148 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Aug 



Stem of Dodder. — When the haustorium has been devel- 

 oped the root dies and connection with the soil ceases. 

 The stem above the haustorium twins ar£)und its host and 

 throws out new suckers as it g-rows. It thus establishes 

 itself firmly upon the victim, which it at leng-th destroys. 

 It climbs all indifferently — the clover, the thistle, the 

 nettle or rag-weed, the day-flower and even the poison-ivy. 

 It feeds upon the juice of the latter without acquiring- its 

 properties. The stem makes an interesting- mount. 



RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 



Hemorrhoids.— E. R. Pelton, 19 E. 16th street. New 

 York publishes at 75 cents three lectures by Dr. C. B. 

 Kelsey advocating- the humane treatment of this evil by 

 the avoidance of surg-ery and deserves every praise for so 

 doing- — a very nice little book of 68 pag-es. 



Vibration the Law of Life. — This is the title of a new 

 book ($1.25) by W. H. Williams of Denver upon breathing-. 

 It is based upon experiences and successes of his own 

 and seeks to g-ive a scientific exposition thereof. All 

 knowledg-e and all happiness await him who learns and 

 practices the proper breathing-s. They induce clair- 

 voyance, clairaudience, the healing- of all disease physical 

 and mental. Thoug-h there is absolutely no mention of the 

 phrase "Holy Spirit " in this book, all the results which 

 the early Christians are said to have derived from the 

 Sanctus spiritus, are independently shown by Dr. 

 Williams to be obtainable by a special breathing-. He does 

 not however state the fact that the Greek word " pneuma" 

 and the Latin "spiritus" always meant breath or breath- 

 ing- until later Christians undertook to make them mean 

 Spirit in the sense of Ghost or invisible personality. If 

 " pneuma " which in all other writing-s means breath were 

 translated literally in the N.T. a wonderful mine of scien- 

 tific knowledg-e would be unfolded thereby for those who 

 know how to and do persistently practice this special 

 (holy) breathing- which this book describes to a certain 

 extent and of which more is learned from other writers. 



