REVIEWS. 35 1

Compendium der speciellen Chirurgie ftir Thierarzte. Von Dr Eugen Frohner, Professor und Dirigent der chirurgischen Klinik an der Konigl. Thieriuztl. Hochschule in Berlin. Stuttgart, Ferdinand Enke 1898.

This is a very useful student's text-book of a little over 300 pages. The preface explains that it is a summary or digest of the author's course of lectures, which he has been in a measure compelled to publish owing to the issue of an unauthorised version of the same. The various surgical diseases of the domesticated animals are succinctly treated under the heads of cause, symptoms, and treatment. The information given within small space is wonderfully full, and, although it is mainly a student's book, it is by no means beneath the attention of the experienced practitioner, since it gives an accurate sketch of the present day position of scientific veterinary surgery.

The Anrrual Statistical and General Report of the Army Veterinary Depart­ment for the Year ending 31st March 1898.

The Annual Report of the Director-General of the Army Veterinary Department shows that the health of the army horses in the United Kingdom during the past year was very satisfactory, although the rates of inefficiency, mortality, and admissions to treatment were all somewhat higher than during the previous twelve months. The amount of inefficiency from disease and injuries was 65' 1 2 per cent. of the average strength, and the mortality 2'73 per cent., the corresponding figures for the previous year having been 61'10 and 2'52 respectively. As compared with the previous year, there was an increase of 77 in the admissions for diseases of the chest and air-passages, and of 150 for strangles. No case of glanders or farcy occurred during the year, but in consequence of some suspicion attaching to a horse that died from "pycemia" the two animals that stood next to this one were tested with mallein, with the result that neither reacted.

Veterinary-Captain Blenkinsop, in his report regarding the army horses in Egypt, records the fact that the animals belonging to the British army of occupation were free from glanders during the year, although the disease existed to a considerable extent in Cairo and Alexandria. Testimony is given to the great value of testing suspected horses with mallein.

In South Africa a severe outbreak of glanders occurred amongst the local transport at Etchowe, but by the use of mallein and the prompt slaughter of all the horses that reacted the disease was stamped out. The rate of sickness and mortality amongst the army horses in South Africa was unusually high during the year.

The Report shows that, as in former years, very excellent results, at a trifling cost, have been obtained at the Army Vaccine Institute.

Examination of Horses as to Soundness and Selec;tion as to Purchase. By Edward Sewell, M.R.C.V.S.L. London: Bailliere, Tindall & Cox. 1898.

ACCORDING to the preface this book has been written "to assist the horse­owner, the farmer, and the colonist to judge for himself as to the practical soundness of a horse he may be interested in " which, coming from a practising veterinary surgeon, is exceedingly generous, if nothing more than that. Examining horses as to soundness is work for veterinary surgeons, and

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