BOOK NOTICES 243

editor points out in his prefatory note, it is really a supplement to the Zen-tralblatt fur die gesamte Ophthalmol-ogie und thre Grenzgebriete, which is also edited by Prof. KufHer and pub­lished in parts every two weeks. To some who have thought of the "Nagel's Jahresbericht" as a complete reference library, this volume, which has been announced as its successor, will prove a disappointment.

However, taken in connection with the monthly publication it represents, it furnishes a very complete work of reference. The "Zentralblatt" is issued in two volumes a year, 13 or 14 parts in a volume. These volumes begin in February and August. Each volume is furnished with its index of authors and subject and is complete in itself. It is made up of abstracts intended to cover all important articles in the lit­erature, and to these abstracts the reader of the "Jahresbericht" is re­ferred by number indicating the vol­ume and page of the "Zentralblatt" on which the abstract is to be found. In this volume the bulk of references are volumes 3 and 4 of the Zentralblatt. But some few are to volume 5 and a very few to volume 6; because, altho the papers were published in 1920, they had not been received until later. Thru the "Jahresbericht" the literature for the calendar year 1920 is thus segregated and the key to it is fur­nished by this volume.

Then, too, all the literature of the year relating to one topic is brought under one heading and can be found, indicated in a single list instead of re­quiring a search thru 26 different parts of the "Zentralblatt" to secure all these references. Under such heading are given in full the titles to all the papers touching upon it with references to the places of original publication and the volume and page of the "Zentral­blatt" in which an abstract is to be found. In connection with some of these headings is given a brief critical review touching the salient points of

i; the literature. The lists of papers fl correspond rather closely with the

bibliographies at the heads of sections

of the Ophthalmic Year Book, or Oph­thalmic Literature. The critical re­view might be compared with the "Digest of the Literature," which takes up the greater part of each section. But the relative lengths of the two parts are very different; in the "Jahres­bericht" the bibliographies occupy 200 pages, and the critical review only 175 pages. Of the 284 topics under which the titles of papers are arranged; only 38 are accorded any critical review. These reviews are prepared by 22 col­laborators.

Because of differences in the time covered and in the arrangement of subjects, it is almost impossible to compare this volume exactly with Ophthalmic Literature so as to ascer­tain which contains the larger series of references. A careful checking up of a small part of the volume seemed to show that they are almost exactly equal, altho each had a number of references that the other had not. A comparison of name indexes showed a larger number of authors noticed in the "Jahresbericht," as might be ex­pected in the two years time occupied in completing the list.

The book is well printed and the references seem accurate. About one-fifth of these are taken from American journals. There are no illustrations. For the student who wishes to trace out all that has been written on a sub­ject this work constitutes a positive addition to the literature of Ophthal­mology. E. J.

The Nature of Glaucoma (Das Wesen des Glaukomes) by Otto Wernicke, published by Oscar B. Mengen, Buenos Aires, Argentine, 1922. This essay of 163 pages deals ex­

haustively with the theory of Wernicke that glaucoma is not a purely ocular disease, but one of the results of dis­seminated or tuberous sclerosis of the nervous system; the latter due to arthrismus or rheumatism, and this being the result of spirochetes. We well know that syphilis and dissemi­nated sclerosis go together, and that syphilis may rest in the system for

244 BOOK NOTICES

years or decades without symptoms. He considers that certain congenital and anatomic defects, and those due to intrauterine disease are backgrounds of the local affection. Myopia, glau­coma and keratoconus are associated with defects of development, diseases or interference with the secretions of the endocrin glands, and to sclerotic processes in the nerves.

He divides glaucoma into the follow­ing conditions: (1) Simple glaucoma of the nerves. The cause is in the neuroglia or the papilla, affecting the nerve and then the retina. (2) Simple uveal glaucoma. The cause is in the uveal portion of the papilla and goes into the uvea. (3) Simple scleral glaucoma. The cause is in the scleral portion of the papilla or rises in the sclera. (4) Glaucoma with hyperten­sion. This originates in the anterior portion of the choroid. This form can arise alone, but often is combined with the other three forms.

In the short words of Graefe, "Glau­coma is a picture of a slow exchange of bodily fluids and a vascular torpidity connected with the arthritic condi­tion." Glaucoma is a clinical congery of symptoms composed of two princi­pal conditions. The first is a simple glaucoma, which follows arthritic dis­ease of the posterior portion, particu­larly evinced in the lamina cribrosa. The second is the increase of intraocu­lar pressure, which is an indirect re­sult of arthritic disease in the ciliary portion of the uvea. Glaucoma is, therefore, an arthritic affection due to general disease causing changes in the intraocular nutrition. He believes that glaucoma is always associated with retrobulbar neuritis, which sometimes shows in the papilla, and that many cases of simple optic atrophy are the results of this condition and have the same causes as glaucoma.

The book is a mass of theory un­substantiated by direct clinical evi­dence and does not, so far as I can find out (as it is extremely hard to read), give any thought to the original focal infections which in the last few years at least are believed to be the causes

of most of the rheumatic and arthritic diseases. H. V. W

American Ophthalmological Society, Transactions of the 58th Annual Meeting. Washington, D. C., 1922. Octavo, 367 pages, 17 plates and 32 figures in the test. Published by the Society. T. B. Holloway, Secre­tary. Philadelphia, 1922. This volume records the proceedings

of the largest of the longest series of annual meetings of any ophthalmo-logic society in the world. The Ger­man society was founded before the American, but last year held only its forty-third meeting. At this meeting in Washington, the week following the International Congress, the American Ophthalmological Society registered an attendance of 97 of its 178 active members and 87 guests. Of the latter, 13 came from abroad and 9 took part in the proceedings. Papers by Morax, Magitot and Clegg were read, while Collins, Gallemaerts, Mackay, Rochat and Rowan took part in the discus­sions. Then there were four papers read that had been prepared for the International Congress, but excluded from its program, because same of the papers offered had to be declined and these were by Americans who could present them at this meeting.

The titles of all papers included in the volume will be found under their appropriate headings in Current Lit­erature. There are 37 of them, and they compare well for interest with those of any similar volume of transac­tions. This may be classed thus: Dealing with the anatomy and physi­ology of the eyes 3, anomalies 1, in­struments and operative procedures 9, therapeutics 2, prophylaxis 2, educa­tional 2 and clinical 19. For interest they compare well with those recorded in other volumes of transactions of this and other societies. Two of th< plates are in colors, the others ir black and white half tones. All an well executed and add to the scientifii value of the volume, and the same i: true of the illustrations scattered thn the text. E. J.