May i8, 191 i] 



NATURE 



79 



if possible analytically disposed into orders — better 

 known as "cohorts" — a good description of the 

 families, and an indication of important characters 

 for leading genera. This requires a work of some 

 magnitude, but not more extensive than Warming's 

 *' Systematic Botany," which follows these lines. 

 Wilhelm's " Samenpflanzen " defines orders and 

 families, and in the case of large families suppHes 

 discriminating characters for subfamilies, but only 

 in occasional instances provides the necessary informa- 

 tion for identifying genera. 



The arrangement adopted is a modified Eichler- 

 Engler system, prepared by Prof. R. Wettstein for 

 his " Handbuch der systematischen Botanik," but the 

 diagnostic characters have been redrafted by Dr. \\"il- 

 helm. A very valuable feature in the former book is 

 the series of notes pointing out the probable relation- 

 ships and affinities between various families, thus 

 furnishing an important key to the system ; a simi- 

 lar phylogenetic guide would be useful for the book 

 under notice. The plants enumerated include 

 European species, those yielding economic products, 

 and timber trees; by the adoption of different print- 

 in^'- types it is intended to give an idea of the com- 

 parative importance of the various genera. The lists 

 are, so far as observed, both full and accurate. 



Ihc Past at Our Doors, or the Old in the Xezu 



Around Is. By \V. W. Skeat. Pp. xi+198. 



(London: Macmillan and Co.. Ltd., iqir.) Price 



I.V. 6d. 

 In this interesting little book Mr. .Skeat shows how 

 the past is not only at our doors, but upon our lips. 

 I'onfining himself in the main to the subjects of food, 

 dress, and the home, he brings together a multitude 

 of facts bearing upon the history of the common 

 objects and events of our domestic environment. The 

 etymological bias is marked, but excusable — perhaps 

 even inherited — and Mr. .Skeat does not fail to empha- 

 sise the influence of our ancestors upon our dt^ds. as 

 well as upon our words. 



In the " Stori- of Our Food " the range is from meal 

 limes and their names, through the apparatus of the 

 table, to hunting, ploughing, and the preparation of 

 food, with other matters taken by the way. The 

 section on " Dress " follows the general lines of recent 

 works on the subject, and is more fully illustrated 

 than the rest of the volume. The '" Story of Our 

 Homes " is chieflv an account of the evolution of the 

 modern dwelling-house, including such furniture as 

 cunboards, dressers, wall-hangings, carpets, and beds. 



Tn view of the great variety of subjects discussed 

 in a small space, some degree of discontinuitv was un- 

 avoidable, and the b<iok has the character of a work 

 of reference on a small scale. Tf it is nemmican, it 

 i'- good pemmiran. and full value for the monev. 



H. S. 11. 



^criini (iiu! Idtiiiic 'I'hvrahv. V>actcrial TherapcuiiiS 

 and Prophylaxis Bacterial Diagnostic Af^etits. Bv 

 Prof. R. T. Hewlett. Second edition. Pp. x + 406. 

 (London : J. and .\. Churchill, iqio.) Price 75. 6d. 

 net. 

 TiiF. second edition of Prof. Hewlett's book on seruni- 

 theranv, which has just appeared, does not claim to 

 give more than an outline of the mode of preparation 

 and emplovment of the therapeutic sera and vaccines. 

 As such it ought to prove of service to the student or 

 busv practitioner, who mav not have the opportunity 

 c>r the time to consult the larger works on this sub- 

 ject. It is doubtful, however, if the author has been 

 f ntirelv successful in his effort to condense the sub- 

 ject, for the requirements of the interested medical 

 reader. The authorities quoted, though few, are not 

 alwavs the most authoritative, ;ind their opinions 



XO. 2168, VOL. 86] 



are too frequently referred to without criticism or 

 comment. A good account is given of the prepara- 

 tion of the antitoxins for diphtheria and tetanus and 

 antivenin. Referring to the employment of antitoxin 

 as a prophylactic against diphtheria, the author is 

 apparently impressed with the objections raised 

 against it on the ground that an anaphylactic state 

 may be induced, and he thinks that a diphtheria- 

 endotoxin, which he is at present elaborating, may 

 prove an efficient substitute for antitoxic serum in 

 prophylaxis. The appearance of this preparation will 

 be awaited with interest by the medical profession. 

 The intracerebral injection of tetanus antitoxin is 

 recommended as the method which gives most hope 

 of success in cases which have lasted any length of 

 time, but it does not seem that trustworthy data on 

 this question are available. 



More space might have been devoted to the use of 

 tetanus antitoxin as a prophylactic and to the anti- 

 meningococcal and antidysentery sera, both of which 

 have proved of the highest value in practice, and in 

 point of efficiency should follow closely after diph- 

 theria antitoxin. 



Other sera, such as antipneumococcic and anti- 

 typhoid, have more space devoted to them than their 

 importance at present warrants. 



Vaccine-therapy receives adequate treatment at the 

 author's hands, but it is somewhat curious that the 

 account sliould be prefaced by a dissertation on 

 opsonins. These substances should surely take their 

 place in the general scheme of antibodies called forth 

 in response to immunisation. 



The closing chapters of the book deal with the 

 preparation of calf lymph, typhoid vaccine, mallein, 

 tuberculin, and sour milk. 



We observe at the close of the book certain trade 

 advertisements, the majority of which deal with 

 soured milk or cheese. These appear somewhat out 

 of place in a scientific treatise. 



Handbook of American Indians north of Mexico. 

 Edited by F. VV. Hodge. In two parts; part ii., 

 N- - Z. Pp. iv+i22i. (.Smithsonian Institution, 

 Bureau of American Ethnologv. Bulletin 30.) 

 (Washington : Government Printing Oflice, H)io.) 

 The second and concluding volume of the " Hand- 

 book of .American Indians north of .Mexico " has fol- 

 lowed three years after the publication of the first 

 volume. It consists of more than a thousand pages of 

 closely printed matter in double columns; there is 

 in addition a .synonymy of 158 pages and an exten- 

 sive bibliography ; unfortunately, the latter is not 

 quite complete. For example, Mr. C. Hill-Tout's 

 papers on the .Salish in the Journal of the Royal 

 Anthropological Institute and Reports of the British 

 .Association, and his book on " British North 

 America — I., the Far West" (iqoy). are totally 

 ignored, both here and in the article ".Salish." It 

 is imjjossible to review a book of this kind as it is 

 composed of an enormous number of notes and short 

 articles written by experts, of whom fifty-four were 

 emploved on this volume alone. The information 

 is given succinctly, and in most cases an adequ.-ite 

 bibliography is added at the end of each article. 

 There is as large a number of illustrations as space 

 permitted. .Ml those interested in North American 

 ethnology and archaeology will appreciate the value 

 of authoritative statements on disputed points, and 

 the references for further information thereon. It is 

 also a great convenienc to be able to discover the 

 synonvmy of a tribe and to be informed as to what 

 mav be regarded as its official designation. As a 

 book of reference it is simnl'- inv.iluable, and it should 

 find a place in every public librarv ; every ethnologist 

 will procure a copv as a matter of course. 



