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Recently a correspondent sent to the Archives some criticisms of summaries or conclusions and illustrations as they appear in dermatology. They seem altogether just and also constructive. These criticisms are especially significant because they emanate from an editor and writer whose vividness and clearness of style are notable. He is, moreover, an investigator who has to his credit not only many achievements of his own, but also a great number of disciples who have done distinguished work. Nobody is better qualified to offer advice to writers in medicine. He says :
My point about summaries is briefly this: A summary should summarize the article not merely describe it. General statements about the contents of articles, and particularly of articles embodying the results of research, are quite likely to be practically worthless. This statement, I think, is substantiated, at least in part, by the summaries on page — and — of