FEBRUARY 28, 1907 | 
NATURE 413 
OUR BOOK SHELF. matter is divided into seven chapters, which treat 
respectively of fundamental principles, the general 
By Prof. 
and 
12s. 
The Elements of the Science of Nutrition. 
Graham Lusk. Pp. 326. (Philadelphia 
London: W. B. Saunders Co., 1906.) Price 
net. 
Pror. GraHam Lusk is to be congratulated on having 
produced a very interesting and important book. The 
author is an investigator imbued with the true 
scientific spirit, and his work has always been char- | 
acterised by thoroughness and sincerity. The intro- 
ductory chapter is a very lucid exposition, not only 
of the history of research on the subject of metabolism 
or nutrition, but it also gives an excellent summary 
of the nature of the problems to be attacked, and the 
main results hitherto obtained. This chapter alone 
entitles the book to high distinction, but the subse- 
quent chapters which fill in the details of the picture 
maintain the high standard of the beginning. ‘The 
reader will find here a mine of useful information, 
and will easily comprehend the facts in their rela- 
tion to each other, so clearly and exhaustively 
they dealt with. 
The English reader will be able to study for the 
first time in his own language the epoch-making work 
of Rubner, who has, among other points, directed 
attention to what he terms the specific dynamic value 
of the foodstuffs; fat outside the body is the most 
readily combustible of the proximate principles of 
food, and weight for weight yields more than twice 
the number of calories which proteids give rise to. 
Fat has, of course, the same calorific value when it 
undergoes combustion within the body, but it is 
inferior to the proteins as a heat generator, because 
it is burnt with so great difficulty there. The pro- 
teins are the most readily burnt of all the foodstuffs, 
and this property of stimulating metabolism con- 
stitutes their specific dynamic value. In the discus- 
sion now in progress on the amount of protein food 
which is necessary, a question raised by the recent 
work of Chittenden and his colleagues, this factor is 
one which must not be lost sight of. 
The book not only deals with metabolism in health, 
but also in diseased conditions (gout, diabetes, phos- 
phorus poisoning. fever, &c.) This makes the worl 
very comprehensive, for it is just in these questions 
of nutrition that physiologists and pathologists may 
mutually learn so much by a correlation of their 
respective spheres of study. In the chapter on dia- 
betes, one notes the following sentences :— 
““No disease has been more thoroughly investi- 
gated. In presenting the details to the reader, it may 
be remarked that the work done is prophetic of 
possible accomplishment along scientific lines in the 
study of disease. It is typical of that scientific 
medicine which affrights the devoted spirits of a 
passing empiricism.”’ 
Prof. Lusk evidently speaks with feeling, and has 
perhaps suffered from the passive resistance of the 
conservative ‘‘ devoted spirits’? to whom he alludes. 
If anything will move them, it will be study of such 
books as the one we are dealing with. 
The book is very appropriately dedicated to Carl von 
Voit, the pioneer of such work, and the author’s old 
master. W. D. H. 
Physical Chemistry for Electrical Engineers. By J. 
Livingston R. Morgan. Pp. viii+230. (New 
York: John Wiley and Sons; London: Chapman 
and Hall, Ltd., 1906.) Price 6s. 6d. net. 
Tuts book has been written not only for the pro- 
fessional electrical engineer, but also for the use of 
those who desire to obtain a knowledge of physical 
chemistry sufficient in its scope for the understanding 
of current work in electrochemistry. The subject- 
NO. 1948, VOL. 75 | 
are | 
properties of gases, heat and its transformation into 
other forms of energy, solutions, chemical mechanics, 
equilibrium in electrolytes and clectrochemistry. An 
eighth chapter is devoted to a series of problems. 
In the method of presentation the standpoint of the 
now fashionable cult of ‘‘ anti-atomists’’ has been 
adopted, the author’s opinion being “ that by placing 
the subject upon a purely experimental basis, giving a 
practical experimental de finition of each concept as it 
is used and drawing no inference not justified in all its 
parts by actual re sults, the reader’s idea will be the 
more clear and scientific.’’ This is distinctly unfor- 
tunate, for nothing is gained by the non-recognition 
of the atomic and molecular hypotheses. The ser- 
vices rendered by the hypothetical atom are too 
enormous for the concept to be discarded on purely 
pedantic grounds. Apart from this, the detailed 
treatment of the subject-matter is good, and the 
chemical student will find the book interesting read- 
ing. It is scarcely to be expected, however, that 
its contents will be understood by the professional 
electrical engineer. No doubt a knowledge of 
physical chemistry is essential for the engineer who 
would understand the working of storage batteries 
and the recent developments in electrochemical 
industry, but when the training of the electrical 
engineer in this country is considered, the possession 
of the chemical knowledge requisite for an intelligent 
reading of Prof. Morgan’s book is scarcely to be 
expected. H. M. D. 
The Technical College Set of Mathematical Instru- 
ments. No. 727. (London: W. H. Harling.) 
Price 21. 2s 
THERE is great diversity of opinion as to the most 
suitable case of drawing instruments for students, 
many colleges having their own particular specifi- 
cations; but it would be difficult to find a more desir- 
able set of instruments than this of Mr. Harling, on 
account both of the judgment displayed in the choice 
of the instruments and the design and workman- 
ship exhibited. In the neat pocket case will be found 
a 4-inch bow compass, with pen and pencil fittings 
and lengthening bar; a 5-inch hair divided; three 
spring bows; two drawing pens; a pricker; keys, 
spare leads, and needles. The instruments are of the 
best English design and finish, with Inee joints and 
nut and bolt needle points where necessary. 
A student who possesses this case of instruments is 
so far well equipped -for his work in drawing and 
graphics, and gets exceedingly good value. The in- 
struments can be highly recommended as_ being 
entirely suited to their purpose. 
4A Second German Course for Science Students. By 
Prof. H. G. Fiedler and F. E. Sandbach. — Pp. 
vii+76. (London: A. Moring, Ltd., 1906.) Price 
2s. 6d. net. 
In a former volume, favourably noticed in Nature of 
May 24, 1906 (vol. Ixxiy., p. 78), the authors described 
a series of simple lessons in science suitable for read- 
ing by elementary students of the German language. 
The present volume contains extracts from recent 
German scientific publications—books, periodicals, 
and proceedings of societies—of a more technical 
character, but arranged, so far as possible, in order 
of difficulty. Some notes on unusual words and 
phrases, hints on the use of a dictionary, a gram- 
matical summary, and a list of abbreviations provide 
all the assistance the reader is likely to require at 
this stage. The extracts have been carefully selected, 
and will be read with interest and profit by students 
of physics and chemistry who have a slight know- 
ledge of German. 
