Evening star., 1934-02-24
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH C. BOWERMAN.
FAMILY GHOSTS AND GHOSTLY
PHENOMENA. BY Elliott O'Don-
nell. New York: e. p. Dutton

FAMILY GHOSTS AND GHOSTLY
PHENOMENA. BY Elliott ODon-
nell. New York: e. p. Dutton
e. Co,
Ghosts are 1ike dogs; they are at
tached to families. Their mission
seems to be to warn the families Of
their choice Of impending catastrophe.
usually death-a doubtful favor, since
the catastrophe cannot be avoided
and happy ignorance would be pref
erabler to foreknowledge. Family
ghosts are very persistent and Mr..
O'Donnell says there Is no authentic
case of their being successfully laid.
"Banshees, for instance, have been
repeatedly addressed by those at
tempting to lay them, but no re-
sponse has ever been obtained" 1t
Is probable, therefore, that family
ghosts keep on haunting as long as
any Of the family remain. Mr.. ODon-
nell, in the beginning of his good
sized book on this phase of the sup
ernatural, indicates his own belief in
ghosts, which he says has been
shared by many people, from the an
cient Israelites and Egyptians down
to moderns in all parts of the world.
He does not, however, expect his
readers to concur in his views. for
whatever concerns the superphysical
can neither be proved nor disproyed.
The book may be enjoyed equally
well without belief. 1t Is a study in
the supernatural or in psychology, as
you will.
Family ghosts in England, Scotland,
Ireland "a favorite ghost land) -.
Wales, France, Germany and the
United States (not a very hospitable
ghost land) are described, with ex.
amples, which are, of course. creepy.
The Bourbons, the Bonapartes and
the Hohenzollerns. as well as most
Of the clans OF Scotland, were all
ghost haunted. Monks and nuns.
drummers. knights. white ladies and
green ladies, lonely maidens, black
veiled elderly women are common in
the ghostly throng. Animals are
among the most pathetic or terrify-
Ing ghosts. Phantom birds, fish, bats.
horses and dogs, many Of them,
share ghostland with those who have
once been human. Objects may be
haunted and there are thrilling tales
OF bells, clocks, candles, trees, coaches
mists rising from the ground. which
nave all given warnings of approach
ing family disasters. Glamis Castle.
famous from the time Of Macbeth
now the possession Of the Lyon family
to which belongs the present Duchess
OF YORK, has long been prominent in
shost lore. 1t is the habitat of sew
eral phantoms, and enough tragedies
nave been associated with Glanis In
account for them all. There is even
some evidence that Glamis. instead
OF Cawdor, was the scene of the
murder Of Duncan by Macbeth Mr.
ODonnell has long been a student
OF ghost literature and traditions and
nus material presented here and in
MS recent book, Ghosts of london y
Is impressive as showing how deem
nolo belief in ghosts has had on
people of all times.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES wb..
Ihey Are and How to Deal with
Inem. BY w w. Bauer, B. s.
M. u. New York: Alfred A. Knopf
home nursing by members of the
Iamuy becomes more of a necessitv in
tlmes OF decreasing or vanishing in
comes, ana must always be resorted To
IN many cases. General intelliQence
and some knowledge of hygiene and
simple methods of nursing never come
amlss. Given the first, the Red Cross
through its classes in nursing and
many doctors through practical books
DO much to supply the second. This
volume by the director OF the Bureau
OF Health and Public Instruction of
the American Medical Association IS
intended especially for mothers and
gives even more attention to the pre-
vention OF contagious diseases than
to their care. Needless to say, DR..
Bauer does not hold the old-fashioned
theory that the sooner a child has
all the "children's diseases" the bet
ter. He says: Theoretically. the
prevention of all contagion is possible.
In spite Of a complex civilization and
the difficulties Of overcoming individ-
ual ignorance and inconsiderateness,
he believes that is possible that Con
tag1on may be cornered to a certain
extent at least, and held in check so
that its ravages, If not wholly pre-
vented, may at least be minimized."
DR.. Bauer has chosen chapter head
ings which arouse interest and curl
osity to a degree only a little less
striking than movie captions, as
Microscopic Malefactors," Behind
the Quarantine" "a Hospital at
Home" Getting Ready for Release, =
Children Who Might Live, Mothers,
Measles and Misconceptions" Milk
maids and Medical Men," Mad Dog -
Polio" and THE Safest Place in
Town" The safest place in town is,
according to this doctor-author, the
communicable-disea hospital. Every
one will probably agree that it IS the
safest place, after reading the chap
ter. The chapter on the dread in
fantile paralysis, or poliomyelitis, gives
information which should help
mothers to take preventive measures
in times of epidemic and to recog-
nize danger signals without loss of
time, so that expert medical advice
may be sought and the serum treat
ment be used without delay, If it is
deemed necessary. Some Of the val
liable items of information given by
DR.. Bauer are that measles is not a
sufficiently respected disease and that
young children suffer from 1t more
seriously than older ones, that every
sore throat and croupy cough in chill
dren should be suspected OF being
diphtheria, and that whooping cough
"easily ranks as one of the greatest
miSfortunes that can befall any
child, especially baby or a child
under years of age" The manu-
script Of this book was reviewed by
officers of the United States Public
Health Service.
WOMEN AND REPEAL. The Story
of the Women's Organization for
National Prohibition Reform. Au-
thorized by Mrs. Charles H. Sabin.
By Grace c. Root. New York:
Harper & Bros.
The rapidity and the violence with
which the United States swung into
and out Of legal prohibition daze the
innocent bystander and make him ex-
Il ~