. Malignancies of the colon do not metastasize, as a rule, early on account of the poor lymphatic circulation in that location. More malignancies occur in the stomach than in all the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract. Malignancies of the bowel cause symptoms of obstruction and frequently bloody stools. A slow-growing malignant neoplasm may cause enormous distension of the colon with no other apparent symptoms. However, a rapidly growing malignant tumor is apt to cause pain, obstipation and visible peristalsis—all signs of obstruction-but not perceptible for some time after the obstruction begins. The speaker mentions in turn other conditions of the gastrointestinal tract and its appendages, caused by other troubles than malignant neoplasms. He suggests, tentatively, for the treatment of pain by (1) regulation of the bowels, (2) stretching by gymnastics (daily dozen), (3) heat, either moist heat or dry heat from lights.

CANCER NEWS

Dr. Coley Honored.-Dr. William B. Coley, the originator of the Coley serum, which has had a measure of success in treating Sarcoma, was honored by being elected a member of the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons, for a term of three years, at the meeting held in Detroit, Oct. 6, 1927.-The New York Medical Week, Oct. 29, 1927.

Combating Cancer in Italy.—The Minister of the Interior has requested the prefects of the country to arrange matters so that the societies combating the ravages of that disease will have sufficient scientific and clinical resources and personnel trained in the work to provide early diagnosis and adequate treatment of patients. In localities where this is impossible, through lack of finances or otherwise, it is suggested and recommended that two or more such localities unite to form at least a common center that will be thoroughly equipped for such purposes.

Crusade Against Cancer.-In the crusade against cancer of the Lorraine (France) regional center, Dr. Hoche has been appointed director, replacing Professor Vautrin, who recently died.

Reorganization of the Society for the Control of Cancer.-According to the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, there have been tentative plans submitted for a reorganization of the above mentioned society by which it is proposed to have a council of 100 elected annually, instead of the present advisory council, and providing that all state and provincial chairmen would be members; the executive committee to be reduced from twenty members to eight and the number of directors increased from five to nine on account of the financial responsibility resulting from the million dollar endowment recently acquired. The society to conduct its affairs as in the past, stressing the promotion of clinical facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and the establishment of standard institutional centers, the education of professional workers and the publication of information regarding cancer.

"Electric Impulses."-"Man is a combination of electrical impulses, his physical and mental states being affected by mysterious showers of electronic energy radiated by the sun and distant stars, Dr. M. C. Hardin of Atlanta, Ga., president of the American Electronic Research Association, declared here (Chicago) today before 500 physicians at the opening of the annual convention of the association. 'We know that electricity is the most important force in the economy of matter, and that our health and vigor and our physical and mental states are most probably determined by electrical conditions, both external and internal,' Dr. Hardin said. "The most

progressive physicians are coming to recognize its importance in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, recognizing in it the most valuable remedy. It is interesting to note that the United States Public Health Service is experimenting with high frequency oscillations in the treament of cancer.'"New York Times, Sept. 19, 1927.

"Sees Cancer Gains Due to Longer Life.”—“Writing on 'Cancer' in the September issue of the American Journal of Surgery, Major James F. Coupal, official White House physician, declared the disease is on the increase, and expressed the opinion that this was partly due to medical science's success in lengthening human life so that more persons live to be forty years old or more. Forty years is generally considered to be the beginning of the ‘cancer age.' Dr. Coupal referred to the fact that J. W. Schereschewsky, after a study of mortality rates for the period from 1900 to 1920 in this country, concluded that cancer had an apparent increase of 46 per cent during that time, and that 30 per cent of this represented actual increase. Schereschewsky found that the decrease in the population of individuals above forty averaged 1 per cent less per decade of life at the end of this period, Dr. Coupal said. This probably indicated, he said, 'the mechanisms of infant welfare, and of preventive medicine, have been so effective against tuberculosis, typhoid fever and other diseases of young adult life, that more individuals are susceptible to disease in later life because of somatic defects in the cancer age, and succumb all the more easily to cancer, to vascular, renal and other diseases of later life.'"-New York Sun, Oct. 10, 1927.

