200 



THE AMEKICAN MONTHLY. 



[October. 



subject it is impossible to explain how the 

 virus enters the system. Many inocula- 

 tion experiments have been made, but, 

 while it would perhaps be premature to 

 describe them as failures, yet they have 

 hitherto proven almost resultless. The 

 progress of the disease is extremely slow. 

 In fact there is a peculiar latency about 

 it which is exceedingly baffling to investi- 

 gation. Although leprosy is probably 

 the most ancient disease known (it having 

 been recognized at least as early as 1 500 

 B. C), yet there are few disorders about 

 which less is known. 



The difficulty of pronouncing an accu- 

 rate prognosis in the early stages of the 

 disease was alluded to. Intimately con- 

 nected with this was the question of segre- 

 gation, with its accompanying horrors.. 

 Should all cases showing the least pri- 

 mary lesion of tissue — which might or 

 might not develop into the dread disease 

 — be ruthlessly torn away from the closest 

 ties of family or friendship to a terrible iso- 

 lation with doomed and dying wretches ? 

 In view of all the known facts, the 

 speaker was of the strong opinion that 

 this course would never be justified. In 

 conclusion Dr. Arning said that years of 

 patient and accurate research would be 

 required for the solution of the many 

 difficult problems presented by this sub- 

 ject, and in view of its great importance 

 to the world in general and to the people 

 of this coast in particular, he commended 

 it to the especial attention of the mem- 

 bers of the medical fraternity. 



He then exhibited a large number of 

 objects, illustrative of the subject, under 

 several fine instruments. Various stain- 

 ing processes had been employed in the 

 preparation of the specimens, and the 

 bacilli in every case were sharply and 

 beautifully differentiated from the sur- 

 rounding tissues. 



The discourse was listened to with the 

 greatest interest, and at its close a cordial 

 vote of thanks was unanimously tendered 

 to the lecturer. 



A. H. Breckenfeld, Rec. Seer. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Gejieral Biology. By William T. Sedg- 

 wick, Ph. D., and Edmund B. Wilson, 

 Ph. D. Part I. Introductory. New 

 York. Henry Holt & Co., 1886. (pp. 

 I93-) 

 We have just received a copy of this 



work and have looked through it with the 

 greatest satisfaction. 



As chemistry is the study of chemical 

 phenomena, so biology is becoming more 

 and more the study of the phenomena of 

 life, and the old dry bones of the classifi- 

 catory studies are being more and more 

 cast aside for a study of vital processes 

 and mechanisms. This work takes a new 

 departure, and is the first book of its kind. 

 It takes for study one animal and one 

 plant and describes all its structure and 

 all its functions, telling the student at the 

 same time how to see and the meaning 

 of what he sees. Living matter or pro- 

 toplasm, then the cell, then the structure 

 of the fern, and then of the earth worm ; 

 finally, the animal and the plant com- 

 pared are the subjects taken up. 



For the general reader who wishes to 

 know where biologists stand at present, 

 as well as for the student, the work is an 

 admirable presentation. It is not de- 

 signed for primary students, but is the 

 book to put into the hands of college men 

 who know something of chemistry and 

 physics. We would call especial atten- 

 tion to the common sense displayed in 

 this note (p. 21): — 'The student should 

 understand once for all that the principal 

 points observed must be recorded by notes 

 and by skefehes, good or bad, whether he 

 can draw or not. * * * * The aim 

 should be to represent the natural rela- 

 tions of parts rather than their minute 

 details, and accidental displacements 

 should be disregarded.' As for the pub- 

 lishers' part the work is most successful. 

 It is uniform in style with the well known 

 American Science Series of Holt & Co. 

 The illustrations, which are copious, are 

 of the first quality, the authors themselves 

 being able artists and having been as- 

 sisted by Mr. J. H. Emerton. 



Exchanges. 



[Exchanges are inserted in this column without 

 charge. They will be strictly limited to mounted ob- 

 jects, and material for mounting.] 



Labels for slides, also slides and material to ex- 

 change for same. EUGENE PINCKNEY. 



Dixon, 111. 



For Exchange : Seeds of Orthocarpus purpurascens 

 and Orikocarpus attenuatus , and slides of same, in ex- 

 change for good objects, foraminifera preferred. 



EDWARD GRAY, M. D., Benicia, Cal. 



Infusorial Earth from Saco, Me., in exchange for 

 slides of Volvox globator, or Spines of foreign sea- 

 urchins. 



D. E. OWEN, Brunswick, Maine. 



