President Andrew Jackson once wrote that he had sworn to uphold the constitution "as he understood it, and not as it was understood by others." Similarly, in this book Dr. Luten has presented the case for the clinical use of digitalis as he sees it. This statement must not be looked on as adverse criticism. The case is well presented; but when any one deals with so controversial a subject as this, any presentation will receive criticism in some quarters and the subject will remain controversial until the experimentalist and the clinician find some way to meet on common ground.
The book first considers the pharmacologic effect of digitalis on the heart muscle, the auriculoventricular tissues and the pacemaker. The diuretic effect, or, rather, the lack of it, blood vessel and blood pressure phenomena, and alterations in the electrocardiogram are briefly discussed. Toxic manifestations are listed. The remainder of the