7o8 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



was had by galleries, the use of which had 

 previously been a puzzle to the explorers. 

 We have also in Professor F. Adler's pref- 

 ace, in which the writer makes comparisons 

 between the ruins of Tirj-ns and other monu- 

 ments of prehistoric Greece, and deduces the 

 significance in some points of the whole, a 

 few suggestions which open to us new con- 

 ceptions of the capacity and arts of the he- 

 roes. Many of the blocks of the upper cita- 

 del must weigh from 12,000 to 15,000 kilo- 

 grammes — even middle-sized stones weigh 

 from 3,700 to 4,000 kilogrammes — and 

 their transport, to their exact place on a 

 high and rocky site, was only possible with 

 the aid of many technical devices and a 

 host of workmen. These figures prove that 

 the citadel can not have been built in a 

 hurry, in the sight of an enemy, or as the 

 first stronghold of an invasion based on 

 maritime supremacy. In fact, " the colos- 

 sal walls tell every one able to read the 

 language of stones that their erection can 

 only have been effected in a long period of 

 peace, by a ruler with unusual sources of 

 power, and who had trained workmen un- 

 der his permanent control." There are 

 other facts that point to these buildings 

 being second structures on the site; and, 

 reviewing all the sites, "a real primitive 

 architecture is nowhere to be found ; even 

 in Troy the first steps of development 

 are long past. Within certain limits, the 

 materials are already under control, and 

 worked variously, according to the avail- 

 able means and the ends required. A 

 moderate but yet very fruitful store of 

 detail forms is already gathered, so as to 

 cover the gradually elaborated shapes of 

 rooms with significant adornments full of 

 meaning. In some peculiarly favored places, 

 the domain of the higher monumental archi- 

 tecture has already been entered upon with 

 decisive success. In the face of such ex- 

 tended and yet closely connected achieve- 

 ments, which form a consistent whole, the 

 attempt to search for the roots from which 

 arose this early bloom of the art of build- 

 ing is doubly attractive." Other sugges- 

 tions may be found relative to the develop- 

 ment of forms of architecture in stone from 

 models afforded by the primitive wooden 

 structures, and to the connection of this early 

 European with already old Egyptian art. 



Brain-Rest. By J. Lkoxard Corning, M. D. 

 Second edition. New York : G. P. Put- 

 nam's Sons. 



This little book, which may be regarded 

 as a supplement to the same author's trea- 

 tise on " Brain Exhaustion," published by 

 D. Applcton & Co., and already noticed in 

 the " Monthly," deals with the important 

 question of the reinvigoration of the brain 

 after exhausting mental labor or after dis- 

 ease. Dr. Corning has made a special study 

 of the subject, and his book contains many 

 facts and suggestions which brain-workers 

 may find of service, and by the help of 

 which they may be able to avoid or remedy 

 to some extent the great danger to which 

 tiieir method of life exposes them. 



Report of the Committee of the Citizens' 



ASSOCIATION ON THE MaIN DrAINAGE AND 



Water-Scpplt of Chicago. J. C. Am- 

 bler, Secretary : Kooms, 35 Merchants' 

 Building, Chicago. Pp. 32. 



The report shows that the water-supply 

 from the lake is always liable to contamina- 

 tion from sewage entering the lake any- 

 where within the present district. Hence, 

 all sewage whatsoever in this district should 

 be diverted from the lake as its outfall. The 

 flood-waters of the Desplaines and the North 

 Branch may be diverted to the lake north of 

 this district, or through Lake View town- 

 ship, and the South Fork may be connected 

 with the lake by a conduit. But the main 

 reliance for drainage should be by convey- 

 ance to the Illinois River. The general plan 

 suggested by the committee may be carried 

 out step by step, to the gradual improve- 

 ment of the sanitary condition, and without 

 creating a debt or requiring an extraordi- 

 nary tax-levy. 



National Conference of State Boarps of 

 Health. J. N. McCormack, of Ken- 

 tucky, Secretary. Pp. 63. 



This pamphlet, which is a reprint from 

 the Report of the Illinois State Board of 

 Health for 1885, contains an account of the 

 organization of the Conference in connection 

 with the meeting of the American Public 

 Health Association at Detroit, Michigan, in 

 November, 1883, and the reports of its first 

 meeting at St. Louis, in October, and the ad- 

 journed meeting, at Washington, in Decem- 

 ber, 1881. 



