LITERARY NOTICES. 



423 



ful manuals on topics of vital moment to 

 the people, but the danger is that they will 

 be too much cheapened, and become inade- 

 quate to the ends they propose. In the pres- 

 ent case we think a mistake has been com- 

 mitted in dividing this book into two parts, 

 the first treating of " School Hygiene," and 

 the second of " Industrial Hygiene." These 

 topics are too large and too momentous to 

 be both dispatched in a fifty-cent primer. 

 The author has done as well as he could 

 with the subjects in the space assigned, and 

 the book undoubtedly contains a good deal 

 of important information well presented. 

 The first part, comprising 106 pages, is much 

 the best, but it would have been still better 

 if he had devoted the other fifty pages to 

 the same subject ; various points that he has 

 treated should have been much more ampli- 

 fied, and " Industrial Hygiene " dealt with in 

 a separate book. 



The Ocean as a Health-Resort : A Hand- 

 book OF Practical Information as to 

 Sea-Voyages for the Use of Tourists 

 AND Invalids. By William S. Wilson, 

 L. R. C.P. Philadelphia: Presley Blak- 

 iston. Pp. 260. Price, $2.50. 



In this age of restlessness, when " every- 

 body goes to Europe," and the trip around 

 the world is becoming commonplace, a spe- 

 cial book on the requirements and experi- 

 ences of sea-travel and its hygienic influence 

 may be useful to a large number of persons. 

 To the unpracticed traveler a first sea-voyage 

 is generally a very uncomfortable experience. 

 Aside from sea-sickness, there are many more 

 inconveniences and disagreeablenesses than 

 are compensated for by the novelty of the 

 situation ; and, if a person is out of health, 

 these effects are naturally aggravated. The 

 author of this book assumes that there would 

 be a great mitigation of sea-troubles if there 

 was more information about them to guide 

 the traveler; and so he has attempted to 

 bring together various hints, explanations, 

 and practical directions by which sea-life 

 may be made most comfortable. He gives 

 instruction as to the outfit, and what is to 

 be expected in the way of accommodation, 

 food, and amusement in long voyages. The 

 diseases to which sea-voyages are supposed 

 to be favorable are considered, and the va- 

 rious curative effects of the ocean-climate. 

 The most suitable routes for particular hy- 



gienic objects are pointed out, and the choice 

 of ships and the best times of the year for 

 voyaging are also noticed. There are chap- 

 ters on the " Management of the Health at 

 Sea," on " Occupations and Amusements at 

 Sea," on " Objects of Interest at Sea," and 

 on " The Meteorology of the Ocean." The 

 book is English, and the author assumes the 

 voyage to Australia by the Atlantic route to 

 be, on account of its length and many advan- 

 tages for invalids, the typical health-voyage ; 

 but he gives many particulars concerning va- 

 rious other sea-routes, so that those inclined 

 to ocean-travel can have a choice of courses, 

 and make their preparations accordingly. 

 The volume is well worth consulting before 

 going to sea, and, as it is not large, it may be 

 found profitable to take it along. 



The Philosopht of Mathematics, with Spe- 

 cial Reference to the Elements of 

 Geometry and the Infinitesimal Meth- 

 od. By Albert Taylor Bledsoe, LL. D. 

 Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. Pp. 

 2-18. 



This work appeared several years ago, 

 but its discussion of mathematical questions 

 is of permanent interest. It is not a general 

 philosophy of mathematics, such as might be 

 based upon the historical development of 

 mathematical conceptions, but it is limited 

 to the higher mathematics, and is a critical 

 inquiry into certain controverted questions 

 which have long exercised the ingenuity of 

 the learned. One of the main objects of the 

 book is to combat the idea that the circle is 

 to be regarded as but a regular polygon of an 

 infinite number of sides. The book abounds 

 in mathematical erudition, and has much in- 

 terest for the devoted cultivators of the sci- 

 ence. 



The Orthoepist : A PRONOtrNciNG Manual. 

 By Alfred Atres. New York : D. Ap- 

 pleton & Co. 1880. Pp. 201. Price, 



$1. 



The author has in this manual given 

 the pronunciation, as determined by the best 

 usage, of a large number of English words 

 that are frequently mispronounced. The 

 list contains about thirty-five hundred words, 

 and includes the more commonly used for- 

 eign ones. The recognized authorities are 

 cited in support of the pronunciation given, 

 and when they differ the preponderant opin- 



