comparatively unknown or unique, or that are worthy of particular
interest or further investigation. To prevent unnecessary loading
of the book with foot-notes, in those instances in which there
are a number of cases of the same nature, and a description has
not been thought necessary, mere citation being sufficient,
references are but briefly given or omitted altogether. For the
same reason a bibliographic index has been added at the end of
the text. This contains the most important sources of information
used, and each journal or book therein has its own number, which
is used in its stead all through the book (thus, 476 signifies
The Lancet, London; 597, the New York Medical Journal; etc.).
These bibliographic numbers begin at 100.

Notwithstanding that every effort has been made to conveniently
and satisfactorily group the thousands of cases contained in the
book (a labor of no small proportions in itself), a complete
general index is a practical necessity for the full success of
what is essentially a reference-volume, and consequently one has
been added, in which may be found not only the subjects under
consideration and numerous cross-references, but also the names
of the authors of the most important reports. A table of contents
follows this preface.

We assume the responsibility for innovations in orthography,
certain abbreviations, and the occasional substitution of figures
for large numerals, fractions, and decimals, made necessary by
limited space, and in some cases to more lucidly show tables and
statistics. From the variety of the reports, uniformity of
nomenclature and numeration is almost impossible.