HANDBOOK FOR NURSES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1925, Page 17

HANDBOOK FOR NURSES

"Elementary Anatomy and Physioloey for Nurses." By H. Clifford Barclay, M.D. London : Balliere, Tindall, and Cox.

Dr. H. Clifford Barclay, of Maidston'e, formerly of "New Zealand, has brought out a. third edition of his "Elementary Anatomy and.Physiology .for' Nurses." Tho volume is already well known and highly esteemed, not only for its excellent subject matter and illustrations,' but for the charm of the author's style, writes tW London correspondent of "The Post." The present edition is revised, enlarged, and brought up to date. But the writer goe6 further this time. Having acquired some knowledge of the actions of the nervous system (ha says), it is easy to pass to the mental ypect of our brain and spinal cells. To omit it, seems to leave a huge hiatus in our knowledge. . . B'afc psychology is the study of the mind of man,, and as conduct (in the individual and-in the - mass)' is based on mind, it is. almost impossible to avoid references to human characteristics as we see them "manifested in public and in private life, and psychology imperceptibly steps up into the domain-of socio!°gy- .;■■ * ■ ■ ..."-. A chapter on psychology has therefore been added, for, as the writer maintains, a well-trained nurse is a therapeutic agent in the cure of maladies, and it is necessary to have some notion of the fundamentals of psychology if she wishes to grasp the derangements of insanity, the objects of hypnosis, or the delvings of the psycho-analyst. Dr. Barclay introduces his readers to the' subject in a very clear way, and uses homely illustrations. The Origin •of Knowledge, Associations of Ideas, Telepathy, Limitations of "the Senses, and Spiritualism, are/some of the headings under which he writes. ;:.■'■■ When men like Sir Oliver' Lodge and Sir A. Conan Doyle talk seriously about the subjectjof Spiritualism (says "Dr. Barclay), minor lights must sit tjiiiet and respectfully listen. You " know enough already to be saved from the absurd position.of dogmatising on the subject. The elementary study of yourown senses..and your everyday experiences teach you that there may be some phenomena in. the external world that'reaches the consciousness of some . people and. not others.. You are not justified as an educated person to say ypu' definitely 'believe or - .disbelieve the statements .of enthusiasts on either side.. ..'■'- ;l ho author' gives several interesting eases he has treated successfully with hypnotism." -He;mentions that the only <-a?e. of death ha baa had on.the operating table was that of a y.-oman who fac-o-:l,.the operation: with: the sure and cerium expectation of death, .and she expired quite suddenly without any apparent reason.. . , . '• /. In. psychology, says Dr. Barclay, we have already learnt ■. that it-is useless to study one side of a subject. To look,at one side onlylead3 to dogmatism and unbalanced judgment. . One cannot understand a patient arid get in sympathetic vibration with him, ons will never gain the pati&ut's confidence. and regard, if the working of his mind is not grasped.