Description:

THE recognition accorded Rotoski's communication to the Wurzburger Abhandungen on the value of serum diagnosis as one of the clearest epitomes on this subject to be had has inspired the presentation of this translation which has, also, some additions in relation to the work of the last year along this line, particularly in relation to Ficker's typhoid reagent for diagnosis, formalin typhoid cultures, and agglutination tests in dysentery and para-dysentery.
The introductory chapter alone is worth the price of the little volume through the concise, clear presentation of the general considerations governing the nature of the subject and its technical phraseology.
The Gruber-Widal reaction for typhoid naturally receives the most attention. It is clearly set forth in the text, which together with Wilson's study of the same reaction, which is appended, furnishes the most complete resume of the subject we have seen.
Ficker's diagnostic method is recommended as reliable, as it has been by various European observers. The author, however, points out advantages in the formalin test which he highly recommends.
There are some valuable observations on those lately discovered antibodies the precipitins and their relation to forensic blood tests, a field which appears to present much of promise for forensic medicine.
We heartily recommend this little work to the general practitioner who wishes to keep abreast of the times in the matter of this branch of diagnosis.
- The Clinical Review , Vol. 32 [1905]