SELECTED ABSTRACTS 379

cases in which the saphenofemoral valves are incompetent are indicated for the

ligation-injection treatment. Until some newer idea or operations supplants the

ligation-injection form of treatment, it must be admitted that it gives the greatest

promise of permanent success with the least amount of danger, pain, or mutilation

in the more extensive varicose veins. AUTHOR.

Bird, Clarence E.: The Use of Arteriography of Substitutes for Colloidal Thorium Dioxide. J. A. M. A. 109: 1626, 1937.

Because of the possibility that the injection of radioactive thorium dioxide

solution may cause late toxic symptoms, other materials for arteriography are

preferable. Diodrast, neoskiodan, uroselectan and similar preparations made for

excretory urography are nontoxic in the doses used and are quickly excreted. They

do not damage the intima of the vessels and do not cause pain on intravascular

injection (as does sodium iodide). The density of the shadow cast by diodrast and

similar iodine-containing solutions when used for arteriography is not quite so strik- ing as that by thorium dioxide, but is entirely satisfactory.

Accompanying photographs of x-rays of arteriovenous aneurysms show the

aneurysms clearly and outline many small arteries. MOXTGOMERY.

Keller, S. : The Mortality of Circulatory and Respiratory Diseases. Arch. f.

Kreislaufforsch. 1: 225, 1937.

The author presents a statistical assay of 1,600,OOO deaths of circulatory origin

occurring in England and Wales from 1921 to 1933. He is able to show a seasonal

variation in death rate with the peak in winter and the low point in summer.

EATz.

Holzl6hner, E.: The Respiratory Pulse in Man and the Blood Flow in the Veins Near the Heart. Arch. f. Kreislaufforsch. 1: 305, 1937.

This is a comprehensive review of the subject with a detailed presentation of

data to demonstrate that the heart itself causes a systolic acceleration of blood flow

in the veins near the heart. The result is that there is an early filling of the

auricle and the ventricle independent of diastolic duration. Changes in systolic

power of the heart by altering systolic acceleration of blood flow will in this

way alter the filling of the heart. An automatic regulation of filling dependent on the

power of ventricular systole is thus provided. This systolic venous acceleration is

in reality a form of useful work of the heart. Pneumothorax abolishes this systolic

venous acceleration. It is probably modified also in incompetence of the A-V valves.

These considerations suggest a clinical utility in recording the respiratory pulse. The author describes a string anemometer which he has used for this purpose. This

consists of a small wire suspension in an air passage placed in the optical axis of

an illuminated microscope system much as is used in the string galvanometer. The

air passage is connected to the nasal passage by tubing as in the hot wire ar-

rangement. This meter can be calibrated. KATZ.

Ludwig, I-I. : The Heart Kymogram. Fortschr. f. RSntgenstrahlen. 54: 469, 1936.

The author points out that in the roentgenokymogram not only local pulsations

were obtained but also rotations and displacements of the whole heart. For this

reason care must be taken not to read too much into the curves obtained.

KATZ,