After noting the importance not merely of the study of the origin, evolution, and structure of the central nervous system, but the importance of the attempt to correlate these with the actual life-activities of the organism in both health and disease, Dr. Andriezen showed how the neglect of alienists to follow and work up these investigations entailed their falling back and separation from the advancing army of neurological workers. He hoped that, with the awakening of the spirit of inquiry and scientific research in our asylums, that reproach might be wiped away, and that an attempt would be made to study and localize the lesions in the insanities, making use of all the methods available—neurological, psychological, pathological, sociological, and experimental.

This is unquestionably a very able and carefully-written monograph on a symptom of the greatest practical importance, and one which is present, as the author well remarks, in the majority of diseases. At the same time, headache is so often of such a distressing character, and so obtrusive that it may be the only complaint of the patient, or the only symptom for which he seeks relief, so that any contribution which helps us in our efforts to grasp its meaning, to clear up its association or relation, and diagnose its cause, is most welcome; and it is not too much to say that anyone mastering this complete work should be most familiar with the complex subject of headache. In the search for material, the author has waded through an enormous mass of literature, of which he gives the bibliography and index, and he seems to have extracted therefrom the best essence, which, added to the results of his own observations, based on an analysis of 1,300 cases, contributes to the formation of an admirable treatise.

This edition of a favourite Dictionary has been, as correctly stated, thoroughly revised and greatly enlarged, with the pronunciation, accentuation, and derivation of the terms. There are close upon 1,200 pages, and the amount of laborious revision which the progress of knowledge demands is enormous. Absolute perfection in such a work cannot be demanded of an editor, and no doubt slight inaccuracies have been allowed to pass uncorrected in the work before us. For example, the first meaning of “Braidism” is given as “animal magnetism.” Everyone knows, or rather ought to know, that this is precisely what it is not, and that, in fact, Braidism or hypnotism was a determined protest against animal magnetism. The same regrettable mistake is made under “Hypnotism,” which is defined as produced “through the influence of animal magnetism.” There may be other instances of confusion among the innumerable definitions contained in this massive volume. We have looked up a number of words, and have found an extraordinary mass of information, fully justifying the statement made by the editor.

A perusal of this pamphlet, dealing with the vitally important question of the “inheritance of acquired characters,” and in which the author meets the arguments urged against his criticisms of Weismann's doctrines, should prove most interesting, and it is not claiming too much for it to say that it will cause many a one to hesitate before proclaiming that “the last bulwark of the Lamarckian principle is untenable,” to quote Weismann.

Few men have applied themselves to the accurate notation of pathological appearances more thoroughly than Dr. Howden. He was amongst the first to investigate the lesions in the morbid brain, and for some forty years he has systematically studied the whole subject. His index cannot fail to be of the utmost value for the purposes of connotation and research. Everyone must have experienced the weariness of referring back to pathological records and case books for information as to special lesions and their relations to cases. This work affords a ready means of reference to recorded data regarding each particular disease or lesion. By its regular employment the pathologist of any institution can with the utmost ease analyse his records in a very short space of time. Say that he divides his autopsies into hundreds and notes the various lesions under the different heads, he can, on the completion of a series, almost at a glance note the frequency of each per cent., can relate one with another, and can refer to the individual career in which they have occurred. The list of lesions is very comprehensive. The only suggestion that can be offered is that in the next edition it would be well to interleave the book so as to allow of the introduction of notes on microscopic appearances. We have no hesitation in saying that the index should be kept regularly written up in the pathological department of every hospital and asylum, for with a minimum of work it gives a maximum of utility to the records of facts.

This is a reprint of a paper read at the International Congress of Charities, Corrections, and Philanthropy, held at Chicago, June, 1893. Our readers may remember that Dr. Morel read an interesting paper on the psychological examination of prisoners at the Psychology Section of the B.M.A. at Nottingham, in 1892, his article being published in this Journal in January, 1893.

Although we are obliged to postpone our review of this splendid work to a future number, from the limited time at our disposal before going to press, we must now record a high opinion which we entertain of the manner in which it has been edited by Professor Fraser. In the meantime every one interested in the psychology of Locke ought to possess himself of this valuable work.

