JUNE 172, 1902] 
NATURE 
149 
et qu'il ne contient plus une proportion trop grande des 
matiéres étrangéres ; on impose enfin un résidu minimum 
dans Palcool bouillant ou, si Pon veut, un résidu maxi- 
mum aprés décantation et évaporation du liquide ayant 
servi aux expériences pour obliger le fabricant a faire 
usage de lots contenant une proportion suffisante de 
gutta pure.” 
OUR BOOK SHELF. 
Some Thoughts on the Principles of Local Treatment in 
Diseases of the Upper Air Passages. By Sir Felix 
Semon, M.D., F.R.C.P. Pp. 115 ; with Appendix pp. 
130. (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) Price 2s. 6d. 
net. 
THIS little volume, reprinted from the British Medical 
Journal, consists of two lectures delivered in November, 
rgot, at the Medical Graduates’ College and Polyclinic ; 
and there is an appendix consisting of two letters dealing 
with the controversy aroused by the publication of these 
lectures. 
The book is evidently intended for the medical profes- 
sion only, the object of the distinguished author being 
two-fold, that is to say, it is a serious protest against 
“operative intemperance” and an attempt to lay down 
some simple principles for the treatment of diseases of 
the upper air passages. 
Such a protest from within the profession against “the 
lust of operation”—perhaps a euphemism for something 
still more discreditable-—has long been needed, and will 
doubtless require periodical repetition. 
For the craze for specialists for everything (even “ for 
a child of 6 months old”) has recruited the ranks of 
specialism with many undesirables, possessed of the 
minimum of really special knowledge, except such as is 
generally associated with one’s conception of the pachy- 
dermatous and pushing commercial traveller. 
The author, perhaps wisely, confines himself to the less 
offensive expressions, “‘lust of operation,” “ operative 
intemperance”—charges from which he, with everyone 
else, wholly exonerates all honourable members of the 
profession possessed of judgment and a proper sense of 
responsibility. 
Coming to questions of treatment, the author divides 
the symptoms and signs arising in pathological condi- 
tions of the upper air passages into five categories :— 
(1) Affections of a purely local character. (2) Local 
manifestations of general systemic diseases. (3) Local 
manifestations in nose and throat dependent upon local 
diseases in correlated areas. (4) Affections of the upper 
air passages supposed to exercise direct or reflex in- 
fluence upon other organs and parts of the body. 
(5) Local symptoms and sensations of obscure origin. 
In conclusion, some observations are made on the 
necessity of a proper proportion being observed between 
the gravity of the disease and that of the interference, so 
as “to make the punishment fit the crime.” 
In admirably clear and concise language, the diseases 
included in the foregoing subdivisions are specified, and 
a surprising amount of detailed treatment, of the utmost 
value, given in the subsequent pages, for many of these 
conditions, e.g. the various stages of tuberculous 
laryngitis. 
In addition, sundry more or less fashionable methods 
of treatment, such as breathing exercises, and catch 
phrases, such as “nasal insufficiency,” are subjected to the 
most searching criticism ; whilst the dangers of ignorant 
“specialism” are fully exposed by a series of cases 
which has come under the direct observation of the 
author. 
We congratulate the writer of these lectures, believing 
that he has done excellent service to his profession and 
to the public generally ; and we confidently recommend 
NO. 1702, VOL. 66] 
the volume both to the up-to-date general practitioner 
and to the specialist, whether broad- or narrow-gauged. 
else 
By Dr. Fr. Buchenau, 
Flora der ostfriestschen Inseln. 
(Leipzig: Wilhelm 
Fourth edition. Pp. iv + 213. 
Engelmann, 1901.) 
IN order to incorporate the results of the systematic 
examination of the mosses, hepatics and lichens of the 
East Friesian Islands, Dr. Buchenau has brought out a 
fourth edition of his flora. The previous edition included 
the descriptive text of the phanerogams and pteridophytes 
and a highly interesting ecological account of the types 
of vegetation. A comparison of the flora of the islands 
and of the mainland brings out some curious points of 
difference. On this account the author rescinds his 
former opinion that the plants had‘travelled over from the 
continent; more probably, he suggests, the insular 
vegetation represents the remains of an ancient dé/uvial 
flora. No changes are made in the previous issue, the 
new edition consisting in the addition of some extra 
pages, which contain a list, without diagnoses, of the 
Muscinez and Lichenes and an appendix giving correc- 
tions and addenda. Amongst the mosses it is interesting 
to find recorded a group of Bryums, represented by 
Bryum calophyllum, which are found locally in_ this 
country on sandhills near the mouths of certain rivers. 
The fungi of the islands are now being worked by Herr 
E. Lemmermann, and his results will be included in a 
future issue. 
Occultations of Stars and Solar Eclipses. By Francis 
Cranmer Penrose. Second edition. Pp. vill + 36. 
(London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd, 1902.) Price 
125. 6d. net. 
THE first edition of this book was published in the year 
1869, but in the present issue Mr. Penrose has not only 
simplified and condensed the work contained in it, but 
has extended it in that portion which relates chiefly to 
total solar eclipses. Most of us are familiar with the 
importance of determining one’s position on the earth’s 
surface, especially when on the ocean or on land far 
removed from the privileges of civilisation, and any 
attempt, either by a graphical or computational process, 
to facilitate this object is very welcome both to navi- 
gators and travellers. In this book Mr. Penrose treats 
the methods of predicting such phenomena as occulta- 
tions of stars and eclipses of the sun by graphical con- 
struction, and he adds more rigorous methods of 
reduction for the accurate calculation of longitude. 
The very full explanation of the principle involved, the 
details of the working out of each case in point, the 
tables to facilitate the necessary computations, and the 
skeleton forms for actual practice, will all be found suffi- 
ciently clear to enable the worker to understand the 
practical use of the method. 
Algebra. Part ii. By H. G. Willis. Pp. lili + 375- 
Rivington’s Junior Mathematics. (London : Rivingtons, 
1902.) Price 1s. 4d. 
In these pages we have a collection of algebraical 
exercises arranged in a progressive order of difficulty 
and suitable for elementary classes. The compiler has 
divided the examples in the following way: collection 
in groups suitable for lessons of about an hour, more 
advanced questions at end of each group; exercises 
grouped in series of twenty-six, furnishing two lessons 
per week for a term ; two sets of parallel series either 
for alternate terms or for more lessons than in one series ; 
oral questions at the beginning of each exercise. The 
scope of the questions carries the exercises up as far as 
the progressions. The book should prove useful to 
teachers who require graduated courses ; answers to all 
the questions are given at the end. 
