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on the part of the less resistant tissue elements, and that thisweakening might lead to a vegetative proliferation of theseelements with the result of the formation of a neoplasm.Time alone could prove this possible danger to be real orimaginary, and while not wishing to be considered an

alarmist, he urged the necessity of carefully choosing casesand as carefully noting the results. Preliminary antiseptictreatment of the skin was not generally carried out, but inview of the fact that many pathogenic bacteria could beexposed to very low temperatures without impairment ofvitality Dr. Patterson considered that it would be profit-able so to cany it out. The classes of cases in whichhe had used the method and obtained satisfac-

tory results were: 1. Nsevi of the pigmented mole and

capillary types. 2. Certain cases of lupus vulgaris, thoughfor the majority of cases of lupus he was doubtfulof its value. 3. Lupus erythematosus, in which he hadobtained very satisfactory results. 4. Rodent ulcer ; smalland soft rodent ulcers were satisfactorily treated by solid C02-He advocated in these the additional use of scraping with thecurette in the frozen tissue under strict antiseptic precautions,and later treating the raw healing surface with the X rays.5. Warts. The disadvantage here was the increase of timenecessary for the application. 6. Hypertrophic scars andtrue keloids also reacted satisfactorily. Dr. Patterson con-cluded by pointing out the advantages of the method and itseasy use, adding that in the latter there might lark danger.The paper was illustrated by a series of cases.

Reviews and Notices of Books.Hereditary Characters and Their Modes of Transmission. By

CHARLES EDWARD WALKER, M.Sc., &c. ; Director ofResearch in the Glasgow Cancer Hospital, &c. ; Authorof I I Essentials of Cytology." London: Edward Arnold.1910. Pp. 239. Price 8s. 6d. net.

THE appearance of this book, as well as that of two othersnoticed below, testifies to the increasing interest taken inthe subject of heredity by workers and thinkers in manyfields. The importance of this subject is scarcely greaterthan the difficulty of its study, and such an exceptionallylucid and thoughtful book as that now before us should meetwith the welcome and command the consideration that it so

fully deserves at the hands of all serious students. The

author, already well known as an able worker in the field ofcytology, emphasises, with justice, the importance of the

study of cell phenomena in connexion with the problems ofheredity, and devotes the first two chapters to a description,with good illustrations, of this aspect of the subject. The

accounts given of current knowledge and of the author’s ownobservations regarding the changes occurring in the fertilisedovum are remarkably clear. These chapters form an intro-duction to the rest of the book, which is written throughoutwith equal ability and clarity.Although this work may certainly be regarded as an excep-

tionally good and critical compendium of the various viewsconcerning heredity, and, as such, a highly instructive intro-duction to this study, it is specially marked by the setting-forth of anew theory concerning the modes of transmission"

"

of hereditary characters. The author states in the prefacethat, in attempting to apply recent discoveries, as well as

experimental work upon cells, to some of these problems, hebelieves he has arrived at a satisfactory harmonising of theresults of the Mendelian experiments with the observationsof the biometricians. This, he says, has been done byshowing that some parts of the cells involved in fertilisa-tion are " distributed in an alternative manner, whileothers simply divide in bulk. He thus puts forward a theory,dividing characters into "individual" and "racial," andattributing to each set of characters a different mode oftransmission. " The so-called individual characters are

tramsmitted, in the " Mendelian " or alternative manner, by

the chromosomes ; while the raci,al characters are blended

and transmitted " by the potentiality of the whole fertilisedcell. "

