BELL’S ANATOMY OF THE HUMAN BODY. 
We do not understand why the exces- 
sive convexity of a short-sighted eye 
should not be as permanent as the na- 
tural convexity of a perfect eye; the 
Same cause that preserves this figure to 
the latter will equally apply to the former 
if owing to original conformation. Mr. 
B. seems also to confound the proper 
focal distance of the eye, with the dis- 
tance at which objects can be seen; 
and to suppose that a concave glass gives 
to a short-sighted person a range of focal 
‘distance, or sphere of distinct vision of 
some miles. By the description of Dr. 
Young’s simple cptometer he would fiad 
that a concave glass to a short-sighted 
person does no more than put him on a 
‘par with an unassisted perfect eye, and 
in both the power of accommodation to 
‘distinct vision only extends a few inches. 
_ The chapter concludes with observa- 
tions on squinting and defective vision, 
taken chiefly from Reid’s Enquiry and 
Jurin’s Essay. 
__ The chapter on the ear is finished with 
much care, and all the latter observa- 
tions of anatomists are included. With 
regard to the external ear of fishes, as- 
serted by Monro and denied by Scarpa, 
Mr. B. inclines to the latter opinion from 
the probable inconvenience to which an 
external ear would expose an animal liv- 
ing in so dense an element as water. 
«We haye seen that water conveys the 
sound of vibrating bodies with a shock al- 
most intolerable to the ear, and with a parti- 
cular and distinct sensation over the whole 
body. We see also that, in the greater num- 
- ber of fishes, there is confessedly no external 
opening, the whole organ is placed under the 
_ ‘squamous bones of the head. Yet the carti- 
_laginous fishes, which are supposed to have 
an external ear, swim in the same element, 
and are in no essential point peculiar in their 
habits. And we should: receive with cau- 
tion the account of any peculiarity in the 
organ of hearing of one class of fishes, which 
is not common to all inhabiting the same 
fluid. 
** Such animals as occasionally pass from 
the water intothe air, must have a membrane 
capable of vibrating in the air; but, even in 
them, it is expanded under the common in- 
teguments, and protected by them. Were 
it otherwise, when the creature plunged into 
the water, it would be assailed with that 
Ten 
noise (confounding all regular sounds), of 
which man is sensible when he plunges 
under water. It appears opposite to the 
general law of nature, to suppose any species 
of fish having that simple and more delicate 
membrane, which is evidently intended to 
conyey atmospheric sounds only,. while, on 
the other hand, creatures living in the water 
alone, should have an organization fit to 
endure the stronger vibrations of the denser 
fluid, and which would be useless and ab- 
surd in those existing in our atmosphere.” 
A short account of the other organs 
of sense concludes the yolume. 
A considerable number of small plates 
and sketches are given to assist the rea- 
der; they are executed, some rather 
coarsely, others with great elegance, but 
all of them with clearness and accuracy. 
It would have been a great addition to 
the utility of the work, if the author had 
given the directions to which he is so 
thoroughly competent, for demonstrat- 
ing the particular parts of the brain in 
the order of dissection, in the manner of 
the excellent system of dissections for- 
merly published by the same partner- 
ship. As it is impossible for the pupil 
to have a just idea of these parts with- 
out the actual use of the knife, a work so 
full and accurate as the present will be 
resorted to asthe guide in private dis- 
section; and therefore we should have 
been glad to see the steps of the demon- 
stration more fully pointed out, as for ex- 
ample, the way of inflating the veins of 
the pia mater, of exhibiting the septum 
lucidum, the communication between the 
ventricles, and the other niceties. in the 
manual operations, on which so much of 
the clearness of demonstration depends- 
The style is plain and easy, free from 
acrimonious personalities, and from the 
affectation of recondite learning, intro- 
duced under the guise of entertaining 
the reader with obsolete follies.’ The 
printing is not very correct. 
On the whole we have no hesitation in 
recommending it as an excellent elemen- 
tary book, that bears the marks of much 
industry on the part of the author, who 
also shews that he thoroughly under- 
grands the subject which he describes, a 
point not always attended to by the nu- 
merous writers of elementary treatises. 
Arr. XXXIX. A Series of Engravings, explaining the Course of the’ Nerves. By 
Cuarres Bewr, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, ; 
THIS ‘collection, together with the the last mentioned article, and together 
plates on the brain, formerly published will give the student a very tolerable 
by the same author, properly accompany idea of the nervous system, as far as books 
3D2 