Finds Indians Healthier.-Dr. S. J. Crumbine, general executive of the American Child Health Association, in an address before the annual meeting of the association, said that the American Indian can no longer be called the vanishing race because of the application of modern health methods is giving them new vigor and life. He reviewed the work of the association as to its health surveys, demonstrations and conferences and its efforts to establish up-to-date methods of health education in the schools, and its nation-wide campaign to obtain clean and safe milk. Referring to a grant of money made for the inauguration and maintenance by the Minnesota State Department of Health of a public health nursing service carried on by trained Indian nurses among the Chippewa Indians, Dr. Crumbine said: "This subsidy has resulted in a permanent Indian Health Service financed by the Legislature of Minnesota. A corollary of the inauguration of the Indian public health service was the immediate demand for more Indian nurses. This demand has resulted in the establishment of a prenursing course in Haskell Institute, the great Indian college in Lawrence, Kan."

ROENTGEN INTERPRETATION. By George W. Holmes, M.D., Harvard Medical School, and Howard E. Ruggles, M.D., University of California Medical School. 325 pp, 226 illustrations, Lea & Febiger of Philadelphia and New YorkThird Edition.

Although this book was first written two or three years ago, it is of such inestimable value in the diagnosis of cancer that it is thought best to review it, even at this late date, and also with the thought that perhaps many readers would not realize the importance of this work in the diagnosis of cancer. The preface, which is presented in striking clear language, is as follows: "The purpose of this book is to present a brief survey of the field of Roentgen-ray diagnosis. Such a survey can do little more than cover the essentials of the subject and more detailed textbooks, monographs and the literature may be relied upon to supply further data, if required. The references have been selected particularly with this purpose in view.

Some of the illustrations have been chosen as typical lesions, whereas others present only momentary phases of constantly changing and extremely variable processes. The beginner, therefore, should not attempt to make his diagnosis by comparison of his own films with those reproduced in the text.

A thorough knowledge of pathology is a fundamental requisite to success in this work. The student should lose no opportunity to correlate the Roentgen-ray evidence and interpretations with the anatomic finding whenever it is possible. Constant collaboration with other branches of medicine and surgery is equally necessary and profitable.

The authors are grateful to acknowledge the privilege of publishing illustrations from the files of the Roentgen-ray departments of the following institutions: The Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; the Hospital for Children, Mount Zion Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, Stamford Hospital, University of California and St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco." The book is cleverly divided into 11 chapters; it treats of

various portions of the body, and the chapters are arranged in anatomical sequence. We will only mention those which refer to the diagnosis of cancer and its various situations. Beginning with the hand, it follows all parts of the body and refers to various pathological lesions, so that parts interested in can be found readily by the excellent index at the end. It is difficult to decide just which locations of disease to more particularly refer to, as all are so excellent and instructive. Those of the chest are peculiarly interesting. Also those of the intestinal tract.

Metastatic carcinoma, of course, occupies a principal part throughout the book, the pictures relating to the lungs, colon, stomach, rectum and many other portions of the body are each. so peculiarly interesting and instructive that one cannot decide which to select for illustration. Indeed, the whole book is well worth most diligent study by anyone having anything to do with cancer. The bibliography given in sections throughout the book is especially valuable.

Not to dilate too long upon this valuable book, it may be said that one can hardly read it through without having a clearer idea of cancer and its various manifestations and entities. The whole work is one of great need, and those interested in cancer should give hearty thanks to the intelligent writers who have presented this, which to us is one of the most valuable contributions in the study of cancer with which we are acquainted.

CONTRIBUTION A L'ÉTIOLGIE DU CANCER. Par G. Lakhovsky Paris. Gauthier-Villars et Cie. 1927.

This folio of only 12 pages contains four colored maps designed by the author, together with three text figures and may be regarded as a geographic-geologic atlas of the distribution of cancer in France. The relation of the soil to the incidence of cancer is by no means a new subject, but it has been considered from several quite distinct viewpoints. That of the author has reference to the phenomenon of radiation. Living organisms, the author holds, are able to collect and radiate various oscillations in space. These comprise not only ordinary electromagnetic waves, but, also, the cosmic rays of Professor Millikan,