We accord a hearty welcome to this manual. Those who are acquainted with the author, either personally or from the Pathological Retrospect which has appeared from time to time in this Journal, would be certain that no book with the above inscription on the title page would be other than a most painstaking and accurate production. Such a reader will not find his confidence misplaced. It is, of course, up to date, but this means up to the date of as careful and skilful a microscopist as it is possible to have. There is an excellent index by Dr. Craig, who was formerly on the staff of Bethlem Hospital. A work of this kind does not admit of quotation, and we must therefore content ourselves with referring the reader to Dr. Goodall's book itself.

We can speak in the highest terms of this work, and are glad to observe that the author promises an additional volume. He engages in the undertaking with the enthusiasm that is natural in a man who is closely connected by family ties with the most distinguished alienist of the group of French physicians whose lives are recorded in the volume before us, for M. Semelaigne is the great-grand-nephew of Philippe Pinel. The author is well known and appreciated by a number of English specialists who have formed his acquaintance during his visits to this country, having been present at the Centenary of the foundation of the York Retreat, when the Association met in that city in 1892, and when he attended the Dublin Meeting this year.

The Annual Dinner of the Association was held at the Royal College of Physicians on the evening of Wednesday, June 13th. The following members and guests were present:—The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of Dublin; the Right Hon. Christopher Redington, Vice-Chancellor of the Royal University of Ireland; the Right Hon. John Atkinson, Q.C.; the Rev. J. Stubbs, S.F.T.C.D.; Dr. J. E. Kenny, M.P.; Professor Edward Dowden; Dr. George Plunkett O'Farrell; Dr. W. G. Smith, President Royal College Physicians, Ireland; Dr. W. Thornley Stoker, President Royal College Surgeons, Ireland; J. M. Colles, LL.D., Chancellor's Registrar in Lunacy; the President Academy of Medicine in Ireland; Dr. Semelaigne; Dr. Jules Morel; Professors Benedikt, D. J. Cunningham, Alec. Fraser, and J. A. Scott; Drs. W. Moore, Gordon, J. Magee Finny, Little, Macan, Ball, W. Thomson, J. W. Moore, C. E. Fitzgerald, W. J. Smyly, Master of the Rotunda Hospital, Hack Tuke, Murray Lindsay, Nicolson, Urquhart, Oscar Woods, Turnbull, Beveridge Spence, Horne, Baker, Whitoombe, Fletcher Beach, Sigerson, Rutherford, Earl, Batty Tuke, Fletcher, Mercier, J. R. Burke, Garner, Telford Smith, Bond, Cameron, Hawtrey Benson, Eustace, Keay, Donelan, Agar, Elkins, Percy Smith, Finch, O'Neill, Nolan, Gramshaw, Cope, Oswald, Molony, Ringrose Atkins, Theodore Stack, T. McDowall, Lockhart Donaldson, Cullinan, Revington, G. M. Robertson, Arthur Baker, Clouston, Conolly Norman, etc.

Lancashire. Lancaster.—Additions are called for here, and it is intended to build blocks for nurses, for attendants, for working patients, and an isolation hospital. With regard to the latter the Commissioners in their Report express a hope that it will be of no large size, as the object is the immediate isolation of those first attacked, and not to deal with an epidemic. The admissions tell the same tale of hopelessness in a great proportion. The general paralytics only account for about 6 per cent., and intemperance for about 12 per cent. Dr. Cassidy does not approve of large transfers of patients from one asylum to another, as they upset a place for a time, and give no solid advantage. Three patients were discharged, their orders having lapsed. He justly stigmatises the arrangements under which this occurred as silly and childish.

An Adjourned Annual Meeting of the Association was held in the Psychological Section Room, at Bristol, on Tuesday, the 31st of July, 1894, under the presidency of Conolly Norman, F.R.C.P.I.

This, the latest publication of Dr. Mercier, is carefully written, and although there is nothing novel in its contents, yet asylum medical officers will find the orderly arrangement useful. Interleaved, this book could be made available for memoranda in loco.