130 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



political obligations, and consequent- I will continue to flourish until the 



ly never think of using their indi- 

 vidual portions of political power for 

 other than selfish ends. The boss 



people get a new heart. When that 

 day conies he will pass into innocu- 

 ous desuetude. 



M> timtific %itcxat\xxt. 



SPECIAL BOOKS. 



The climatic treatment of disease has assumed an increasing importance 

 during the last decade, and seems destined to become an even more es- 

 sential factor than the actual exhibition of drugs. Many of our common 

 ills, especially when they occur in large cities, are primarily due to vicious 

 and unhygienic modes of living, so that oftentimes the simple change to 

 other surroundings will effect a cure. Besides all this, however, and the 

 direct stimulus which lies in the change itself, there is now recognized a 

 distinct curative effect in certain sections and climatic conditions for spe- 

 cific diseases. The book before us * is an attempt to study and systematize 

 this subject of medical climatology so that the practitioner may have some 

 scientific groundwork on which to base his advice to the patient. As Dr. 

 Solly says, this sort of advice is constantly asked for, and the ordinary 

 physician, being quite ignorant of anything like systematic knowledge of 

 the subject, often gives directions based on hearsay or medical-journal 

 notes which are, to say the least, not beneficial in results. The book is 

 divided into three general sections. The first of these deals broadly with 

 the principles of medical climatology, and shows the close connection of 

 this science with physics, meteorology, ethnology, and geographical pa- 

 thology ; the second section treats of the therapeutics of climate in relation 

 to disease; and the third section is devoted to a description of special cli- 

 mates as typified in selected resorts, and includes a number of comparative 

 temperature and rainfall tables. This section is by far the largest, oc- 

 cupying about two thirds of the whole book, and about two thirds of this 

 is given to the United States. There is also a brief survey of climatic con- 

 ditions in Mexico and South America. 



The first two sections are obviously chiefly of interest to the practicing 

 physician, although they are so clearly and simply written as to make easy 

 reading for the layman ; but the third section, which describes the various 

 climates and the places where they may be found, including a general 

 survey of the comforts obtainable in the way of living accommodations, 

 food, and the recreative possibilities, is of direct interest to the large num- 

 ber of chronic invalids who are looking for a palliation or correction of 

 their symptoms through climatic agencies. 



One of the points dwelt ou at length is the fact that a by no means just 

 idea of the suitability of a given district can be obtained by a simple study 

 of its rainfall and temperature charts — the question of humidity being of 

 perhaps more importance than either of these factors, not only largely de- 

 termining its sensible heat and cold but also its insect and plant life. 



* A Handbook of Medical Climatology. By 8. Edwin Solly, M. D. Illustrated. Philadelphia : 

 Lea Brothers and Company. Pp. 470. Price, $4. 



