and Laboratory Methods. 1^^^ 



that the author believes the effect to be due. This view is supported by the fact 

 that the presence of solutions of calcium salts hinders or entirely prevents the 

 contact reaction. This contact reaction does not appear in curarised muscle, 

 indicating that the action of the solution is on the nerve elements in the muscle. 

 If the nerve of one of these nerve-muscle preparations be put into the solutions 

 which bring about the contact irritability, the muscle will begin to twitch in a 

 few minutes and tetanus finally ensues. Removal of the nerve from the solu- 

 tion stops the contractions, which will, however, begin again if the nerve is 

 brought into contact with any solid or liquid body. Thus apparently the ions 

 do not stimulate directly, but merely increase the sensitivity of the nerve to con- 

 tact stimuli. R. P. 



Murbach, L. Physiology in the High School. In this brief note the author gives a 

 Physician and Surgeon. December Num- 11^ ^i- /■ ^i ■ u • 



ber I goo skeleton outhne of the course m physi- 



ology taught in the Detroit Central 

 High School. In the space of a review, mention can only be made of a few of 

 the more particularly noteworthy features of a wholly excellent course. The 

 standpoint of the entire course is experimentation by the student, and independ- 

 ence (" forced, if necessary ") in the drawing of conclusions from experiments. 

 The experiments and laboratory work on the gross anatomy of bodily organs are 

 planned so as to bring forcibly to the student's mind nearly all the fundamental 

 principles of the functional activities of living things. Along with this ground- 

 work of the course interesting and valuable special features are introduced. 

 Food-stuffs are studied experimentally in the laboratory, according to the follow- 

 ing plan : " Simple tests are made for starch, sugar, fat and proteid in known 

 foods, such as corn starch, glucose, mutton tallow (extracted with chloroform), 

 and white of ^g^. Then students are given yolk of ^gg, milk, beans, castor 

 beans, peas, flaxseed, wheat and wheat flour, barley, and then sprouted barley — 

 for sugar^ — to determine the principal food constituents. The uses and abuses 

 of alcohol and narcotics are discussed from a scientific and moral point of view, 

 rather than from a dogmatic, prejudiced, emotional one."' Simple experiments 

 on digestion are performed by the students, illustrating the principles of solution, 

 emulsification, osmosis, ferment action, etc. In connection with the study of the 

 special senses, experiments on skin sensations are introduced. 



These examples will sufiice to indicate something of the originality displayed 

 in the whole plan. Such a course as this of Dr. Murbach's is in agreeable con- 

 trast with those mixtures of poor anatomy, poorer physiology, and a smattering 

 of hygiene which are still too frequently served up to the secondary school 

 student as "physiology." R. p. 



Stiles, P. G. On the Rhythmic Activity of the This paper presents the results of ex- 

 Oesophagus and the Influence upon it of periments on the effects of solutions of 



Various Media. Amer. Jour. Physiol. 5 : . ,^ . 1 1. ^l • ,. 



--g_-„ Q, ^ various salts on the rhythmic contrac- 



tions of strips of the oesophagus of the 

 frog, with the purpose of obtaining light on the general question of the activity 

 of plain muscle tissue. The oesophagus was chosen for the work because its 

 spontaneous rhythm was found to be more regular and rapid (4 to 6 beats per 