It would be impracticable to enter fully within the limitsof this review on the reasons which seem to throw some

doubt on the soundness of this new hypothesis, and onthe author’s claim to have harmonised the results of the two

biological schools which he mentions. However, a few diffi-culties and obscurities may be indicated. " Individual "

characters are defined (on p. 184) as "either individualvariations or characters inherited from a parent, which arenot common to the race, but are confined to individuals that

have inherited a variation from a near ancestor." This seemsto be somewhat vague, and scarcely a definition in the strictsense, but rather a description of the meaning of the wordas used by the author himself in setting forth his theory.Again, while holding that "individual" characters are

recent, and that racial characters are ancient, the author hasto admit that sex, which he regards as an individual cha-racter and as transmitted alternately, differs widely fromother individual characters in this respect. Once more, the

author in several places seems not to recognise any differencebetween " transmission" " and "reproduction." Indeed, whendiscussing Mendelian views he suggests that the contention ofDr. Archdall Reid, that there is no real alternative inheritancein the case of 11 Mendelian" characters, but only alternativereproduction-or alternative patency and latency-is only aplay on words. But the I character " of sex is not alwaysproduced "alternately, and an admittedly racial charactermay reappear in a cross when both parents lack this

character ; and thus a valid difference between inheritanceand reproduction becomes apparent.A very close agreement with the views and arguments

of Archdall Reid, as set forth both in his earlier worksand in his recent and important treatise on the " Lawsof Heredity," may be noted in this volume. This is

especially remarkable in Chapter IX., which deals with

the Lamarckian view of the inheritance of acquiredcharacters and the persistent misunderstanding or misrepre-sentation of "Darwinism" which pervades the writingsof the present followers of Lamarck and Herbert Spencer.In many parts also of the chapter on Mendelism, andon the function of sex, as well as of the final chapter of

conclusions, the author’s line of argument is almost the sameas that of Reid. In making this comparison we do notimply any disparagement of the extremely able and sug-gestive book which is the subject of this notice. The book

bears every mark of independent thought and conviction.The author has evidently read widely and has made his ownevery conclusion which he has endorsed. He has produced avaluable contribution to the study of heredity, which willcertainly take a serious place among writings on the subject,whether or not the special hypothesis which is set forth init may fail to withstand the application of further tests.

PAases of Evoluticift find Heredity. By DAVID BERRY HART,M.D. Edin. London : Rebman, Limited. 1910. Pp. 259.Price 5s. net.

THE first five chapters of this book consist of short

accounts and slight criticisms of some theories of heredity,leading up to a speculation on the origin and transmissionof variations. In setting forth the speculation, which is

termed "An Intrinsic Theory of Variation and Its Trans-mission," the author mainly relies on the observations andhypotheses of Mendelians, Mutationists, and Biometricians,and apparently takes no account of the views held by themajority of biologists who belong to none of these schools.In speaking of the inheritance of acquired characters, forinstance, he seems to imply that all biologists, other than

z 3

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those whose views he adopts eclectically as the founda-tion of his hypotheses, are "looking about for some

mechanism that will make the actual somatic variations or

injury causal in the germ.cells."To put it briefly, the "theory" suggested by himself is

that " the gametes, before combination to form a zygote, donot contain the complete outfit of determinants necessary toform an adult and its progeny " ; that changes in the zygotemake up the necessary complement ; and it is these zygoticchanges which produce the results known as "Mendelian."There is, according to him, a " propagative " and " somatic"

"

part in each zygote, the former being the primitive germ-cell mass" from which the future gametes will spring, whilehe latter gives rise to the body of the future individual. In

the propagative part lie the determinants for the race ; inthe somatic part the determinants for the individual. In

another place the author, in effect, sums up as follows hisstatements on Variation: the primitive germ-cells, whichgive rise to the gametes, arrive at the sexual gland withoutvariation. In the gland they undergo variation in the deter-minants of the unit characters, according to the Law ofProbability. After the union of the gametes to form a

zygote the" phenomena of Mendelism " arise, by which theunit characters are distributed in the zygote, again accordingto the Law of Probability. The author adds: "Whatbiometricians may make of this speculation I do not know."What other biologists might make of it appears also alittle problematical. While there is evidence in this bookthat the writer has read much and thought deeply roundsome of the problems of heredity, we cannot helpmissing a comprehensive grasp of the subject, such as

would have given the critical power necessary to treat thevarious hypotheses and observations which he seeks to

harmonise in the establishment of his own views.The latter part of the book consists of more or less dis-

connected, though often interesting, essays.

