856 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



cally and actually, show up the ridiculous pre- 

 tensions of modern homoeopathic practice. 

 Other medical " vagaries," like " Keeleyism," 

 patent medicines, advertising, etc., are at- 

 tacked with earnest vigor. Philadelphia. 



A compendium of information is fur- 

 nished by Dr. P. C. Rcmondino, concerning 

 a region which is attracting much attention 

 on account of its climatic advantages, in his 

 book on The Mediterranean Shores of Amer- 

 ica (F. A. Davis & Co., Philadelphia, $1.25). 

 The preparation of the book was suggested 

 while the author was trying to unravel the 

 intricate and contradictory information that 

 is encountered in the study of climatology 

 and its relation to the etiology of phthisis. 

 Then he made a special study of his home 

 climate, or rather climates, for he distin- 

 guishes seven kinds in southern California. 

 The introduction is devoted to the discussion 

 of generalities concerning the various features, 



several and collective, of climate, location 



> 



soil, altitude, exposure, sunshine, electrical 

 conditions, etc., and is followed by descrip- 

 tions of the several health resorts of the 

 region and their peculiarities. 



A book describing The Chinese, their 

 Present and Future ; Medical, Political, and 

 Social (F. A. Davis, Philadelphia, $1.*75), is 

 by a Presbyterian medical missionary, Dr. 

 Robert Coltman, Jr., who became fascinated 

 with the peoples of the far East, and par- 

 ticularly with those of China, by reading ac- 

 counts of them in missionary journals and 

 books. He was disappointed in his reading 

 by a lack of detail and a meagerness of de- 

 scription, especially in regard to the social 

 state of the people and country at present, 

 and sought an opportunity to go and see for 

 himself. Hence the book may be regarded 

 as a labor of love. It gives a lively running 

 account of what the author saw, experienced, 

 and learned in northern China, throws many 

 side-lights on the social conditions of the 

 people of all classes, and adds chapters on 

 the missionaries and their works, business 

 opportunities, the present political situation 

 of the country, and its future prospects. 



The Hygienic Treatment of Consumption 

 has been prepared by Dr. M. L. Holbrook to 

 advocate the treatment of consumption by 

 hygienic remedies, which are accessible to all 

 who have the intelligence and the wisdom to 

 acquire a knowledge of them and their ap- 



plication. It is methodical, and in the first 

 part considers the nature and causes of the 

 disease. Among the latter are the predis- 

 posing causes of various kinds, and the ac- 

 cidents which often result in consumption, 

 and the micro-organisms as the immediate 

 cause. The second and third parts discuss 

 the prevention and treatment of consumption 

 in its earlier stages and in more advanced 

 cases. Most important of the remedies is 

 enlargement of the chest and lungs, both as 

 preventive and as curative measures in the 

 early stages of the disease. They are se- 

 cured through expansion by breathing, vocal 

 culture, and a large number of physical ex- 

 ercises which are described. Food, clothing, 

 the dwelling, horseback-riding, the will and 

 will power, and many other physical agencies 

 much neglected are discussed; also resting 

 in the open air at various seasons and its ad- 

 vantages. The book is written mainly for 

 the patient, who may select from the various 

 remedies such as are more especially adapted 

 to his needs. (M. L. Holbrook & Co., New 

 York.) 



Phases of Animal Life Past and Present 

 (Longmans, $1.50) is the name of a collec- 

 tion of essays by R. Lydekker, which are in- 

 tended to illustrate in a popular manner a 

 few of the various modes in which animals 

 especially vertebrates are adapted to sim- 

 ilar conditions of existence; and also to 

 demonstrate some of the more remarkable 

 types of structure obtaining among the high- 

 er vertebrates. Special attention is given to 

 the curious creatures of past geological ages, 

 but living forms are not neglected. The 

 animals described are classed as " mail- 

 clad," " flying," " swimming," " primeval 

 salamanders," " fish lizards " (short-necked), 

 " plesiosaurs " (long-necked), " tortoises and 

 turtles," "giant land reptiles" (dinosaurs), 

 "flying dragons" (pterodactyles), "giant 

 birds," " egg - laying mammals " (mono- 

 tremes), " pouched animals " (marsupials), 

 and " dogs and bears," followed by chapters 

 on teeth and their variations, horns and ant- 

 lers, and rudimentary structures. The style 

 is clear and entertaining, the descriptions are 

 specific, and the illustrations are excellent. 



A book published by Putnams, on Ma- 

 terialism and Modern Physiology of the Nerv- 

 ous System, is the substance of an address 

 that was delivered before the Philosophical 



