and Analysis-By Etizabeth J. Levinson. the gastrointestinal tract. The disease Orono, Me.: University of Maine Press, 1962. 265 pp. Price, $2. that was most clearly defined and that created the greatest impact was cholera. This volume is divided into two major On four occasions during the century, parts. The first 52 pages are devoted to Europe and America were scourged by a review and comparison of the criteria, severe invasions of Asiatic cholera re- methods, and findings of previous major sulting from world pandemics. The surveys of the mentally retarded. The United States was invaded in 1832-1834, remainder of the volume reports a sur- 1848-1849, 1866, and 1873. vey conducted in 1957 of mentally re- Rosenberg offers an interesting ac- tarded children in Maine and includes count of the first three invasions. Based appendixes and an index. on journals, letters, newspapers, medical Data for the Maine survey were ob- publications, as well as a wide variety tained via questionnaires sent to schools of secondary sources, he explores the and staffs of state institutions through- reactions of American communities, par- out the state. Although the author feels ticularly New York City, to these re- that rural cases were systematically curring attacks. One of the major underreported, over-all prevalence rates points of interest is the attitudinal shift hover around 3 per cent quite in line that took place between 1832 and 1866. with rates established in other surveys. When cholera first appeared in the Excess of male over female retarded United States there was a tendency to youngsters is even greater in Maine than attribute the outbreak to the wrath of has been reported elsewhere; the author God; 30 years later a more secularized supposes this is due to special demands attitude was prevalent. Public health which life and custom in Maine make action was accepted by clergy and laity on boys. Both rural-urban and sex dif- alike, and the New York City Health ferentials in reported prevalence suggest Department, which had come into being that Maine may be a strategic state in in 1866, went to work with a will to which to investigate the crucial and as combat the dreaded disease. yet uninvestigated research question in The author has an eye for vivid de- mental retardation: What is the least tail, and he tells the story well. One that individuals of different age-sex may hope that this book will find read- categories need know and be able to do ers among students and faculty in and still get along independently in dif- schools of public health and in medical ferent social systems? schools. Unfortunately, the price for Workers in the area of mental re- this short book is much too high, and tardation will find this volume valuable many of those who might buy it will not only for the Maine survey data but have to read it in libraries. as well for the careful review and com- GEORGE ROSEN parison of previous surveys of the men- tally retarded. EDWARD WELLIN DISINFECTED MAIL-By K. F. Meyer. Holton, THE CHOLERA YEARS. THE UNITED Kans.: Gossip Printery ( 1 16-118 East 5th St.), STATES IN 1832. 1849 and 1 866-By 1962. 341 pp. Price, $12. Charles E. Rosenberg. Chicago, Ill.: University This is a fascinating corner of the of Chicago Press, 1962. 257 pp. Price, $7.50. history of public health. Decontamina- During the 19th century, the louse- tion of mail was for hundreds of years borne diseases were replaced as major an aspect of quarantine, as a part of community health problems in Europe the larger effort to destroy the agents