The ]iïrst Principles of Heredity. By S. HER13ERT, M.D.Vienna. London : A. and C. Black. 1910. Pp. 199. Price5s. net.

THE purpose of this book is to supply what is " desirablefor the average intelligence to know " about heredity withoutassuming any previous knowledge of the subject on the

reader’s part. The author makes, therefore, no claim to

originality, but he has achieved his stated purpose as wellas could be expected considering the small space to

which he has confined his compendium of various teachingson this very complex subject. The absence, however, fromthis book of sound critical leading must leave, we think, veryindefinite impressions on the reader’s mind, and we inclineto the view that all those who really desire to understand the ,,

subject, or, still more, to pursue it further, should begin ’,their study with one of the larger treatises, which dealmore thoroughly and comprehensively with the problems ofheredity.The chapters on "Reproduction," "The Germ-Cells,"

"The Inheritance of Acquired Oharacters," and "TheInheritance of Disease," show that the author is well

acquainted with the best literature on the subjects anddeserve very high commendation. One pronouncementwhich the author makes in his final chapter seems to usto be dangerous doctrine, especially in a book which dealswith problems of which few solutions are universallyaccepted. It is stated that" a science, in order to becomea real science, must contain certain leading principles, servingat the same time as a unifying bond of the organised know-ledge and giving us working ideas for our guidance in practicallife." Surely science is science still, in the full meaning ofthe word, even when inquiry duly conducted is unable to

arrive at the goal indicated in this quotation. Scientific

inquiry, as such, has no such goal, however imperative it

may be for us to direct all practical action, as far as possible,on principles which are indicated and justified by science.

PrMtiaal Physiology. Edited by M. S. PEMBREY, M.A.,M D. Oxon. Third edition. Illustrated by 256 diagramsand tracings. London: Edward Arnold. 1910. Pp.xviii.-480. Price 14s. net.

FivE years have elapsed since the second edition of thiswork was issued and eight since the first. Instead of five con.

tributing authors there are six, and though the number of pageshas been reduced from 503 to 480, the volume is a thicker onethan its immediate predecessor. In the former editions the

subjects were classed into four parts and were arranged aselementary and advanced. A much better method is adoptedby keeping experimental and chemical physiology apart.Wisely, we think, the experiments on muscle and nerve havebeen reduced, and the observations which can be made uponman have been increased. A short contribution of eightpages on X rays for the investigation of motor functions ofthe alimentary canal is made by Dt. A. F. Hertz.The chief changes are those of transposition and re.

arrangement of the subject matter. The first 50 odd

pages are identical with those in the previous editions;10 pages are transferred from the advanced part, a

few pages being omitted, such as those dealing with

isometric and paradoxical contraction and Pflüger’s law,and the effects of some drugs, and the result is that 92 pagesare given to nerve-muscle physiology instead of 106. Tothe circulation 79 pages are devoted instead of 72. Thea. -v. bundle is figured, and a few additions are made inthe text, while there are some omissions, such,as cardio.

pneumatic movements and the tortoise heart (Chapters XXV.-XLIL). Under the head of the Pulse we do not find anaccount of Pachon’s sphygmometer, which seems to us

a very sensitive instrument. Fig. 140 is named "the

kymograph," while in the former edition it is givenas "the Hurtle kymograph," perhaps a needful term

as there are so many varieties of kymograph. About25 pages are devoted to respiration, to which a fewadditions have been made. There is no very material

change in the chapters on the central nervous system andthe special senses. From the latter there are a few commend-able omissions.About 200 pages are devoted to "Physiological Chemistry,"

some of the chapters previously assigned to Dr. J. J. R,Macleod being relegated to Dr. Martin Flack. The

