Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-03-03
crubbed their hands for some min

ScruDpeQ L0eIT NduQS IOt some mln-
utes.
The doctors "reminiscences Of the
dangerous early days are, from the
literary and historical point of view.
the most interesting part Of his book.
We now so take for granted modern
surgical technique that the days when
it was lacking seem almost prehis-
toric. but they were only about half
century ago. Operating experiences
Of himself and other surgeons show
many narrow escapes for both pa
tients and surgeons, many pieces OF
luck when things did not go as
wrong as they should have done. con-
sidering the lack of knowledge Of the
time. When DR.. Wheeler was a
house pup" he saw case Of hydro
phobia, rare occurrence for even a
doctor of long experience; as this was
before the Pasteur treatment, OF
course the case was hopeless. Set
ting in Burlington, VT, after his in
terneship, he soon secured an appoint
ment as an attending surgeon at the
been in existence about five years and
where Is patients were considered a
good number. Diphtheria was endemic
in Burlington then and for some
years afterward, and the anti-toxin
treatment was undiscovered. Trache-
otomy was performed as last resort,
with a high mortality. The chapters
Episodes" Some Vermont Doctors"
and "Nurses-Then and Now" are
filled with medical and surgical anec-
dotes, some humorous, some rather
gruesome DR.. Wheeler writes frank
ly Of what he has witnessed and par
ticipated IN during long life in his
chosen profession, and 1t Is obvious
that he has always had an interest
in people as people, not merely as
patients. His book will appeal to lay
men even more than to other doctors.
THE HISTORY OF THE TIMES.
THE Thunderer" In the Making.
1785-1841. New York: The Mac.
milan Co.
THE isoth anniversary Of the first
publication Of the Times Uon-
dom, for the first three years Of its
existence called the Daily Universal
Register, is the occasion for the pub
LEGATION Of this book The name Of
no author or editor appears on the
title page. but the English edition
states that the book was written,
printed and published at the office Of
the Times" and that it is merely
VOL /. Two other volumes are to fol-
low. Many authors have probably
filled with important facts and cpl
sodes and accompanied by letters.
other documents and illustrations. In
evitably the history of the foremost
newspaper Of England, one of the
foremost of the world, covers also
much of the history of British jour-
nalism and, at least through full ref
erences, the history Of British politics
during the period in question. It Is
an almost encyclopedia piece Of work.
The present volume begins with the
foundation of the Times by the first
John Walter, coal merchant and I'M
derwriter, who, on the collapse Of his
fortunes. turned his attention to an
Improvement in the conduct of the
press" in 1855, and ends with the
death of Thomas Barnes in 1841. 1t
was under John Walter II that the
Times came to be called THE Thun-
derer," but Barnes was the first man
to become responsible editor In the
sense familiar to later generations"
If John Walter had not been ruined
as an underwater by the American
Revolution. he would probably not
have gone into the business of print
ing and editing The early years were
full Of difficulties and John Walter I
was twice sentenced to a years i'm
prisonment for libel. The paper might
have been abandoned and attention
devoted solely to the printing bust
ness, had not John Walter II, come
into the family enterprise in 1897
and. from 1903 on assumed virtual
control. He contributed business
management to the running of a
newspaper and was responsible for in
PRODUCING the revolutionary device OF
the ste IN printing press. Editorially
he recognized that the success and in
fluence Of his newspaper depended on
its independence and freedom from