NOTICES OF BOOKS. v 



measurements obtained by various observers (Helmholtz, Knapp, and 

 others). The amplitude of accommodation and the rapidity with which 

 it is effected are treated somewhat fully, and the author concludes with a 

 description of the mechanism of accommodation through the animal 

 series (mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, batrachians and invertebrata). 



Acromegaly is treated by Paul Blocq, Actinomycosis by F. Heim, 

 Visual Acuity by Nuel, and Addison's Disease by P. Langlois. From 

 this it will be obvious that the work will be of interest not to physiolo- 

 gists alone, but also to physicians and medical men generally. Of the 

 advantage of physiological facts being brought to the notice of the medical 

 profession there can be no doubt when we have before us such an 

 instance as the recent advance in the treatment of myxcedema by the 

 extract of thyroid gland. It is to be expected that similar results will 

 follow the application of scientific experiments in the case of diseases at 

 present regarded as but little amenable to treatment. 



A valuable article on the Albuminoids by J. E. Abelous extends to 

 thirty pages, and a copious bibliography is added. 



Gabriel Pouchet writes an article of seventeen pages on Alkaloids, 

 whilst more than thirty pages are devoted by Heim to the physiology 

 of the algas. 



A very interesting article on x\liments, extendmg to nearly a 

 hundred pages, is contributed by L. Lapicque and Charles Richet, 

 whilst a short but useful paper on Aluminium is written by A. 

 Chassevant. 



One of the most important papers in the portion of the work 

 before us is the very able historical and critical essay on Anaesthesia 

 and Angesthetics, by Charles Richet, in which after a historical in- 

 troduction we find a discussion on general and local anaesthesia and 

 the various agents which have been used for producing these. We are 

 in agreement with the author in most of his statements. We note that 

 he supports the conclusions arrived at by the Hyderabad Chloroform 

 Commission, and believes that the heart almost invariably continues to 

 beat — and the patient is therefore recoverable, provided proper means be 

 adopted — for some minutes after natural respiration has ceased. We 

 note also with satisfaction that he emphasises the facts established by 

 Paul Bert and his pupils of the importance of administering the anaes- 

 thetic in feeble, progressive doses, rather than in strong doses without 

 admixture with sufficient air. With his criticism of the various agents 

 employed, however, especially with his statement that mixed anaesthetics 

 have been given up, we are unable to agree, for the A.C.E. mixture is 

 still largely used in some London hospitals. After all, however, this is 

 a matter of custom more than anything else, for whilst at Edinburgh 

 chloroform is almost always the agent selected, in London ether is 

 far more frequently used. Some of the other articles contained in 

 the first two parts of the first volume are : — 