chapters on carbohydrates and proteins are brought up todate. The photographic spectra of haemoglobin appear tobe omitted, while new chapters are added on inorganic acidradicles of urine, on lactic acid (J. H. Ryffel), and onhoomolysins and precipitins. Milk can hardly be calledan "opalescent solution" (p. 326). In the experiment(p. 332) it might be well to state which " salted plasma " isused, and the clotting of blood might be compared withthat which occurs in muscle as well as with milk clotting.In the chapter on blood we do not find Katyama’s test forHbCO, which, whatever its precise value, gives a verystriking reaction ; nor is Rubner’s test included. The bandsof Soret in the ultra-violet spectrum seem to be omitted.It would be useful to add a simple test for the detection ofiron in the bile. For the somewhat dubious statement inthe second edition "a diet containing it (proteid) alone canserve as an efficient food " (p. 209), we have a a diet con-taining protein and salts alone can serve as an efficientfood." " Additions have been made here and there to the

chapters on digestion; "Grutzner" " on p. 386 should be" Grutzner." Autolysis seems to be omitted.

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This edition will certainly prove as useful to students asits predecessors, and our little criticisms, which may seemmeticulous, are made with the idea that a fourth edition willbe called for, when the indications furnished may be ser-viceable. The price is raised from 12s. 6d. to 14s. net.

Military Hygi6ne. By ROBERT CALDWELL, F.R.C.S. Edin.,D.P.H., Lieutenant-Colonel, R.A.M.C.; Specialist SanitaryOfficer, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, and Natal; late SpecialistSanitary Officer, Western Area, Southern Command, &c.Second edition. With 80 Illustrations. London:BaiUière, Tindall, and Cox. 1910. Pp. 580. Price12s. 6d. net.

’

THE reception accorded to the first edition of this book

bas encouraged the author to hope that a second venture ona somewhat more ambitious scale might not be out of place.Lieutenant-Colonel Caldwell, while addressing the presentedition primarily to officers of the Royal Army MedicalCorps, expresses a hope that it may also prove usefulto all branches of the service, and therefore conveys hisinformation in the simplest language consistent with thesubject.The book opens with a chapter on The Work of the

Microbe" in relation to armies in the field, and manyinteresting references are made to the prevalence of diseasefrom early times down to the South African war. Thenfollows a dissertation on immunity which acts as an intro-duction to the discussion of the subject of inoculation

against enteric fever by antityphoid vaccine, the method ofpreparation and dosage of the vaccine, and some statisticsare quoted to prove the advantages of inoculation. Enteric ’’,,fever, the relation of its propagation to camps, personal contact, food, carriers and other sources, form the subject-matter of the following chapter, which closes with a furtherlist of statistics connected with the results of anti-

typhoid inoculation. The next seven chapters are devotedto the discussion of the following diseases-dysentery anddiarrhoea, malaria, plague, pneumonia, contagious oph-thalmia, dengue, jaundice, cholera, Malta fever, barrack-room sore-throat, and parasitic diseases. The portion dealingwith animal parasites will prove useful, notwithstanding thatthe descriptions of the parasites themselves and their ova havebeen purposely omitted, the author assuming that his readershave a sufficient knowledge of their characteristics. Sanitaryorganisation is the subject matter of Chapter XII., and themedical departments of both the United States and our ownarmy come in for a fair amount of comment. Stress is laid

on the necessity of including the principal medical officer ofa division on the staff of the general officer commanding ; atpresent he is not included, and we have before now pointedout that the omission is regrettable. The physical trainingof the soldier is dealt with in the succeeding chapter; themethods of carrying equipment are well illustrated by clearlyproduced photographs of soldiers in the marching out " kitof different armies, including our own. In the next chaptersanitary matters connected with the maintenance of goodhealth amongst soldiers, such as water, air, food, clothing,&c., are treated in detail. The author in passing (p. 288)very rightly draws attention to the unsound procedure of theauthorities in detailing any available medical officer, withoutany regard to particular qualifications, for boards for the pur-pose of inspecting and reporting upon the sanitary conditionof newly-constructed quarters : an omcer skilled in sanitaryscience should rather be selected.The sections dealing with meteorology, climate, and

