Abstract
(1) IN this work Dr. Nash first traces the X history of certain epidemic diseases, in particular the Black Death, during the Middle Ages in Great Britain. An interesting chapter deals with the medieval psychopathic epidemics, such as the dancing mania. Much of this has necessarily appeared elsewhere, but it is none the less convenient to have the scattered literature of the subject thus briefly epitomised. The reader will probably turn with most interest to the chapters dealing with evolution and disease-in particular with the evolution and mutations of disease germs. As regards diphtheria, for example, the author states that diphtheroid organisms in throat swabs are uncommon except in cases of definite sore throat or in “contacts” with diphtheria or sore throat, that genuine cases of diphtheria with typical diphtheria bacilli often show later only diphtheroid bacilli in the throat swabs, and that some streptococci, some torulae, the Klebs-Loffler bacillus, Hofmann's bacillus, and certain other diphtheroid bacilli, -have a common ancestral origin, and concludes that the fact that bacteria and protozoa can be profoundly affected by environment is abundantly established, and evolution in relation to the germ cannot be gainsaid, r A topical interest is introduced in the final chapter on war as a factor in the evolution of epidemics.
(1) Evolution and Disease.
By Dr. J. T. C. Nash. Pp. viii + 73. (Bristol: John Wright and Sons, Ltd.; London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co., Ltd., 1915.) Price 3s. 6d. net.
(2) The Vicious Circles of Neurasthenia and their Treatment.
By Dr. J. B. Hurry. Pp. xv + 90. (London: J. and A. Churchill, 1915.) Price 3s. 6d. net.
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H., R. (1) Evolution and Disease (2) The Vicious Circles of Neurasthenia and their Treatment. Nature 95, 424 (1915). https://doi.org/10.1038/095424a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/095424a0