VEINS

DR. K. J. FRANKLIN has attempted to summarize for the benefit of English readers the extensive literature which has appeared on the venous system, and to embody in it the results of his own researches. As this literature has important bearings upon' physiological, pathological and clinical problems, and since the author has succeeded so well in his task, it fills a distinct need and will remain for some time the standard work on the subject.' After a very clear and concise account of the embryology of veins written by It Richardson, a very detailed account is given' of the general histology of veins and the histology of spectal veins, including the recent resea~ch on ~he nerve elements. This is followed by a very mformatIve chapter on valves, in which the historic lines of Bardeleben are shown to be untenable in the light of more recent research. , ' The section on blood depots and the relative proportion of blood held in reserve in different conditions is a well written account of recent researches, following the epochmaking discoveries of Barcroft. . A very large section is devoted to the veins in their relation to the nervous system, and includes an account of reactions to certatn chemical stimuli. The various mechanical factors affecting the circulation of the blood in the veins are fully treated. This section includes a consideration of the factors of the contraction of muscle and of respiration. The final chapters are devoted to a consideration of the application of the fundamental facts of anatomy and physiology to clinical problems and the application of various photographic techniques to research on the venous sYstem, such as cinematography, radiology and infra-red photography. As the author states, he has "attempted to show what is permanent in our knowledge of veins, to indicate where additions of value are even now being made to it, and where information about certain aspects of it are changing in the light of fresh research". There is no doubt that he has achieved his purpose, and so has provided not only a valuable work of reference, but a source of inspiration to those working in this field of· research.