geology are all well compiled, and a geological map of theUnited Kingdom (in colours), which has been very creditablyprepared by Messrs. Longmans, ’Green, and Co., is anattractive feature which may be of service in the seleotn ofcamping grounds. Chapters XXV.-XXVII. deal, with the

methods of sick transport (special prominence being givento the methods of Colonel H. G. Hathaway, A.M.S.),routine duties of medical officers, infectious diseases,alcohol, buildings, and tents, all these subjects being treatedin an interesting way and well illustrated by diagrams andphotographs. The last chapter, on Physical Degeneration inits Connexion with the Army, containing as it does a contrastbetween military and civil life, forms a good conclusion to agood book.

Lieutenant-Colonel Caldwell is to be congratulated on hispainstaking efforts; he has evidently worked hard to,

collect facts connected with the hygiene of the soldier, andthe references he makes to the published writings of hisbrother officers indicate a generous loyalty to their work,while greatly adding to the value of his own, which thusaffords a ready reference to original sources. From his own

experiences the author is able to add to the value of these

writings by personal observations and views. The bookis well indexed ; great care has apparently been exercised inthe reproductions of diagrams and photographs, the latterespecially being excellently reproduced.

Urgent Surgery. By FÉLIX LEJARS, Professeur Agrégé àla Faculté de Medecine de Paris. Translated from thesixth French edition by WILLIAM S. DICKIE, F.R.C.S. Eng.With 20 full-page plates and 994 illustrations. Vol. II.London : Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, and Co.,Limited. Bristol: John Wright and Sons, Limited.New York: William Wood and Co. 1910. Pp. 580.Price 25s. net.

THE favourable opinion which we expressed in reviewingthe first volume of this excellent translation of Lejars’ well-known work on the surgery of emergencies is fully confirmedby the examination of this, the second and concludingvolume. It deals first with the genito-urinary organs, andincludes such subjects as curetting the uterus, renal decapsu-lation, rupture of the urethra, and the treatment of distendedbladder. The surgery of the rectum and anus and of

strangulated hernia follows. Dislocations naturally are

described and fractures also, and the volume ends with

urgent amputations, wounds of tendons and joints, and acuteosteomyelitis.The prodigality with which the illustrations are provided

enhances greatly the value of the work to the reader, forsuitable diagrams or illustrations frequently explain muchmore clearly than many words. We gladly bear witness tothe value of the work and wish it in its English dress thesuccess which the original has attained.

JOURNALS.

The .7cM?-M of Physiology. Edited by J. N. LANGLEY,Sc.D., F.R.S. Vol. XLL, Nos. 3 and 4. London: C. F.

Clay, Cambridge University Press. Nov. 9th, 1910. Price8s. 6d.-The articles contained in these numbers are : 1. TheSecretion of Urine, by Joseph Barcroft and Hermann Straub,from the Physiological Laboratory, University of Cam-

bridge. The authors find that the diuretics they have studiedfall into two groups-(l) those which produce urine withoutalteration in the gaseous exchange of the kidney (Ringer’ssolution and NaCl in hyper- and hypo-tonic solutions) ; and(2) those which cause increased gaseous exchange (urea,caffeine, sodium sulphate), to which may be added phloridzin.They find also that clamping the kidneys for 15 minutesafter washing out the vessels with Ringer’s solution does notabolish its power of secretion. 2. On the Governing In-

fluence of Environment on Enzymic Action, by F. W.Pavy, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., with the collaboration of H. W.Bywaters, D.Sc., Ph.D., F.I.C., from the PhysiologicalLaboratory of the University of London, South Kensington.