organic phosphorus is of importance, because

the organism does not have the power of build-

ing cells containing phosphorus from the in- BookReviews.
organic phosphates. The absorption of phos-
phorus on human milk is higher than on cows'
milk. The amount of absorption increases with The Sensory and Motor Disorders of the Heart.
the amount of fat in the food. The presence of
a large amount of calcium in the food results
Their Nature and Treatment. By Alexander
in the formation of insoluble salts of phospho- Morison, M.D., F.R.C.P. New York: Wil-
rus on the intestine and thus prevents absorption. liam Wood and Company.
The organism retains phosphorus longer than
any other mineral constituent except sodium Morison has written a very interesting book
chloride, presumably because of its close con- of some two hundred and fifty pages. The fact
nection with the central nervous system. Phos- that the style is somewhat controversial detracts
phorus is eliminated in about equal amounts little from the interest or the value of the book.
through the urine and feces, except when there Morison allies himself strongly with the neuro-
is a large excess of calcium in the food, when it genists. While some of the book is obviously
is eliminated through the feces. The retention special pleading, yet the author has a strong ar-
of phosphorus is disturbed in rickets. It has a ray of facts to support his case. The first part,
close connection with the intermediary metab- on the nature of cardiac action, is based consid-
olism, it being necessary to the proper function- erably on his own researches and is the best part
ing of the thyroid gland, the ovaries and the of the book. There can be little doubt of Dr.
testes. Morison's extensive clinical experience, but the
Sodium and Potassium. There is much more clinical part is not as succinctly stated as the
sodium and potassium in cows' milk than in parts dealing with pathological anatomy and
human milk. There is more potassium than so- pathological physiology.
dium in both of them. The absorption of these
salts is good for both milks. The retention is
better on human milk than on cows' milk, being
67%' for sodium and 74% for potassium on hu- Modern Surgery, General and Operative. By
man milk, while on cows' milk it is 15.27% for John Chalmers DaCosta, M.D,. LL.D.; Sam-
sodium and 16.12%; for potassium. Both salts
uel D. Gross professor of surgery, Jefferson
are eliminated in the urine and feces, 15%' to
25% of the intake being eliminated in the feces. Medical College, Philadelphia; surgeon to the
In disturbances of metabolism the fixed alkalis Jefferson Medical College Hospital; surgeon
are retained as long as possible. An over-reten- to St. Joseph's Hospital, Philadelphia; fellow
tion of potassium almost never occurs. It is of the American Surgical Association; mem-
probable that a retention of sodium chloride ber of the American Philosophical Society;
precedes water retention in edema. It is prob- Membre de la Societ\l=e'\ International de Chirur-
able that an excess of sodium chloride may cause
a rise in temperature. This occurs more easily gie; Member of the Medical Reserve Corps,
in babies with disturbances of nutrition than un- U. S. Navy, etc. Seventh edition, revised, en-
eler normal conditions. and reset. With 1085 illustrations,
Sulphur. There is about ten times as much larged, of them in colors. Philadelphia and
sulphur in cows' milk as in human milk. Ninety some London: W. B. Saunders Company. 1914.
per cent, or more is absorbed from both. Ab-
sorption takes place through the small intestine.
The retention of sulphur is much better when DaCosta's "Modern Surgery" was originally
human milk is taken than when cows' milk is written in 1894. Every single year since that
taken. Sulphur is eliminated almost entirely in time, with the exception of 1897, it has been
the urine, but a small part is eliminated into the either revised, reset, reprinted, or reeopyrighted.
as to its popularity is unnec-
large intestine. The retention of sulphur is Further testimony
somewhat diminished in rickets. essary. The book is now a volume of more than
The various salts, with the exception of iron, 1500 pages and is, in reality, a small encyclo-
are present in sufficient quantities and in the pedia. The type is good and sharp.
The paper
proper proportions in human milk. In most is pleasant to the eye. The pictures are simple
modifications of cows' milk there is an excess of and very satisfactory. Throughout, it is inter-
salts. This excess is usually unimportant in the esting and accurate. Perhaps the most interest-
feeding of normal infants, but may play an im- whiching page of the entire volume is the preface, in*
portant part when there are disturbances of the the author's style and personality is best
nutrition. Little is known as to the conditions exemplified. In the reviewer's judgment, Da-
in which the salt content of the food should be Costa's work is the best single volume text-book
changed or to what degree each or all of the been upon general and operative surgery which has
constituents should be varied. proeluced in English. It may be unhesitat-
ingly recommended to all medical students.

The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal as published by

The New England Journal of Medicine. Downloaded from nejm.org at UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN on July 18, 2016.
For personal use only. No other uses without permission. From the NEJM Archive. Copyright © 2010 Massachusetts Medical Society.