Book Reviews

VERHANDLUNGEN DER DEUTSCHEN C~TESELLSCHAFT ~ii~ KREISI~AUFF'OR- SCHUNG. III Tagung. Theodor Steinkopff, Dresden and Leipzig, 1930. Pp. 150.

The papers and discussions collected here were presented at a meeting held in Dresden on June 11 and 12, 1930. The presentations are concise and the illustrations carefully prepared. The volume is of special value to those who wish to keep in touch with recent work in other countries and it is interesting to note the subject matter of the papers. There are papers on venous pressure and on changes in the peripheral circulation in hypertension, microphotographic studies of the capillaries, notes on respiration and chemical studies in rela- tion to the circulation and respiration. The opening addresses are by Dr. Biirker (Giessen) on the red cells and by Dr. Lindhart (Copen- hagen) on technical methods for the clinical study of problems of the circulation.

E. H.

DIE REFLEKTORISCHE SELBSTSTEUERUNG DES KREISLAUFES. By Dr. Eber- hard Koch. Theodor Steinkopff, Dresden and Leipzig, 1931. Pp. 234 with 44 illust,rations.

This is the first of a series of monographs entitled “Ergebnisse der Kreislaufforsehung ” edited by Bruno Kisch. It is devoted entirely to a consideration of the aortic (depressor) nerve (Coyn and Ludwig) and the sinus nerve (Hering and De Castro), and their receptors in the arch of the aorta and in the carotid sinus respectively. Because changes in heart rate and in peripheral vessel muscle tone are reflexly caused by changes of arterial pressure in the aorta and in the carot,id sinus, Koch calls this mechanism “the pressor receptor mechanism of the circulation.” Through this system the relative stability of blood pressure and heart rate is maintained. Neither the physical, chemical or hormonal changes in t.he blood, which undoubtedly play a part in the regulation of the circulation, nor the peripheral vasomotor mech- anism are discussed.

In Part I the embryology, anatomy and comparative anatomy of this pressor receptor system are given and the literature is discussed. Of particular interest in this part is the description of the recent anatomical studies by De Castro on the sinus nerve and its receptors in the carotid sinus.

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In Part II is found a complete r&urn& of the literature and a discus- sion of the normal and pathological physiology and the pharmacology of both the aortic depressor and the carotid sinus systems. It is based particularly upon. studies of Hering, De Castro, and Heymans and some corroborative studies by the author. The importance of t,his section can be judged by the statement that a permanent de- nervation of the carotid sinus and the aorta will cause in experimental animals a permanent hypertension and that it is probably common in human beings to have an hypertension on such a basis. The effect of stimulation of the aortic and carotid sinus nerve on respiration, intes- tinal peristalsis, tonus of skeletal muscles and upon the function of organs of internal secretion is briefly discussed.

In Part III the author describes a method of changing and measur- ing the endo-arterial pressure in the carotid sinus. By this method he has been able to study quantitatively the reflex blood pressure and heart rate changes. The results of these experiments are fully dis- cussed.

This monograph is a very well written and well illustrated work in which a newer and epoch-making concept of the physiology of the circulation is described. It is a treatise that should be read and studied not only by physiologists and anatomists, but since this newer physiology may change our present concept of diseases like hyper- tension, etc., it should be read and thoroughly digested by every practitioner in internal medicine.

c. s.

CLINICAL ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY. By Sir Thomas Lewis. Ed, 5, I;on- don, Shaw and Sons, 1931.

The fifth edition brings this authoritative guide to the study of elec- trocardiography up to date without changing the character of the volume. It remains a small handbook of clinical electrocardiography, the result of years of experience compressed wit.hin 120 pages, and it needs no introduction to those who are familiar with the earlier edi- tions or with the other writings of Sir Thomas Lewis.

E. H.

OCLUSION CORONARIA, BRUSCA Y LENTA. By T. Padilla and P. Cossio. El Ateneo, Buenos Aires, 1930.

In a richly illustrated volume of some 225 pages the Argentinian authors offer a clear and logical presentation of the subject of coro- nary occlusion. The first half of the book is devoted to a considera- tion of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and its circulation and of the pathological and etiological factors in coronary artery dis- ease. In the second half the clinical aspects of coronary closure, both