688 



NATURE 



. [February 26. 1920 



altogether new, but he has brought together and 

 discussed the varied factors of a large subject in 

 a lucid and interesting way. He begins with a 

 consideration of the evolution of crime, and then 

 discusses in some detail the part played by en- 

 vironment. In part iii. the subject of the organic 

 and the mental basis of criminality is taken up, 

 together with the classification of criminals and 

 the problems of juvenile and female criminality. 

 Part iv. deals with criminal jurisprudence, and 

 part V. with a discussion of penology. The final 

 section comprises a study of the problems of poli- 

 tical crime and the crimes arising from opposition 

 to the fixity of social custom, with a chapter on 

 prevention. 



Two appendices are added, one dealing with the 

 relation between the price of cereals and crimes 

 against property, and the other — of revived in- 

 terest at the present time — a criticism of the late 

 Dr. Charles Goring's book, "The English 

 Criminal," which appeared in 191 3. 



Dr. Goring is taken very pointedly to task for 

 misrepresenting Lombroso "grossly and inexcus- 

 ably," for his "gross misrepresentation" of the 

 author of "Criminology," and for his ignorance 

 of psychology — although we must confess we think 

 several of Dr. Parmelee's beliefs, such as the 

 physiological theory of instinct, the James-Lange 

 theory of emotion, and his belief in the efficacy 

 of ideomotor action, are not the most fruitful that 

 could be applied to the elucidation of his subject. 

 Finally, he condemns Dr. Goring's researches as 

 carrying the statistical method too far, and con- 

 cludes that, in spite of his initial disagreement with 

 Lombroso, Dr. Goring has proved himself " more 

 Lombrosian than Lombroso himself." 



The author's aim, as he states, has been to 

 make a more or less comprehensive survey of 

 criminology, and that he has succeeded admirably 

 no one who reads his book will doubt; 



(2) "The Mastery of Nervousness" is a zealous 

 book, a volume not only of medical, but also of 

 ethical, instruction, a guide, philosopher, and 

 friend to the nervous, but chiefly the last. The 

 aim has not been the exposition of any narrow or 

 restricted doctrine ; there are, consequently, a free- 

 dom of style and treatment and a command of 

 metaphorical expression which are certainly stimu- 

 lating and doubtless of benefit to many. 



The author points out the growing prevalence 

 of nervousness — that is, overactive or misdirected 

 nervous activity — and describes the influence of 

 various factors — heredity, diet, inactivity, work, 

 play, and others. On " Mastery through Work " 

 he writes : " It is a profound misfortune for any 

 young person to enter the serious years of life 

 without having been earnestly impressed with the 

 NO. 2626, VOL. 104] 



dignity of work, or taught to feel that ever within 

 reach are divinely appointed duties." 



Dr. Carroll lays emphasis on the importance of 

 the early years of life. "Loss," he writes in the 

 chapter on "Surrender," "begins in childhood. 

 The babe is king of us all. The grim visage of 

 the warrior softens in the presence of its cooing 

 innocence ; nobility stops and turns, and does 

 homage; rich and poor, high and low, young and 

 old, kneel at the cradle to welcome the bright, 

 new, young soul." 



In the same chapter is a picturesque example 

 of sublimation or "side-tracking," which describes 

 how a patient worked her "jim-jams" off in the 

 garden by " vicious jabs into the soil with hoe and 

 spade " — a species of horticultural profanity that 

 brought back memories of France and the impres- 

 sive language of the trenches, which, we know, 

 performed an equally estimable function. 



The theme of treatment is efficiency through 

 harmony. " If we are to win the battle of personal 

 mastery we must lay hold on a force higher than 

 reason alone, for force of mind not governed by 

 force of spirit does not make man good." The great 

 necessity, the author says, is for " ultimate control 

 of the moral idea, as the only force resolving the 

 dissonance of jangling nerves into harmony." 



PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY. 



(i) Elementary Practical Chemistry. Part i. 

 General Chemistry. By Prof. Frank Clowes 

 and J. Bernard Coleman. Seventh edition. 

 Pp. xvi-f-24i. (London: J. and A. Churchill, 

 1920.) Price 6s. 



(2) A Treatise on Qualitative Analysis: Adapted 

 for Use in the Laboratories of Colleges and 

 Technical Institutes. By Prof. Frank Clowes 

 and J. Bernard Coleman. Ninth edition. 

 Pp. xvi-l-400. (London: J. and .'\. Churchill, 

 1920.) Price 12s. 6d. 



THERE are two distinct aims that may actuate 

 the writer of a text-book on practical 

 chemistry, whether analytical or otherwise, 

 namely, (i) the setting forth of principles, and 

 (2) the enumeration of facts. To a certain extent 

 they are inseparable, for principles without facts 

 are useless, and facts without principles are not 

 ordered knowledge. But it is impossible to make 

 the best of both at the same time. If the prin- 

 ciples are burdened with too great a multiplicity 

 of facts, they are fairly certain to be smothered 

 by them, and facts cannot be set forth in the 

 clearest possible way if the method of arranging 

 them is to serve some other end as well, 

 (i) " Elementary Practical Chemistry " is now, for 



