Department of Orthodontic Abstracts and Reviews

Edited byDR. EGON NEUSTADT AND DR. JOSEPH D. EBY, NEW YORK CITY

All communications concerning further information about abstracted material and the accept­ance of articles or books for consideration in this department should be addressed to Dr. Egon

Neustadt, 133 East Fifty-Eighth Street, New York City.

Anesthesia in Dental Surgery. By Dr. Sterling V. Mead, 1935, St. Louis, TheC. V. Mosby Company.

Mead's Anestheeia in Dental Sllrgery may be considered to consist of threemain parts: the first part dealing with the common aspect of both generaland local anesthesia, the second part dealing with general anesthesia, and thethird part with local anesthesia.

The first part starts with a chapter on the history of anesthesia, which,as far as general anesthesia is concerned, dates back to ancient times, whilelocal anesthesia came into practical use only in the nineteenth century withthe invention of the hypodermic needle and cocaine. The selection of thekind of anesthesia to be used is dependent upon the recognition of the varioustypes of patients, their ages, an examination of their circulatory, respiratory,and nervous systems. A discussion of preoperative preparations, postopera­tive care, and emergency measures concludes this first part.

In the second part, dealing with general anesthesia, the different types ofanesthesia are explained, their degrees and stages (in which the author usesPoe's description), and the reactions and dangers involved. The variousanesthetics, which are described in special chapters, include: nitrous oxideand oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene, ether, and ethyl chloride.

Local anesthesia is divided into: (1) infiltration, terminal or peripheralanesthesia, and (2) nerve blocking or conduction anesthesia. Their usefulnessis outlined for the various branches of dentistry, like oral surgery, operativedentistry, pulp canal therapy, periodontia, prosthodontia, and orthodontia.Chapters on anatomy (osteology, neurology, etc.) precede the clinical methodsof producing infiltration and conduction anesthesia. The book closes with it

discussion of complications and accidents pertinent to local anesthesia.

The author has, in his preface, set himself the task of "presenting theinformation in a short, concise, and practical manner." In this, he has wellsucceeded. Furthermore, he has presented this information in a most in­teresting and fascinating way. The stories related in "The History of Anes­thesia" and even his description of the stages and signs of anesthesia read likefiction. It is unusual to find a scientific textbook written III such an excellentstyle. E. N.

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