498 PHARMACOGRAPIIIA. 



187*. Structure." The descriptive paragraphs are no doubt as good as 

 H. B. Brady, words can make them, but mere words are insufficient for the 

 purpose. If any one doubts this, let him try to construct a 

 drawing of microscopic structure from a description, and then 

 compare it with the reality ; or, on the other hand, let him en- 

 deavour to identify one vegetable production out of a number 

 closely allied, by means of a mere verbal definition of charac- 

 ters. Either task is difficult at best, sometimes impossible. It 

 is not to our credit that there should be no British work of 

 reference containing a complete series of illustrations of the 

 anatomy of drugs. What is wanted is not so much an elaborate 

 atlas, like that of Dr. Berg, with large, ideal, diagrammatic 

 drawings, suggested by the microscopic appearance of the 

 various vegetable products used in medicine, as a set of figures 

 of characteristic portions of structure presented in a form in 

 which the working student may recognise them. How welcome 

 such an addition to the book would have been from Prof. 

 Fliickiger's skilful hand ! It is only just to the authors to 

 state that they make no claim for completeness in this 

 division of the work ; indeed, they are so fully aware of what is 

 needed, that one might almost indulge in the hope of seeing 

 a second edition with a supplementary volume of plates. 



In a brief and imperfect notice like the present but scanty 

 justice can be done to a book like the Pharmacographia, a 

 work which, from the amount of its original matter, the laborious 

 verification of its facts, the accuracy of its references, and the 

 extent of general erudition it reveals, will be received with nc 

 grudging welcome, and will be recognised at once and without 

 misgiving as the standard of authority on the subjects of whicl 

 it treats. 



