40 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY. 



[February. 



congratulate you, each and all, who have 

 aided in the formation of this organiza- 

 tion, not yet three years old. It is grow- 

 ing stronger and shows unmistakable evi- 

 dence of its vitality. Let us move onward 

 in the good work. Let us not forget that 

 it was the genius and work of an Ameri- 

 can who first taught the world how to 

 make good objectives. It remained for 

 the skill and energy of Spencer, whose 

 angles stretched far beyond the limits 

 which had been fixed as the boundaries 

 of the possible, and which rendered pos- 

 sible the resolution of diatoms, which, 

 had previously resisted all attempts to 

 show their lines. It was the study of 

 these little things which has led a philoso- 

 pher to call God great in great things, yet 

 greatest in smallest. Finally, let us hope 

 that the experiences of this evening may 

 strengthen the bonds of friendship ; which 

 a common love for microscopic science 

 has created, and this exhibition, the first, 

 may not be the last, but that its display of 

 instruments and objects will so interest 

 all who are with us, that we may have 

 their sympathy and encouragement in 

 our beautiful studies and stimulate us to 

 start for broader and wider fields." 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Bacteria. By Dr. Antoine Magnin, Li- 

 centiate of Natural Sciences ; Chief of 

 the practical labors in natural history to 

 the faculty of medicine of Lyons ; Lau- 

 reate of the faculty of medicine of Paris 

 (silver medal 1876); General Secretary 

 of the Botanical Society of Lyons, etc., 

 and George M. Sternberg, M. D., F. R. 

 M. S., Major and Surgeon U. S. Army; 

 Member of the Biological Society of 

 Washington ; Late member of the Ha- 

 vana Yellow Fever Commission of the 

 National Board of Health ; Correspond- 

 ing Member of the Epidemiological So- 

 ciety of London, etc., New-York : Wil- 

 liam Wood and Company, 56 and 58 

 Lafayette Place, 1884. (8vo, pp. 494.) 

 In this book the reader will find a com- 

 pendium of the present knowledge of the 

 bacteria, and their relations to disease. 

 It is a book that may be read with profit 

 by the general reader, and is at the same 

 time a valuable work of reference for the 

 physician and the specialist in the study 

 of infectious diseases. 



As a translation it is capable of great im- 

 provement. The French idiom makes very 

 bad English, and a translator should guard 

 against the tendency to literally trans- 



cribe the words of a foreign tongue. Faults 

 of this nature, and occasionally errors in 

 translation, occur too frequently. These, 

 however, are not of a kind to effect the 

 scientific value of the book. 



It is divided into two parts: i. Mor- 

 phology, and 2, Physiology of the Bac- 

 teria. The second part is especially good. 

 The author's position respecting the germ 

 theory of disease is both conservative and 

 judicious, in the present state of knowl- 

 edge. It is to be noted that the doubts of 

 a careful observer are worthy of more 

 consideration, in a matter of this kind, 

 than the conclusions of many speculative 

 thinkers or inexperienced investigators. 

 There is no evident intention to detract 

 from the value of work like that of Bur- 

 don, Sanderson, Pasteur, and Koch, but 

 in venturing to criticise or question some 

 of their conclusions, the author manifests 

 a laudable purpose to establish, if possi- 

 ble, upon a basis of fact, the validity of 

 the results obtained by experiment. 



The French author appears not to be 

 particularly well acquainted with the work 

 of American and English observers, as 

 many familiar names are omitted where 

 they deserve to be mentioned. 



The volume is illustrated by twelve fine 

 heliotype plates, and twenty-five wood- 

 cuts. An excellent bibliography completes 

 the work, and greatly adds to its useful- 

 ness. 



Fourth Annual Report of the State Board 

 of Health, Lunacy, and Charity of Mas- 

 sachusetts, 1883. Supplement contain- 

 ing the Report and Papers on Public 

 Health. Boston: Wright & Potter Print- 

 ing Co., State Printers, 1883. (Pamph- 

 let, pp. 260.) 



This report contains a valuable contri- 

 bution, of 86 pages, on the Adulteration of 

 Food by S. P. Sharpies, S. B., who has 

 done much valuable work on the subject. 



Exchanges. 



[Exchanges are inserted in this column without charge. 

 They will be strictly limited to mounted objects, and 

 material for mounting.] 



Wanted — Physiological and Pathological prepara- 

 tions in exchange for Gorgonias, Starches, Micro- 

 fungi, Vegetable Hairs, &c. 



W. R. MANDEVILLE, M. D., 



154 Canal St., New Orleans, La. 



Wanted — American foraminiferal material or slides, 

 in exchange for material or slides of foraminifera from 

 green sand, and other formations, or recent species. 

 J. H. HARVEY, 

 St. John's College, Cambridge, England. 



For Exchange — For first-class slides : One Geo. Wale 

 first-class J^ objective (costfio) and two single nose- 

 pieces, made by Schrauer, cost $3 each. Address 

 W. B. H., Room 27, 24 State street. New York City. 



