64 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY ,[Feb., 



croscope, when first that instrumental aid is needed to correct 

 his errors in diagnosis, and save patient's lives. Good service 

 might be done, in some cases, to those who " sufifer many 

 things," of the physicians, if a small microscopical laboratory- 

 were established by the local instrument maker, for the use of 

 neighboring practitioners, at fixed rates. Several objections 

 however, will at once occur to our readers as likely to deter 

 microsco])eless doctors Irom making such use of the facilities 

 that could thus be off'ered. More benefits to suffering human- 

 ity are to be expected from the advent of those '' lay helpers " 

 to qualified physicians, who are now seriously working at the 

 outskirts of medical science with the microscope. — Ihe Optician, 

 London. 



The Life and Writings of Rafinesque. By Richard Ellsworth 

 Call, M. D. 4° pp. 227. Price $2.50. Louisville, Ky., 1895. 



This memoir of an early American naturalist has been pub- 

 lished by the Filson Club and constitutes No. 10 of a series de- 

 voted to Kentucky men. The book is issued in elegeant style 

 with wide margins, heavy paper, etc. It may be questionable 

 whether so much exp^^nse was warranted by the life of this ex- 

 centric fellow. Still there are in it many very curious things 

 and a few contributions to scientific knowledge. Mr. Call has 

 certainly shown an intense enthusiasm for and admiration of 

 his subject, and the Filson Club might have put its money to 

 many worse uses. 



Mr. Cill is impartial and has not hesitated to picture his 

 hero in the true though often undesirable colors. Much of the 

 book contains curious biography which is of very little scien- 

 tific value. The patent schemes and quack remedies of Rafin- 

 esque seem to have marred seriously his later life. Some of his 

 literary productions are pronounced absolutely without merit. 

 As an expose of literary piracy on the part of those who thought 

 they could profit from Rafinesque's knowledge, the book is very 

 interesting. 



As showing incidentally why scientific men commanded very- 

 little respect eighty years ago, the book is admirable. As an il- 

 Instration of self-sacrifice and devotion to science, the early life 

 of Rafinesque was grand. 



