754 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



A System of Volumetric Analysis. By Dr. 

 Emil Fleischer. Translated from the 

 German by Prof. Pattison Muir. Pp. 

 274. Maemillan & Co. Price, $2.50. 



There are two methods of chemical 

 analysis, when the operation is carried to 

 its highest result for the purpose of estab- 

 lishing quantities in chemical composition. 

 The first, and older method, is that by weigh- 

 ing ; it involves the use of the balance, and is 

 called the gravimetric method. The second, 

 and newer mode, is by measurement of bulk ; 

 instead of the balance, it employs the bu- 

 rette, a graduated glass tube, and it is called 

 the volumetric method. There are certain 

 advantages in the newer process which 

 are becoming more marked as it is more 

 practised and developed. The superiority 

 claimed is greater simplification and quick- 

 ness of operation, with an equal and some- 

 times a greater degree of accuracy. Dr. 

 Fleischer's treatise has been translated into 

 English because it is a systematic work upon 

 the subject, accepted as a standard in Ger- 

 many, and believed to be much better for 

 students than any original contribution to 

 the subject in our own language. The pres- 

 ent transitional state of chemical science, in 

 regard to theories and the modes of expres- 

 sion that follow them, is well illustrated by 

 the fact that the author of the book adopts 

 the old notation, while his translator adopts 

 the new. The consequence is, that both 

 methods are given, which is a good feature 

 of the work, and the translator thinks that 

 the putting of the two notations, side by 

 side, will be useful as disclosing the superi- 

 ority of the newer plan. 



Philosophic Ideas. Bv J. Wilmshcrst. 

 Pp. 151. Boston : Colby & Rich. 



The precise nature of this author's 

 " philosophic ideas " may be inferred from 

 his highly-satisfactory explanation of New- 

 ton's law of gravitation. " Why," he asks, 

 " does matter tend to approach other matter, 

 and why should it approach with constantly 

 accelerating speed ? " And his answer is : 

 " This action is the necessary outflow of the 

 deific attributes essential to matter. Its 

 love and intelligence are shown in approxi- 

 mating, so that it can mutually impart and 

 receive more of each other's beautiful and 

 pleasing varieties of motion by sympathetic 

 action." And so on. 



Tenth Annual Report of the Peabody 

 Museum of American Archeology and 

 Ethnology. Cambridge, 1877. Price, 

 $1. 



Besides the report of additions made to 

 the museum and library in 1876, which 

 were large and valuable, this volume con- 

 tains reports of explorations in American 

 archaeology, made by Dr. Charles C. Ab- 

 bott, Prof. N. S. Shaler, Prof. E. B. An- 

 drews, and Lucien Carr, Assistant Curator; 

 also, an elaborate paper, by Ad. F. Bande- 

 lier, " On the Art of War and Mode of War- 

 fare of the Ancient Mexicans." 



Dr. Abbott's report is specially interest- 

 ing, as containing an account of his discov- 

 eries of rude stone implements in the drift- 

 gravels of the Atlantic border in New Jer- 

 sey. These implements were found at various 

 depths, mingled with the gravels, near Tren- 

 ton and along the banks of the Delaware. 

 In the opinion of both Dr. Abbott and Prof. 

 Shaler these gravels are of glacial origin, 

 and the implements obtained were wrought 

 by man, who inhabited the region at the 

 close of the ice age, or during interglacial 

 periods, where the climate favored their ex- 

 istence. 



This is in striking accord with the pre- 

 viously-expressed views of Prof. Grote, who, 

 in a paper read at the Detroit meeting of the 

 American Association in 1875, and later in 

 an address entitled "Early Man in North 

 America," published in this Journal for 

 March, 1877, takes the ground that man 

 lived here during the glacial period. In 

 this address, alluding to the implements 

 discovered by Dr. Abbott, he says: "To 

 me it seems clear that the men who used 

 these rough tools dwelt on the edge of the 

 glacier, and their implements have become 

 buried in the moraines which were forming 

 at many different points during the ice pe- 

 riod." 



The Relations of Pain to Weather. By 

 S. Weir Mitchell, M. D. Pp.25. Phila- 

 delphia. 



Dr. Mitchell's reputation as an original 

 investigator will secure for this paper care- 

 ful attention. It was first published in 

 the American Journal of Medical Sciences 

 for April, 1877, being a study of a case 

 of traumatic neuralgia, considered espe- 

 cially in its relations to atmospheric con- 



