January 7, 1904] 
NATURE 
22 
Das Zeisswerk und die Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung in Jena. 
Thre wissenschaftliche, technische und soziale Ent- 
wickelung und Bedeutung, flr weitere Kreise 
dargestellt von Felix Auerbach (Prof. a.d. Uni- 
versitat). Pp. vi+124. (Jena: Gustav Fischer, 
1903.) 
Tuts short popular account of the optical works in 
Jena will be of interest to a wide circle of readers. Of 
the successful application of science to industry no 
more striking illustration can be found than in the 
history of the Zeiss firm, with its aim of ** scientific 
exactness and perfection of workmanship,’’ while to 
many the description of the present organisation of 
the undertaking, and the socialistic features of the 
charter under which it is now controlled, will no less 
appeal. 
The early efforts of Carl Zeiss towards the improve- 
ment of the microscope, his adoption of Abbe as scien- 
tific partner, and the revolution in the optical theory 
of the instrument due to Abbe’s work, are dealt with 
in some detail. The need, emphasised by Abbe’s in- 
vestigations, of greater variety in the character of 
optical glass, to render possible the removal of the 
chief detects of lens systems, led to the foundation, in 
1884, of the glass works of Otto Schott, and from this 
year we may date an enormous advance in the con- 
struction of optical instruments, with a further de- 
velopment of the Jena industry. This brings us to an 
account of the existing organisation, and a description 
of the main departments, with details and illustrations 
of many of the most important and best known instru- 
ments, as well as of the workshops and buildings. 
The latter part of the worl deals with the social and 
socialistic aspects of the present system of administra- 
tion. In 1891, some four years after the death of Carl 
Zeiss, Abbe devised his rights of property in the optical 
and glass works to the undertaking itself, and origin- 
ated the statute, under which, after receiving in 1896 
the legal sanction of the Duke of Saxony, the ‘‘ Carl- 
Zeiss-Stiftung ’’ is now controlled. Particulars are 
given of the statutory standing of the employés, the 
system of profit-sharing, the regulation of hours of 
work, the pension scheme, as well as of institutions 
founded for the benefit of the workmen, and benefac- 
tions to the university and to the town. 
In addition to Carl Zeiss and Abbe other personali- 
ties connected with the undertaking, Schott, Czapski, 
Straubel, Pulfrich, &c., are briefly characterised, and 
with these names may be also mentioned that of the 
old foreman, August Loéber, to whom the firm is in- 
debted for many improvements in technical detail. 
Reasons Against the Theory of Evolution. By Thomas 
Woods) MiD.; MoR.©-S'L., L-R.C:Si1.,, &c: Pp: 
viii+52. (London: W. R. Russell and Co., n.d.) 
Tue author of this booklet may have perfectly definite 
convictions as to the truth or falsity of the theory of 
evolution, but he has hardly succeeded in making his 
attitude towards the doctrine clear to his readers. His 
object, the preface informs us, is to notice some occur- 
rences, said to be due to evolution, the contrivances 
for which must have been pre-arranged, and therefore 
could not have been the result of accidental circum- 
stances. ** If,”’ he proceeds, ‘‘ Evolution results from 
“circumstances and surroundings,’ pre-arrangement, 
of course, cannot have occurred, and if it can be shown 
that such pre-arrangement has in any instance taken 
place the whole thing must fall.’ © This can only 
mean that the author considers himself in a position 
to disprove the existence of evolution in toto. But, on 
the other hand, we read that ‘ if we regard Evolution 
as one of the means made use of, .. . we may not 
err.’ We do not see how these statements are to be 
reconciled. 
NO. 1784, VOL. 69] 
Considering, however, the title of the essay, and the- 
whole tone of the author’s remarks, we shall probably 
be doing him no injustice if we put him down as a 
root and branch opponent of the theory as commonly 
understood. His leading argument appears to be 
this :—facts such as the grouping of the planets of 
the solar system, the freezing and boiling points of 
water, and, in the organic world, the provision made 
by nature for the welfare of unborn offspring, with 
other similar conditions, seem to stand in definite re- 
lation with the existence of life on the earth; these 
conditions must have been pre-arranged, and therefore 
evolution is impossible. It is scarcely necessary to» 
point out that the argument is a non sequitur. In 
estimating the evidence for and against evolution, it 
is absolutely immaterial to inquire whether the con- 
ditions under which it is supposed to have taken place 
are or are not the result of *‘ pre-arrangement.’’ Dr. 
Woods claims in an appendix to have anticipated 
Favre and Silberman in laying the foundations of 
thermochemistry. It is unfortunate that in entering 
the lists of biological controversy he has omitted to« 
acquaint himself with the elementary conditions of 
the evolutionary problem. 
Lessons in Physics. By Lothrop D. Higgins, Ph.B.. 
Pp. vii+379; with plates and diagrams. (Boston, 
U.S.A., and London: Ginn and Co., 1903.) Price 
4s. 6d. 
Ir is rather difficult to ‘‘ place’ this book. At the 
end there is a glossary in which (amongst more difficult 
ones) words are defined such as these :—absorb (to 
take in), alter (to change), constant (always the same), 
detect (to find out), enlarge (to make larger). 
Apparently, then, the pupil is not expected to be certain 
about words of two syllables. We, accordingly, look: 
for great simplicity in the text, especially as the author 
in his preface trusts that the explanations ‘‘ have beens 
made with a care which should render them unusually 
clear and simple.’’ We open the book at random at 
the first section on magnets, and find the following 
definition as the first sentence :—‘‘ A Magnet is a body 
so acted upon electrically that it has the power to exert 
magnetic force.’’ 
We open on p. 319, and we find Ohm’s 1aw based’ 
upon the relative values of E.M.F. and current in the 
primary and secondary of an induction coil. 
We open again at p. 250, and learn, in explanation 
of the rainbow, that “the sunlight passes through 
some thin clouds whose particles of water refract the 
rays, and the spectrum is formed on other clouds or 
reilected to the eye.’’ 
The first 120 pages, on mechanics, appear to be the 
best part of the book. There are several remarkably 
pretty plates. 
The Certainty of a Future Life in Mars. Being the 
Posthumous Papers of Bradford Torrey Dodd. 
Edited by L. P. Gratacap. Pp. iv + 266. (New 
York : Brentano’s, 1903.) 
Tue planet Mars has been the subject for many works 
of fiction, and in the present volume we have another 
addition to the list. 
The main idea of the train of thought in these pages 
is that upon each planet the possibilities of develop- 
ment just attain to the margin of the next higher step 
in mental evolution. Thus in Venus the period of 
sense develops to the possibility of the period of science, 
but does not attain it. On the earth the period of 
science develops to that of spirit, while the latter is 
only reached in the planet Mars. On this assumption 
souls of different degrees move from planet to planet. 
The chief characters in this story are Mr. Dodd, his 
wife and son (the author of these papers). The father 
and son work out a system of wireless telegraphy, and! 
