312 



NA TURE 



[February i, 1894 



by another part which had previously had a different 

 function ; thus he speaks of an element, which under 

 normal conditions gives rise to a visual sensation, be- 

 coming the seat of a tactile or muscular sensation. It 

 seems much more likely that the new function in such a 

 case is taken on by elements of the cortex previously un- 

 developed, and the fact that compensation occurs so 

 much more readily in the young is in favour of the latter 

 view. On the question which is at present so much 

 debated among English neurologists, viz. whether the 

 Rolandic area of the cortex is to be regarded as motor or 

 sensory (kintesthetic), Wundt does not express a very 

 definite opinion ; he speaks of this area generally as 

 centro-motor, but does not exclude the presence of sen- 

 sory elements, though of a tactile rather than kina^sthetic 

 nature. 



In the second half of this volume, dealing with sensa- 

 tion, the section on what is usually called the mus- 

 cular sense has been considerably modified. The im- 

 portance of the part taken by impressions arising in the 

 joints is fully recognised, and in the case of passive 

 movement, Wundt agrees with Goldscheider in ascribing 

 to them a very preponderant role, but insists on the 

 addition of elements from the muscles and tendons in 

 the case of active movements. Sensations of innervation 

 are also called in to explain active movement, though 

 Wundt now recommends that this name should be given 

 up, and that this component of the sensation-complex 

 should be called central as distinguished from the peri- 

 pheral components arising in the joints, muscles, tendons, 

 and skin. The author, however, states, as indeed he did 

 in the last edition, that such central components probably 

 have their source in memory-images of movements 

 previously carried out. 



The theory of colour vision in another section of this 

 part does not differ materially from that brought for- 

 ward in the last edition, and in the fourth volume of 

 " Philosophische Studien," though several matters, and 

 especially the phenomena of contrast, which are referred 

 to central conditions, are more fully considered. 



A new section has been added on the physical accom- 

 paniments of pleasurable and painful feeling, in which re- 

 cent work on the subject, and especially that of Lehmann, 

 has been embodied. Wundt supposes that the circula- 

 tory and respiratory changes which accompany pleasure 

 and pain are the results of central innervations concomi- 

 tant with the feelings ; pleasurable feelings being asso- 

 ciated with increased rapidity, and painful with inhibition, 

 of the central processes. 



In the first part of the second volume, in which per- 

 ( eption is dealt with, there is little new ; the most 

 noticeable addition is on the subject of geometric optical 

 liusions. Such illusions are regarded as mainly de- 

 pendent on sensations arising from movements of the 

 eyes. The author does not altogether exclude the influ- 

 ence of association to which some psychologists would 

 refer them, but he objects strongly to the way in which 

 Lipps has explained them by " introducing indefinite 

 aesthetic notions into psychology, instead of referring 

 esthetic effects to definite psychological factors." 



We have already mentioned the improvements made 

 in the chapter on Time by the description of apparatus 

 and methods. In considering the estimation of time- 

 NO. I 266, VOL. 49] 



intervals, the work and theories of Miinsterberg and 

 Schumann are adversely criticised, and Wundt takes 

 this opportunity to make a hit at the former psycholo- 

 gist for the large amount of work which he imposes on 

 the muscle sensations in making them responsible for 

 estimation of time and space, as well as for attention and 

 the intensity of sensations. 



A section is devoted to Hypnotism, in which the views 

 recently advanced by the author are shortly expressed. 

 The hypnotic condition is regarded as dependent on in- 

 hibition of active apperception, i.e. of will and voluntary 

 attention. The explanation of the hallucinations and 

 analogous phenomena of hypnotism is referred to a 

 general law that when the greater part of the brain is out 

 of action, the sensitiveness of the active remainder is 

 increased ; a law which also applies to the explanation of 

 dreams. 



The doctrine of Apperception, which is the most 

 characteristic feature of Wundt's system, does not appear 

 to have suffered any material change. Apperception, as 

 used by the author, corresponds very closely to the atten- 

 tion of many English psychologists, and Wundt himself 

 occasionally seems to use the terms " apperception" and 

 "aufmerksamkeit" indifferently. The book combines the 

 qualities of a text-book and of a philosophical treatise. 

 It may be used with the greatest advantage as a means 

 of learning the way in which the methods of experimental 

 psychology are employed, and as an account of what we 

 have learnt thereby ; but it is also an able attempt to 

 treat the whole subject of the connection between Mind 

 and Body philosophically. 



RAILWAY WORKS. 

 Roufid the Works of our Great Railways. By various 

 Authors. (London: Edward Arnold, 1893.) 



THIS volume consists of a reprint of a very interesting 

 series of articles which appeared some i&'w months 

 ago in the English Illustrated Magazi7te, the authors in 

 most cases being intimately connected with the railway 

 companies' works they describe. Taken as a whole, this 

 book is very readable, and contains much useful in- 

 formation. 



The London and North-Western Works at Crewe are 

 first described by Mr. C. J. Bowen Cooke, of the loco- 

 motive department. The Crewe Works have been so often 

 described by many people, that the present author ran 

 the risk of being unfavourably compared with the others ; 

 there is, however, no need to fear the comparison, for the 

 article is well done. It is a pity that anything was 

 written on the subject of building an engine in twenty- 

 five hours ; and the author of the article on the Great 

 Eastern Works at Stratford does the same thing on 

 p. 128, although in this case the time is reduced to ten 

 hours. No doubt the statements are wonderful to the 

 general public, but to locomotive builders they merely go 

 to show how railway sliareholders' money is sometimes 

 wasted. 



Chapter ii. (written by Mr. C. H. Jones, of the locomotive 

 department) describes the Derby Works of the Midland 

 Railway Company. In orderto show the sizeof the staff on 

 this railway in the locomotive department only, the fol- 

 lowing figures are of interest : — There are 13,150 men, 



