APPENDIX I. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



A Text-book of Physiology. By M. Foster, M.A., M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., Professor of 

 Physiology in the University of Cambridge. Sixth Edition. Part ii. comprising 

 Book ii. The Tissues of Chemical Action with their Respective Mechanisms. 

 Nutrition. London : Macmillan & Co., 189^. 



The changes which have been made in the present edition of this text-book are 

 merely such as to bring it up to date. But the book is slightly larger than its predecessor 

 and is greatly improved by the addition of a separate index. 



One is, however, tempted to ask whether still further improvements might not be made. 

 The book has now been before the public sufficiently long to make it possible to form some 

 idea of the class of men who use it, and as to whether it is perfectly adapted to their require- 

 ments. 



So far as the ordinary medical student is concerned the unanimous opinion will be that 

 it is too large, i.e., it contains more than such men really want; moreover, there is always the 

 very greatest difficulty in getting such men to read even a one-volume book properly, to say 

 nothing of one of four or five volumes. And, indeed, the treatment of the whole subject is not 

 such as is best suited to the medical student's needs ; it is too much in essay form, and the 

 facts are not brought out with sufficient prominence ; so that although after reading up a 

 subject in it a man could write a good essay on the special branch of physiology treated of, he 

 would not be able to produce the answers expected in such an examination as that conducted 

 by the Conjoint Board. For such men a book in itself less perfect, but with the facts more 

 clearly stated and theories less fully set forth, is better adapted. 



The men for whose wants Foster's Physiology is particularly well adapted are those who 

 are reading for University examinations or for the higher examinations in London, such as 

 the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons. For these men are always students with 

 abilities somewhat above the average, who have decided to devote sufficient time to physiology 

 to gain a good general idea of the subject, and they find that a book to be useful to them 

 must be full, and special attention must be paid to the theories held on the various points. 

 But upon many subjects opposite theories are held, and it is surely well that these students 

 should have some idea of the men who originated such theories, and should be able in certain 

 cases to apply to the original papers for fuller information than any text-book affords, in order 

 that they may be able to form their own opinion on the subject. Already there is far too- 

 much veneration for " authority " in science, especially amongst the younger generation, and 

 it is rare to find even an advanced student who has really formed an opinion for himself after 

 looking up the more important papers on any given subject. 



Dr. Foster's text-book fails here : it is almost without names, and without references to 

 original papers. We are aware that the plan of excluding such references has been adopted 

 after much and careful consideration, but as the book has increased so much in size since the 

 first edition was published in 1876 it surely appeals to a different class of students, and it is 

 in the interests of these men that we venture to suggest a change. Admirable as far as it goes, 

 it yet does not go far enough for our best students, for, as Dr. Waller points out, it is of great 

 importance that these men should be made familiar with the " growing edge " of the science. 

 We are exceedingly glad to notice that Dr. A. Sheridan Lea has been able to help Dr. Foster 

 in the preparation of the present edition. 



A Primer of Evohttion. By Edward Clodd. London : Longmans, Green, & Co., 1895. 



The question which immediately occurs to us in glancing through this book is, "Why was 

 it written ? " It is difficult to believe that it will serve any useful purpose, for all the information 

 it contains is to be found in more convenient form and certainly accompanied by far better 

 figures in other books equally accessible to the average student. 



We fear Mr. Clodd's book will scarcely help to popularise a knowledge of evolution. 



A 



