BOOK REVIEWS 



A Text-book upon the Pathogenic Bacteria and Protozoa. For Stu- 

 dents of Medicine and Physicians. By Joseph McFarland, M. D. 

 Eighth edition, thoroughly revised. Octavo of 807 pages with 323 

 illustrations, a number of them in colors. Philadelphia: W. B. 

 Saunders Company. 1915. Cloth $4.00 net. 



The author opens with an excellent historical introduction, tracing 

 the evolution of bacteriology through three stages — biologic contri- 

 butions, chemical contributions and the modern medical and surgical 

 contributions. The first part of the book, headed " General," is devoted 

 to a discussion of the biology of microorganisms, methods of studying 

 them, and infection and immunity. Chapter I — on Structure and 

 Classification of Microorganisms — includes bacteria, higher bacteria, 

 yeasts, molds and protozoa. No mention is made of the chemical com- 

 position of bacteria. The nature of the cell substance is passed over 

 in one sentence. The author does not take up the bioligoc significance 

 of spores, the conditions under which sporulation takes place, and con- 

 ditions under which germination occurs. The classification of bacteria 

 is treated very briefly, Migula's tables being given, while Jensen's sys- 

 tem does not appear. Only ten pages are given over to a discussion of 

 these subjects, about one-third of space allotted in other books. 



Chapter II (pageo 50-65), on Biology of Microorganisms is too com- 

 pact and synoptic in its introductory discussion of biologica relations of 

 bacteria to temperature. Mere definitions of minimum, optimum and 

 maximum temperatures ove no significance without some discussion of 

 the thermal death points of various organisms, range of temperature at 

 which growth takes palace among different types, etc. Similarly more 

 than one page should be devoted to a discussion of the food supply of 

 bacteria, and the synthesis affected by nitrifying bacteria should be 

 included under such a topic 



Chapters III and IV (pages 66-143) on Infection and Immunity are 

 clearly presented. The Lateral Chain Theory of Ehrlich is explained 

 by a lengthy quotation from his Croonian Lecture before the Royal 

 Society of London. A section in this chapter is devoted to Defensive 

 G^erments with a description of the Abderhalden Reaction and the 

 technique involved in making the test. Staining and observation of 

 protozoa, and bacterio-vaccines and their preparation are some of the 

 new topics treated. 



Chapters XI, XII and XIII (pages 234-248) devoted to Bacteri- 

 ology of Water, Air and Foods are necessarily brief and incomplete. 



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