4i8 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



phenomeaa, while no greater mistake can 

 be committed than to endeavor to make the 

 facts dependent upon the theory. With brief 

 explanations of principles, descriptions are 

 givon, in an attractive style, of the elements 

 and their more considerable compounds, 

 and of the more important chemical pro- 

 cesses. " The Chemistry of Life" is ex- 

 plained in the last chapter ; and notes on 

 crystallography and hints for the prepara- 

 tion of experiments are given in an appen- 

 dix. 



The La-r-s of Health. By Joseph C. Hutch- 

 ison, M. D. New York : Clark & May- 

 nard. Tp. 223. 



A MANUAL of physiology and hygiene, 

 including a discussion of the effects of stim- 

 ulants and narcotics, for educational in- 

 stitutions and general readers. It aims to 

 present as clear and concise an exposition 

 of the subject as its elementary character 

 will permit, and to introduce enough of 

 anatomy and physiology to enable the pu- 

 pil to study intelligently the laws by which 

 health may be preserved and disease pre- 

 vented. In an appendix are given practi- 

 cal directions for dealing with poisons and 

 meeting emergencies, and for general sani- 

 tation. 



Systematic Mineral Record. By Edward 

 M. SoEPARD, A. M. New York : A. S. 

 Barnes & Co. Pp. 26. 



This manual consists of directions for 

 determining the properties of minerals, with 

 explanations of the terms by which they 

 are denoted, and a form of schedule for re- 

 cording observations. Lists of chemicals, 

 apparatus, minerals, and books are given. 



Report of the United States Commissioner 

 OF Fish and FishePvIes for 1880. Pp. 

 1,106. Dittofor 1881. Pp. 1,217. Wash- 

 ington : Government Printing - Office. 

 1884. 



The report for 1880 covers the tenth 

 year of the work of the commission. Be- 

 sides the commissioner's report, this volume 

 contains papers on the plan of the work 

 of the commission ; deep-sea research, with 

 illustrations of apparatus ; the sea-iisher- 

 ies ; economic research ; natural history, in- 

 cluding a long and copiously illustrated pa- 

 per on the sword-fishes , propagation of food- 



fishes, and about 350 pages on oyster-cult- 

 ure, also copiously illustrated. The volume 

 for 1881 contains papers on the construc- 

 tion and work of the steamer Fish-Hawk^ 

 with figures of the steamer and its fittings ; 

 the mackerel, shad, and other fisheries ; vari- 

 ous biological researches ; and the propaga- 

 tion of food-fishes. 



Text-Book of Medical Jurisprudence and 

 Toxicology. By John J. Reese, M. D. 

 Philadelphia : P. Blakiston, Son & Co, 

 Pp. 606. Price, $4. 



This work has been prepared to meet 

 the wants of students who desire something 

 more convenient and manageable than the 

 ponderous volumes in which the subject is 

 more fully elaborated by the master-writers 

 upon it. The author has endeavored to con- 

 dense into a handy volume all of the essen- 

 tials of the science, and to present the va- 

 rious topics in a simple and familiar style, 

 giving larger prominence to those of the . 

 greatest practical importance. Special at- 

 tention is given to the subject of toxicolo- 

 gy, and fullness to the chapter on insanity. 



Report of the Commissioner of Education 

 FOR the Year 1882-'83. Washington : 

 Government Printing-Office. Pp. 1166. 



This report contains a vast amount of 

 information in regard to the public schools 

 and colleges of the United States, with some 

 glances at foreign educational systems. The 

 number of children in the country of school 

 age, which in twenty-six States and Terri- 

 tories ended only with the twenty-first year, 

 was 16,243,822 ; the enrollment in public 

 schools was 10,013,826. The total expen- 

 diture for public schools reported was $91,- 

 158,039. The commissioner recommends 

 an appropriation for the museum connected 

 with the office, to enable it to collect and 

 distribute the best illustrations of improved 

 educational appliances; an appropriation 

 for organizing an educational system in 

 Alaska, which matter has since been at- 

 tended to by Congress ; and he renews 

 recommendations as to the appointment of 

 a Superintendent of Public Instruction for 

 each Territory, and national aid to educa- 

 tion from the public-lands money. The re- 

 port contains a view and plans of the new 

 building of the Harvard Medical School. 



