SURGERY OF THE RECTUM

serum therapy, are quite overlooked. Dr. D'Este Emery appearsto favour vaccine treatmentrather エ ィ 。 セ ウ ・ イ セ ュ for the majority of infections. The present-dayVIew IS tha:t vaccinesare to be preferred in acute infections only until satisfactory sera or specific chemical bactericidal agents are available. 'Again, Emery describestwo methodsof performing the Wassermanntest-his own and that of McIntosh and Fildes. No mention is made of the improved 。 」 ・ エ ッ セ ・ ᆳ insoluble antigens or of the ice-box method. The dIScussionon the interpretation.of the reaction is good. Dr. Stitt's discussion'of tl:tis reaction is, however,wider in scopeand gives what is lacking in Dr. Emery'smanual. He is rather unfortunate, however, in his selection of methods. After summarizing the statistical results, he goes on to say that "it is generally acceptedthat in this laboratorytest we haveour most importantsingle evidence of syphilis." Experiencedclinicians agreewith this statement, provided that the Wassermanntest is intelligently and honestly carried out. Dr. Stitt gives a short description of the complement deviation test in gonococcus' infections, but gives no interpretationof results. Dr. Emery doesnot mention.this test. Dr. Emery'streatmentof heematology,though necessarily very condensed,is generally good. The term heematology should, however, now include more than the pathological histology of the blood. It should include the normal and morbid chemistryof the blood. Dr. Stitt concludeswith a number of very useful chapters on various infective diseases,including tropical diseasesand helminthic diseases. He also adds a good chap-· ter on diseasesof unknown or not definitely determined retiology. Finally, there is an excellent appendix, a vade mecum for all sortsof microscopicaland chemicalmethods and tables of anatomicaland physiological normals, etc.. It seemsto us that Dr. Stitt gives better value at the price for general practitioners,consultantsand laboratory workers. He is certainly more in touch with recent research and with recent improvementsin technique. Dr. Emery's book is published for practitioners,but we should rather recommendit to medical students,reserving Dr. Stitt for practitionersand laboratonyworkers.