76 



NA TURE 



[November 24, 1904 



bull is intended for youths who have already had a 

 course of experimental geometry, and is almost entirely 

 devoted to demonstrative geometry. It is divided into 

 four sections, dealing respectivelv with triangles and 

 quadrilaterals, circles, areas, and with ratio, propor- 

 tion, and similar figures. Most of the propositions 

 contained in the volume belong to Euclid, but the 

 author has allowed himself that freedom of treatment 

 that is now happily prevalent. The book shows no 

 conspicuous merits such as would render its general 

 use either likely or desirable. 



In the volume by the Rev. E. M. Radford, the 

 author has compiled and arranged a hundred test or 

 examination papers, each containing twelve problems; 

 a large number of the latter are stated to be original, 

 and many are taken by permission from published 

 examination papers. The collection is " intended 

 primarily for the use of candidates for mathematical 

 entrance scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge," and 

 the subjects on which problems are set comprise " pure 

 geometry, algebra, trigonometry, analytical conies, 

 and elementary mechanics," with the addition in the 

 •last fifty papers of elementary theory of equations and 

 elementary differential calculus. The book will no 

 •doubt prove useful to the class of student for whom 

 It is intended, but the problems show no sign what- 

 ever of having been influenced by the reform in the 

 teaching of mathematics which is now in progress. 

 'The author hopes shortly to publish a volume of solu- 

 tions, and this will be very acceptable to teachers who 

 mav use the work. 



OVR BOOK SHELF. 



Handhuch der Laubholzkunde. Charakteristik der in 

 Mitteleuropa heimischen und im Freien angep- 

 flanzten angiospermen Geholz-Arten und Formen 

 mit Ausschluss der Bambuseen und Kakteen. By 

 Camillo Karl Schneider. Erste Lieferung, pp. i6o ; 

 Zweite Lieferung, pp. 161-304. (Jena : Gustav 

 Fischer, 1904.) Price 4 marks for each Lieferung. 



These two parts form the commencement of a work 

 intended to render possible the identification of the 

 hardy species of angiospermous trees and shrubs in- 

 digenous to, or cultivated in. Central Europe. Such 

 a work invites comparison with Koehne's well known 

 book on the same subject rather than with the more 

 comprehensive descriptive works by Koch and Dippel. 

 From the first named it differs in the vastly greater 

 number of illustrations, and in the fuller details given 

 regarding the characters of buds and twigs. These 

 additional details contained in Schneider's book go far 

 towards removing the uncertainty of diagnosis involved 

 in the provisional identification by means of the dicho- 

 tomous keys employed throughout the work. The 

 present Lieferungen, dealing with the Salicaceae, 

 Myricaceae, Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Ulmacea, Moraceae, 

 Urticaceae, Santalaceae, Loranthaceae, Aristolochiacese, 

 Polygonaceae, Chenopodiacea, Phytolaccacese, Caryo- 

 phyllaceae, Trochodendracese, Ranunculaceee, Lardiza- 

 balaceje, and some species of Berberis, nominally 

 include 197 illustrations, but in reality contain 

 quite 2000 figures of buds, twigs, leaves, in- 

 florescences, flowers, fruits, and their parts. In 

 addition, the free use of abbreviations and of small 

 print has rendered possible the condensation into small 

 NO. 1830, VOL. 71] 



compass of much information concerning not only 

 diagno>,tic characters of species, varieties, and forms, 

 but also concerning their nomenclature, distribution, 

 and phenology. To illustrate the method of treatment 

 adopted by the author, Populus alba may be selected 

 from the twenty-three species of Populus considered 

 in this work. Three varieties of this tree are 

 sufficiently described as regards their distinctive 

 features ; figures are given of resting-buds, twigs and 

 their transverse sections, four forms of leaves, flowers, 

 seed, embryo, and seedling; information is tendered 

 as to the times of flowering, of flushing of the vege- 

 tative buds, and of fruiting, also as to the germin- 

 ation, distribution, and age attained bv this species; 

 and finally hybrids including this species are noted. 

 In so thorough a work it is exceedingly difficult to 

 avoid making statements not universally applicable, 

 but the solitary one that the reviewer has observed is 

 to the effect that Carpinus Betulus has a trunk with a 

 light grey coating of cork. The work may be strongly 

 recommended to all engaged in the study of dicoty- 

 ledonous woody plants growing in the open in this 

 country. Percy Groom. 



The Cancer Problem in a Nutshell. By Robert Bell, 

 M.D. Pp. 39. (London : Bailliaire, Tindall and 

 Cox, 1904.) Price is. net. 



Dr. Bell in this pamphlet ascribes the development 

 of malignant disease to a withdrawal of some con- 

 trolling influence exerted by the thyroid gland upon the 

 cells of the body, caused by some toxic state of the 

 blood. He therefore advocates the administration of 

 thyroid gland or of its active principle in the treatment 

 of the disease, and claims to have obtained successful 

 results. Little or no evidence is given in support of 

 these views, and since malignant disease occasionally, 

 though unfortunately rarely, undergoes spontaneous 

 cure, the apparent success of any form of medical treat- 

 ment has to be carefully controlled before such a result 

 can be admitted. Dr. Bell's suggestions for the pre- 

 vention of malignant disease may be of some value. 



R. T. H. 



Photography on Tour. Pp. 132. (London : Published 

 for the Photogram, Ltd., by Dawbarn and Ward, 

 Ltd., n.d.) Price is. net. 



In these pages, the sizes of which are only 35 inches 

 by 4j inches, we have a number of useful hints and 

 instructions which are well worth an amateur's time 

 to read. When the photographer is away from his 

 base, and has to invent all sorts of makeshifts, he may 

 find many a useful wrinkle given here for which he 

 may later be very thankful. The author seems to have 

 brought into a very small compass a great deal of in- 

 formation covering a wide field, and this pocket book 

 for the touring photographer should serve a useful 

 purpose. 



The Story without an End. From the German of 

 Carov^. By Sarah Austin. Illustrated bv Paul 

 Henry. Pp. vii + 77. (London : Duckworth and 

 Co.) Price is. 6d. net. 



In this allegory a child is introduced to the beauties 

 of plants, birds, insects, and other forms and aspects 

 of nature. It pleases children to imagine themselves 

 in close communion with inanimate nature, and thev 

 have no difficulty in endowing all the objects around 

 them with human attributes. Poetic feelings, and 

 sympalhetic interest in plant and animal life, are 

 appealed to by this daintily bound and gracefully illus- 

 trated contribution to literature. 



