No. 1, August, 1920] PHYSIOLOGY 1 1 5 



841. Youngken, Heber W. Observations on Digitalis Sibirica. Jour. Amer. I'harm. 

 Assoc. 8: 923-928. 14 fig. 1919.— A botanical investigation of Dtgitalu Sibirica Lindley, 

 including a description of the plant, histology of leaf, stem and root. Author found that a 

 tincture prepared from the dried leaves according to the U. 8. P. method for tincture of 

 digitalis and when assayed by the one-hour frog method, showed the tincture to I"- ihree 

 quarters over the strength required for the U. S. P. tincture of digitalis.— Anion Hog tad, Jr. 



PHYSIOLOGY 



B. M. Duggar, Editor 

 Carroll W. Dodge, Assistant Editor 



GENERAL 



842. Bechhold, H. Colloids in biology and medicine. [Translated from the second 

 German edition, with notes and emendations by Jesse G. M. Bullowa.] XV + 404 P-, 54 fig. 

 Van Nostrand Co. : New York, 1919. — Proof sheets of the original were received in 1915 and 

 1916, but the translation has been brought practically up to date by numerous insertions and 

 notes. The work is divided into four parts as follows: I. Introduction to the study of col- 

 loids, 127 p. II. Biocolloids, S3 p. III. The organism as a colloid system, 144 p. IV. Toxi- 

 cology and pharmacology, microscopical technic, 77 p. — The strictly biological (physiological) 

 aspects deal in a larger measure with animal structures and behavior, due largely to the greater 

 specialization in such organisms, but the plant material is in nowise neglected. — B. M. 

 Duggar. 



843. Haldane, J. S. The new physiology and other addresses. VII + 156 p. Charles 

 Griffin & Co., Ltd.: London, 1919. — This small volume embodies six addresses under the 

 following titles: (1) the relation of physiology to physics and chemistry; (2) the place of 

 biology in human knowledge and endeavour; (3) the new physiology; (4) the relation of 

 physiology to medicine; (5) the theory of development by natural selection; and (6) are 

 physical, biological, and psychological categories irreducible? Each topic includes some dis- 

 cussion more or less directly relating to the field, problems, or development of physiology and 

 physiological concepts. Special emphasis is placed upon arguments designed to strengthen 

 the claims of biology as an independent science, and with these the distinctive field of 

 physiology as a fundamental branch of this science. Despite the accumulation of facts re- 

 lating to the "physical and chemical sources and the ultimate destiny of the material and 

 energy passing through the body" there is "an equally rapidly accumulating knowledge of 

 an apparent teleological ordering of this material and energy." The old "vital force" could 

 never become a working hypothesis; on the other hand, physico-chemical explanations of the 

 mechanism of such processes as respiration are difficult and disappointing, while such assump- 

 tions applied to heredity "make the physico-chemical theory of life unthinkable." Never- 

 theless "we need not sit down in despair, for we can look for other working conceptions." — 

 B. M. Duggar. 



844. McLean, F. T. Opportunities for research in plant physiology in the Philippines. 

 Philippine Agric. 8: 27-31. 1919.— A short article pointing out some of the advantages of 

 the Philippine Islands as a place for research in plant physiology. — S. F. Trelease. 



845. Willows, R. S., and E. Hatschek. Surface tension and surface energy and their 

 influence on chemical phenomena. 2nd ed. VIII + 115 p., 21 fig. Toxt-books of chemical 

 research and engineering. Blakiston's Son & Co.: Philadelphia, 1919. — The new edition 

 does not depart from the first in presenting for both biologist and chemist a concise discussion 

 of the fundamental laws of surface tension and surface energy without necessarily applying 

 these to specific phenomena. An additional chapter deals with complex phenomena including 

 such topics as stable emulsions, the theory of dyeing, also tanning. — B. M. Duggar. 



