Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-21
New Hooks.

The Hggienjc Treatment Of Consumption. In
three parts. Part J.. Nature and Cause
of the Disease. Part H., Prevention and
Treatment IN Its Earlier Stages. Part
Ill. Treatment in More Advanced
Stages. By NJ. l.. HoLBRooR, NJ. d., pro-
lessor of hygiene in tbs New York Medi-
cal College and Hospital for Women.
Editor OF the HTdd Of Heath. New
YORK: VI. l.. HoLERooK * Co.
This is book of advice on subject OF
deep and painful interest TO vast number
OF persons. addressed by o medical man to
the non-medicGl public. Unlike many
books Of its class, it has the great merit of
restricting its prescriptions to hygiene
remedies, giving no countenance to the
dangerous habit of Standardization. The
author considers that taking cold lisa great
factor in originating the disease IN one
predsposed to it. This view. which Is a
very common and no doubt very lust
one, he fortifes by the opinion OF eminent
medical men, notably Of Sir THOMAS WAT
son. a great physician, endeared TO many a
medical student by his pleasant book Of
lectures, but who, after doctorlng thou
sands AMI teaching thousands how TO doc
tor. sat himself down in his latter days
and uttered the melancholy aspiration
that he wished he could feel at all assured
that he had not killed many more than he
had cured. DR.. HoLBROoS also lays stress
on confinement In unventiated rooms as a
cause. but the most direct and potent of
all the causes he believes 20 be the lodg-
ment in the system of the small living
bodies called heterogeneous.
Unfortunately DR.. HoLBROoK has nothing
10 offer essentially new for the treatment
of consumption, but he has very well and
clearly systematize1 and expounded the
use of the approved agencies of air. light.
food. and exercise-sspeclally exercise OF
the lungs and vocal organs. Some Of his
methods are perhaps a little too elaborate
and finely drawn, but they are on the
whole such as any physician would proba-
bly, endorse. With some of his ideas,
however, 1t is pretty certain that issue
would be taken.
The author asserts that consumption is
undoubtedly contagious. OF course this
is not the place 10 discuss the question,
but we venture for the comforting OF any
troubled reader to advise him not to be-
lieye this assertion too implicitly. To say
the least, il is remarkable that despite the
enormous experience and observation OF
the disease. extending over centuries. the
fact, if fact it is, and one which apparently
should not be very difficult to verify,
should be discovered only lately when the
needs of a newly-made theory required 1t.
Still, if there be doubt it IS the plain
dictate Of common sense TO give ourselves
the benefit of il.
For sale by WEST, JOHNSTON & Co.
The Spanish Story OF The armada and Oher
Essays. BY JAMES ANTHONY FRouDE. New
York: CHARLES ScRIBNEK's Sons. 1892.
Pages 3i4. Price, $3.50.
These six essays take US from the last
quarter of the sixteenth century TO that of
the nineteenth from the Spain of 1888 TO
the Norway OF 1881: from terrible battles
between slow and clumsy war-vessels pro-
PEELED by wind TO the pleasures of steam
yachting amidst the wonders and beauties
OF northern nature. Steam was Just what
the Spanish Armada needed in the English
channel TO enable il TO tackle its ADVERSE
ries. But the British would have had it
too and would probably have outsteamed
the Spaniards as they outsailed and out
shot them.
by the account before us the Armada de-
feated itself by ITS very magnitude, which
rendered necessary greater supplies of pro-
visions and ammunition than were FUR
nished. PHILIP III. was himself the chief
cause Of its failure, and those who were
killed in the protracted naval engagements
were far more fortunate than the sur
vivors.
The first four essays are the eiiiorescence
of MIR. FRouDF's copious historic lore. The
second, An Unsolvcd Riddle in history"
should DO read first. and might have been
placed first. because it treats of very i'm
portant events which preceded and fol-
lowed the unfortunate Armada enterprise,
and furnish q deep insight into the bigoted
and pusilianimous character of PHILIP Ii.
who not only wrecked the Armada, hut
largely his own kingdom, though he did
drive. by his prosecutions. his ouondasn