S2 4 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



the author would have been well advised to have had some assistance in revision, 

 for a number of errors and slips mar the general utility of the book. 



In dealing with disinfectants the old exaggerated views as to the germicidal 

 efficiency of dilute solutions of corrosive sublimate are retained — in fact the 

 figures given for the disinfecting power of disinfectants require complete revision. 

 No mention is made of the action of organic matter in reducing the efficiency of 

 permanganate and chlorine. Ozone is stated to be of no practical value, yet 

 several towns and cities have their water sterilised with it. As regards boracic 

 acid, it is stated that " bandages for wounds are usually sterilised by soaking " in 

 this substance and that " it has been employed for preserving tinned meats, 

 milk, etc.'' (the italic is ours). 



Again, the section on pathogenic bacteria contains many erroneous and 

 loose statements, e.g. that white rats are susceptible to anthrax, that anthrax 

 bacilli from animal excretions " will probably form spores if they do not at once 

 find a nutritive medium," that mallein is used to protect animals against glanders, 

 whereas it is employed solely for diagnostic purposes, and that the Staphylococcus 

 pyogenes aureus can withstand half an hour's exposure at 8o° C. without injury. 

 All the diagrams of the organisms in this section are on the same scale, and thus 

 B. tetani, the cholera spirillum, B. tuberculosis, B. anthracis, and B. i?t/luensc2 

 appear about the same size, and the figures give no indication of some of the 

 finer and more characteristic details in the microscopical appearances of these 

 organisms. 



One of the best sections in the book is that on nitrification, but it is not free 

 from error. 



In the section on the yeasts no mention is made of ascospores and their 

 fmportance in the analysis of yeast. 



Various other errors could be pointed out in the concluding portion of the 

 book. 



The book is written in an interesting manner and is well printed and illus- 

 trated, and if expanded somewhat and subjected to thorough revision would fill 

 a useful place among text-books on bacteriology. 



R. T. Hewlett. 



Immunity and Specific Therapy. By W. d'Este Emery, M.D., B.Sc, Lond. 

 With Illustrations. [Pp. xiv. + 448.] (London, H. K. Lewis, 1909. Price 

 1 2 s. 6d.) 



Under this title Dr. Emery has written, in the words of his Preface, "a connected 

 and symmetrical outline of the chief facts definitely known with regard to the 

 method in which the body protects itself against infections, and of their applications 

 in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease." It is essentially a book 

 for those interested in advanced work on the subject. The author follows no 

 particular school, and gives full prominence to the difficulties in the way of the 

 accepted views ; indeed it requires a book like this to demonstrate how complex 

 and how little understood are the phenomena of immunity. This work is probably 

 the most complete survey of the present knowledge of the subject which is 

 published in English in reasonably small compass. The chief theories are stated 

 clearly and at length, and references are given where conclusions are cited without 

 full discussion. 



After an opening chapter which is fresh and suggestive, the problems of the 



