200 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [August, 



from a small pond in Tillou's woods. Dr. Meeker interested 

 many with specimens in crystallography, showing specimens of 

 chemical salts under polarized light. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Die Botatiische Mikrotcchnik. By Dr. A. Zimmermann. 

 Tiibingen, 1S92, pp. 27S. 



This is a handbook of microscopical technique especially as 

 related to botanical work. It is illustrated with 63 engravings in 

 the text and accompanied by a copious bibliography and index. 

 Being in German it is not available to American workers in 

 general, but some of our advanced manipulators who read Ger- 

 man will find it useful. The price is 6 marks. Order it from 

 H. Laupp'schen Buchhandlung in Tiibingen or from F. A. 

 Brockhaus in Leipzig. 



The Supreme Passions of Alan: or, the Origin, Causes, a?id 

 Tendencies of the Passions of the Flesh. By Paid Paquin, 

 M. D. The Little Blue Book Co., Battle Creek, Mich. 13 

 mo, square, pp. 150. 



Several years ago, while making comparative tests of culture 

 media for the nutrition of micro-organisms in the laboratory at 

 the University of Missouri, Dr. Pacjuin became deeply interested 

 in the striking ditl'erences which different food substances or cul- 

 ture media produced in a given organism. He found himself 

 capable (as many others have done, doubtless) of altering the 

 shape, size, energies, color, properties, in fact, all the vital at- 

 tributes, it seemed, merely by varying the kind, quality, and 

 quantity of food material. This phenomenon opened a new line 

 of thought. If we can alter the unicellular beings so much 

 merely by the food supply, why not alter likewise the cells of 

 multicellular bodies, and modify their attributes } He first tried 

 to find the explanation of certain physical defects and obscure 

 organic diseases. From this he came to seek an explanation of 

 tlic impulses of passions, and to set forth the results of inquiries 

 into the appetites of mankind and the passions which they excite. 

 T'he book includes a study of the crimes of the flesh and the 

 efibrts of Christianity to maintain purity ; an essay on the true 

 causes of drunkenness and the only way to prevent this evil ; 

 observations on the relation of vice to the laws of nations and 

 existing educational systems. 



