166 THe Microscope. 
Reviews, 
MepIcaL Draa@nosis. A guide to the knowledge and discrimination 
of diseases. By J. M. Da Costa, M. D., LL.D. 8vo. pp. 967. 
Illustrated. Sixth edition. J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 
1884. 
There is scarcely a well posted medical man in this country 
who is not familiar with this work. It has been of incalculable 
value to the whole medical profession, but more particularly to 
the younger graduates in their endeavors to discriminate dis- 
ease. The sixth edition contains much new matter and a 
number of new cuts. In fact the whole work has been so 
thoroughly revised that it is essentially a new book. We 
believe the work has been translated into German and Spanish ; 
a very flattering compliment to the author. There are a few 
books that the oldest practitioner should have, and that the 
youngest practitioner musthave. Outside of the latter the work 
before us comes among the first. It is a fine reputation for any 
medical man to acquire, to have his brothers call him “a good 
diagnostician,” and a thorough knowledge of Prof. Da Costa’s 
work will do much toward bringing this about. We know of 
no work so well adapted to aid the physician in discriminating 
disease. 
DESMIDS OF THE UNITED STATES, and List of American Pediastrums. 
By Rey. Francis Wolle, Bethlehem, Pa. $5.00. 
The above work has eleven hundred illustrations on fifty- 
three hand-colored plates. All these figures were drawn by the 
author from personal observation. Besides the plates there 
are over 220 pages of printed matter, giving a full account how 
to find, collect, and preserve the desmids and algae, and describ- 
ing each of the 500 species named in the index, and including 
a descriptive catalogue to each plate. About ten years ago the 
author commenced his laborious, yet fascinating, work. At that 
time only about 160 of the 500 species described in this work 
were known to American microscopists. The work will at once 
take rank as the highest authority on the subject of which it 
treats. How the author and publishers van sell such a book for 
flve dollars is a conundrum certainly. 
We trust our readers will supply themselves with this val- 
uable work, for we predict that a work consisting of fifty-three~ 
