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although impeded by their inherent modesty. Theseveral biographies are interesting in themselves ;they have been put together with skill and there isconsiderable charm in the author’s extreme simplicityof style. To the inexpert, approaching the historyof tropical medicine for the first time, he recommendsthe reading of biographies in the following order-viz., Leeuwenhoek, Jenner, Meigen, Pollender,Griesinger, Bilharz, Obermeier, Koch, Laveran, Baelz,Pasteur, Metchnikoff, Manson, Ross, Reed, Gorgas,Carroll, Ehrlich-a list which does credit as much tohis sense of proportion as to his freedom from nationalprejudice. Having been a medical missionaryhimself he has allowed himself to go strong in

recounting missionary endeavour, and here againthe reader will be grateful for his indication of sevenbiographies which deserve study. Happily in thiscase there are some survivors. To the biographythere is in many cases a bibliography attached, andthe author takes credit for giving the present addressof these who are still alive. The production of thebook is as distinguished as its authorship. The papercover is attractive in design, the typesetting beyondcriticism, and the index a model for other effort.The book is indispensable in any medical library.

PHOTOTHERAPY OF THE EYE

A DEPARTMENT for ultra-violet treatment was

established at Moornelds Hospital in 1925, underSir Stewart Duke-Elder, who summarise his work inreports issued in 1926 and 1928. In the book before us 1

his successor, Mr. F. W. Law, considers all the caseswho had a full course of such treatment, general orlocal, in the clinic last year, and some of those treatedin the three years preceding. To help towards

assessing the permanence of results a letter was sentout to the patients or their parents as to their presentcondition. The effect of general phototherapy mustbe read in the light of the fact that the patientswere attending hospital three times a week for along period, and therefore received also other treat-ment in an unusually thorough way. This resultedin a high standard of cleanliness, for the undressingof a child three times a week before a nurse has itseducative value on the mother. With these provisosMr. Law endorses the favourable opinions expressedby other writers of the ultra-violet treatment of

blepharitis, phlyctenular disease, and conjunctivitisin children. Most forms of keratitis derive somebenefit ; this applies, in Mr. Law’s experience, evento interstitial keratitis. Syphilitic iridocyclitis andtuberculous disease failed to react, and, on the whole,his results do not reach the high level of some otherworkers. General phototherapy is, in fact, no morethan an adjunct in treatment. Local irradiation inits own sphere has more to offer. Mr. Law reports51 cases, nearly all of them corneal ulcers or differentforms of keratitis, treated by focusing the raysexactly on the spot. Although he has himself neverseen a cataract remotely connected with ultra-violettherapy, the application calls for continual care.

Preferably the pupil should be small, although this isnot always feasible. The usual initial dose is one of2 to 2i minutes, but if the duration of the beamhas to be as oblique as 45° the time of exposuremay be increased by one-half; if to 60° it may

1 Ultra-violet Therapy in Eye Disease, with a review of otherforms of Radiant Energy. By Frank W. Law, M.A., M.D.,B.Chir. Camb., F.R.C.S., Assistant Surgeon, Central LondonOphthalmic Hospital ; Pathologist and Curator, and MedicalOfficer in charge of the physico-therapeutic department, RoyalLondon Ophthalmic Hospital (Moorfields). With foreword bySir Stewart Duke-Elder, M.D., F.R.C.S. Published for theMiddlesex Hospital by John Murray. 1934. Pp. 78. 5s.

be doubled. Although corneal ulcers undoubtedlyheal more quickly when irradiated there is notsufficient evidence that the density of the sub-

sequent scar is less, nor is there any effect on

established nebulae. In tuberculous iritis there isoften a suggestion of improvement, but the dosageneeds careful watching. Throughout the monographMr. Law maintains a severely critical attitude towardshis own results. In using radium and X rays foreye diseases the danger of inducing cataract must,he says, always be taken into account. Infra-red

rays play no part as a therapeutic agent in diseasesof the eye ; they are a source of possible injury tocornea, lens, and retina--e.g., eclipse blindness.

THE ENGLISH TONGUE

THE history of the English language is not a matterfor philologists ; all persons with claims to education,in the countries where English is spoken, should havesome acquaintance with the origin and developmentof their own tongue. In the United States of latethis feeling has certainly been active, and a shortarticle on the subject in the Medical Record for July 4this worth attention. The writer says that few personsknow the origin of " the King’s English," evidentlythinking that fuller appreciation of the lineage of

language would minimise its frequent abuse. His

pithy sketch of the Saxon invasion and the settlementsof parts of England at different epochs gives reasonsfor the gradual evolution of English to its presentstandard. According to him it was not until 1385that the language of the English-speaking peoplesstepped out of its dialect petticoats to become anadult tongue, since when it has taken its place as themost universal means of intercommunication. Onthe cover page of the same issue of the Medical Becordthere is a picture of Dr. Thomas L. Stedman, formany years the editor of the journal, and this is

opportune, for Stedman is a master of English, aswell as a versatile linguist. Largely through this facthe has made a reputation as a lexicographer, wherean accurate knowledge alike of the subject in handand of languages is essential.

EPIDEMIC MYALGIA IN SWEDEN

IN a note presented to the permanent committeeof the Office International d’Hygiene publique,Dr. R. Huss outlines the salient features of the

epidemic of myalgia which, in the summer and autumnof 1931, claimed many victims in the southern coastalareas of Sweden and in Denmark.2 Though not asingle case was fatal, the manifestations of the disease,when it was of the abdominal type, led occasionallyto an exploratory laparotomy which proved nothingbut the mistake in making it. There was also a

thoracic type with bilateral symptoms referable tothe lower chest. The most common complicationswere orchitis (some 50 cases) and dry pleurisy (about ascore). Catarrhal symptoms referable to the respira-tory tract were rare. Some cases were characterisedby euphoria and flushing of the face. It seems

that the epidemic had had its forerunners in 1927,1929, and 1930. The outbreak of 1931 began in themiddle of June in the seaport of Marstrand, at whichtwo Swedish warships were stationed from June 18thto 26th. The sickness-rate on these ships a few daysafter they had left Marstrand was such that about athird of the crews was involved. Between the agesof 14 and 17 there were 190 persons, 72 of whom fellill. Between the ages of 20 and 30 there were only

1 Bull. de l’Off. Internat. d’hyg. pub., June, 1934, p. 1083.2 See THE LANCET, 1933, i., 709.