JUNE 19, 1902 | 
NATURE 
173 
the value of health and convenience. Second in healthi- 
ness, probably, comes incandescent gas lighting, and this 
is also the cheapest. For comparative figures we must 
refer readers to the book itself, in which many useful 
and interesting tables are given. The book would be 
improved by the addition of illustrations, which are 
more especially needed to accompany the descriptions 
of different forms of gas burners and lamps. We 
also think that it would be advantageous if the very 
short chapter on the distribution of light, and the use of 
shades, &c., were expanded, as this is a subject on which 
the public more especially needs instruction, since it 1s 
that which, more than any other, they have under their 
own control. M.S 
Sanitary Engineering. A Practical Manual of Town 
Drainage and Sewage and Refuse Disposal. By 
Francis Wood, A.M. Inst. C.E., F.G.S. With numerous 
illustrations. Pp. xi + 304. (London: Charles Griffin 
and Co., Ltd., 1902.) Price 85. 6d. net. 
SANITARY engineering is a comprehensive and difficult 
science, yet the author states in his preface that he him- 
self “felt the want of a work which would in one small 
volume deal with the science in a comprehensive, concise 
and easily intelligible form.” It is fair to infer from this 
statement that he considers the want has been met by the 
compilation of the present work. Yet in his introductory 
remarks (chapter i.) he adds that the student “ will know 
only a small part of this vast subject when he has read 
and learned the contents of the present volume.” We 
concur with the writer in the latter statement. The work 
contains a great deal of information upon sanitary 
engineering which will be useful to municipal engineers 
and students, medical officers of health, sanitary in- 
spectors and members of local authorities ; but the sub- 
ject is of course not dealt with comprehensively. The 
general correctness of the statements and views 
expressed leave little to be desired, but while in a 
scientific text-book there is no occasion to be hypercritical 
on the subject of literary style, there are so many 
instances in this work where the meaning is obscured or 
the sense is lost by the slovenly construction of sentences 
that the pleasure and satisfaction of perusing it are 
somewhat marred. To give one or two instances :— 
“ The student must therefore take and make the most 
of the opportunities which he now has—and never will 
have again” (p. 5). 
“The engineer is a born geologist ; his work is con- 
nected with the earth and its composition” (p. 5). 
“Since the system of bacteriology has been brought 
forward ” (p. 227). 
“The formation of Urban, Rural District, and Parish 
Councils are doing a great work in abolishing these 
abominations ; and it is pleasing to note that in almost 
every district and village sanitary inspectors are being 
appointed, who with the powers they possess are rapidly 
converting these anomalies, which soon must become 
things of the past” (p. 49). 
The author is inclined to conclude that the explanation 
why sewer air may at times be quite sweet is “that 
micro-organisms also act on the foul atmosphere and 
consume each other, together with the foul matter in the 
gases which must prevade it” (p. 124). 
We read with some curiosity and misgivings the 
statement that a chapter had been allotted to bacteriolysis 
-—but, as we suspected, the chapter deals with the 
bacteriological purification of sewage. On pp. 170- 
180, an article which appeared in Zhe Engineer about 
four years ago is inserted, and the writer advises 
that “the paragraphs under their different headings 
should be read in conjunction with the same subjects, 
which are to be found elsewhere” in the book. One need 
hardly point out that this is not the most convenient way 
in which the subject-matter can be presented to the 
NO. 1703, VOL. 66] 
student. The author would have done well if he had 
himself selected the different paragraphs contained in the 
article and put them under their proper headings. The 
work, however, in addition to containing much valuable 
information, is very well illustrated, and the subject- 
matter dealt with comprises a fairly wide survey of 
the more important matters of practical sanitary 
engineering. 
The Story of Animal Life. By B. Lindsay. The 
Library of Useful Stories. Pp. vill + 208. (London : 
George Newnes, Ltd., Igol.) Price rs. 
To try to tell the story of animal life within the compass 
of one of Messrs. Newnes’ well-known shilling series 
of “Useful Stories” seems almost irreverent. Even 
Prof. Macalister required two primers, and the result was 
somewhat indigestible pemmican. Perhaps Huxley’s 
educational genius might have achieved what must seem 
to most naturalists impossible. We therefore admire 
Miss Lindsay’s courage, and while we think that she has 
attempted too much, we willingly recognise that her 
little book is good value for a shillng—a multum in 
éarvo, packed with interesting information and illumined 
with big ideas. It is perhaps unduly handicapped with 
technicalities and zoological subtleties, for when we read 
of “diploblastic,” “apopyles,” “ metamerism,” “ Archi- 
annelida,” “ Euthyneura,” ‘“Adelochorda,” and so on, 
we wonder what these abstruse terms are doing in this 
shilling gallery. On the other hand, the booklet is 
interesting, and it has the two-fold merit of refusing to 
give a false simplicity to the subject, and of clearly 
indicating that zoology is not remote from human life. 
We regret to notice some inaccuracies of spelling and 
grammar which might have been readily avoided in so 
small a book. We regret still more to have to point 
out that many of the figures are so roughly reproduced 
that they recall the earliest stages of book illustration. 
Some of them, eg. the tadpoles, are worse than 
medizeval, and if they were not so dull might be referred 
to as beacons warning us of the dangers of cheapness. 
Municipal Engineering and Sanitation. By M. M. 
Baker, Ph.D., C.E. Pp. viii + 317. (New York: 
The Macmillan Company ; London: Macmillan and 
Co., Ltd., 1902.) Price 5s. net. 
THE author intends this small volume for that large and 
rapidly growing class of persons who, either as officials 
or citizens, are striving to improve municipal conditions. 
It is a short review of the whole field of engineering and 
municipal sanitation, and no claim is made that it is an 
exhaustive study of any one of the branches with which 
it deals. 
Although engineers and sanitarians will not find in the 
book much that is new to them, yet it contains matter of 
a trustworthy and up-to-date nature which will make the 
book interesting and helpful even to professional men. In 
addition to the treatment of the subjects of water-supply, 
sewage and sewerage, general scavenging and the 
making and keeping of streets, and pavements, the 
following matters are also dealt with :—subways for 
pipes and wires; urban and inter-urban_transporta- 
tion ; bridges, ferries and ice boats ; docks and harbour 
facilities ; telegraph, telephone and messenger service ; 
ice ; milk ; markets ; slaughter-houses ; lighting ; ceme- 
teries ; crematoria; fire ; smoke ; noises; disinfection ; 
parks ; playgrounds ; baths and Javatories ; public offices ; 
and the administration, finance and public policy of 
municipal authorities. 
Having regard to the extensive range of subjects 
dealt with, it follows that in such a small volume the 
treatment of each subject must be, generally speaking, 
sketchy. For instance, the chapter upon disinfecting 
metheds and apparatus consists of three small pages 
containing scme 750 werds only. The hook is of a handy 
size, well printed and bound, but withcut illustrations. 
