140 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [June, 



would render that substance unfit for use in bleaching many of the del- 

 icate forms. The Society tendered Mr. Lickenby a hearty vote of thanks 

 for his skilful and instructive demonstrations. 



The members are strongly in favor of practical demonstrations and 

 quite a discussion of the matter was indulged in, the result of which 

 may be the inauguration of a movement that will tend greatly to arouse 

 the zeal and add to the effectiveness of future microscopic work. 



Examples were shown of Pleurosigma angulatum, the negatives of 

 which were taken at a magnification of sixteen hundred diameters. 



The donations to the library included a very satisfactory resume of 

 the progress of microscopical investigation both at home and abroad. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



The Etiology of Diphtheria : An experimental study by T. Mitchell 



Prudden. (Reprint from Am. Jour. Med. Sci.) pp. 5°- 

 This is the best American contribution thus far to the bacteriology of 

 diphtheria. Dr. Prudden first reviews the work done in this field by 

 LcefiTer, Klebs, Emmerich, Babes, Penzoldt, Frankel, D'Espine, V. 

 Hoffmann, Roux, and Yersin. He then records his own observations 

 on twenty -four fatal cases of diphtheria, giving in each case a brief 

 clinical history, the results of the autopsy, and of microscopic examin- 

 ation of affected organs. Then, in each case, careful cultures were 

 made of the various bacteria present. 



In nearly every case immense numbers of streptococci were present. 

 Bacilli were few. To such an extent did one form of streptococcus 

 predominate over all other forms of bacterial life that Dr. Prudden is 

 inclined to consider it the cause of diphtheria, at least in this series of 

 cases. He also suspects it to be identical with the streptococcus of 

 ervsipelas and phlegmon. However, inoculations with pure cultures 

 failed to produce anything that could fairly be called diphtheria in ani- 

 mals. 



Not least in practical value are the experiments testing the power 

 of various germicides. The accompanying colored plates are well ex- 

 ecuted. The tone of the essay is philosophical and modest. When 

 hundreds of series of such observations shall have been made, and 

 when a medical Daniel shall arise competent to interpret their results, 

 then shall we learn the nature and cause of diphtheria. 



o 



Traite de Microscofiie Medicate et Pharmaceutique . By Aug. Zune. 

 Bruxelles. 1S89. pp. 136. 



This is prepared as a hand-book for druggists and doctors wishing to 

 practise microscopy. It omits theoretical and historical matters, and 

 presuming the reader ignorant of the microscope and its accessories, 

 proceeds to instruct him in the most direct manner. It seems to have 

 covered the essentials of the subject in good style. Naturally, it speaks 

 only of European apparatus, and would not be useful to Americans. 

 There are 41 illustrations, including all the principal European stands. 

 The same author will follow with treatises upon various uses of the 

 microscope in medicine and pharmacy. We shall look with much in- 

 terest for these publications. 



