452 



NA TURE 



[February i8, 1909 



of the phvsiolog-y of the heart. From it we gather, 

 among other things, that it was Kronecker who dis- 

 covered " that the heart is not irritable during 

 systole " — denominated by Marey the refractory 

 period ; that Kronecl<cr and his pupils found that the 

 heart " ceases to beat if its contents are deprived of 

 all stimulating properties " — from which fact we may 

 infer " that there is no true automatism in the ven- 

 tricle, but only intermittent action to a constant 

 stimulus "; that " no other material enables the heart 

 to beat except serum albumin, and to a very slight 

 degree, serum globulin "; that Bowditch's law (mini- 

 mal stimuli causing maximum pulsations, or in a 

 word " all or nothing ") holds good uiithotit any 

 exception ; that the rhythmicality of the flow through 

 the arteries causes much more fluid to pass through 

 ■them than when the flow is continuous ; and that self- 

 .massage of the heart and vessels is an important 

 factor in maintaining the efficiency of the circulatory 

 •mechanism. The last-named topic (self-massage of 

 the heart, arteries, lymphatics, and veins) is also 

 fully discussed by the author, who points out its 

 important bearing on the nutritive integrity of the 

 heart and the arterial wall. The author suspects 

 that some may consider he has devoted too much 

 space to the consideration of self-massage of the 

 heart and vessels, and the conduction of stimuli in 

 the heart. There is no doubt, however, that he is 

 justified by the scant reference to these subjects in the 

 text-books and by their practical iinportance. 



In lectures ii. and iii., and in the appendix B, we 

 .have a very full and well-illustrated description of 

 most of the instruments which have been devised for 

 the measurement of blood-pressure in man for clinical 

 purpcses. The variety in construction shows us what 

 a large amount of thought and ingenuity have been 

 expended in devising them, so as to satisfy as much as 

 possible clinical needs and accuracy. The introduction 

 of such devices into clinical work has always been 

 regarded with suspicion by physicians, who ever since 

 the days of Herophylus have trusted with implicit 

 faith to the infallibility of the tactus eruditus. In view 

 of this natural distrust it is therefore of some import- 

 ance, when discussing the claims of these innovations, 

 to attach due weight to the objections which may be 

 advanced to their adoption. The author does not, 

 however, touch on this aspect of the clinical employ- 

 ment of blood-pressure apparatus. Probably this 

 omission has arisen from want of space or the unsuit- 

 ability of the subject for treatment in these lectures. 

 We are therefore left to infer that he highly appre- 

 ciates the advantages derived from the adoption of the 

 methods now in use for the clinical measurement of 

 blood-pressure, and that the practical value of these 

 methods is amply justified by observation and experi- 

 ence ; and there is no doubt that that is the verdict 

 of the majority of those who have so far adopted these 

 methods. The test of their usefulness is measured by 

 the help and satisfaction they afford in the daily routine 

 of practice rather than in the discovery of minor 

 defects, which actually do not count for anything in 

 disturbing the conclusions of the physician in clinical 

 work. The author has, therefore, wisely devoted a 

 NO. 2051, VOL. 79] 



large portion of his lecture to this important subject, 

 which more than any other has made it possible to 

 apply our knowledge of the physiology of the circula- 

 tion to the service of man. 



To comment on the remaining lectures in which 

 the author discusses in an instructive manner various 

 diseases of the heart and their treatment would 

 undulv extend this review, and introduce topics some- 

 what extraneous to the scope of Nature. 



But these remarks should not be closed without a 

 reference to the profusion of e-xcellent illustrations, 

 which add greatly to the clear conception of the text, 

 and the admirable indices, which facilitate easy and 

 accurate reference. 



JUSTUS VON LIEBIG. 

 Justus von Liebig. By Jacob Vulhard. Band I., pp. 

 xii + 456. Band 11., pp. viii-l-437. (Leipzig: J. A. 

 Barth, 1909.) Price 24 marks. 



THIRTY-FIVE years have passed since Liebig 

 died, and we are at length presented with a 

 biography worthy of the man and his work. At the 

 time of his death innumerable articles on his life and 

 achievements appeared in the newspapers and period- 

 ical press of practically every country in the world, 

 and almost every known scientific society having rela- 

 tions with chemistry made reference to his splendid 

 services, and to the irreparable loss which humanity 

 had suffered by his decease. 



Some of these, such as the memorable lecture of 

 Hofmann, are among the classics of chemical bio- 

 graphy. But a generation has had to come and go 

 before the appearance of a work u hicli would serve to 

 fix for all time without question Liebig's true place 

 in the history of the science he did so much to illumine 

 and develop. The delay has not been without its 

 compensations. Time is required to estimate the real 

 value of such services as Liebig was able to render. 

 The outcome of his work was not wholly apparent 

 during his lifetime, or even in the years immediately 

 following his death. Germany was barely a united 

 nation in 1S7J. Although the seed of her supremacy 

 in chemistry, and in many branches of the chemical 

 arts, had been sown in the early Giessen days, and 

 although he lived to see the signs of its abundance, 

 Liebig died before the harvest was garnered. It is 

 hardly garnered yet. The impetus which he gave to 

 the study of chemistry still makes itself felt, not only 

 in his native country, but throughout the world. To 

 him, more than to any other man, is due the inception 

 of the movement resulting in that development and 

 extension of the industries dependent upon organic 

 chemistry which is one of the most remarkable 

 features of our times. 



Liebig, a man of good fortune in his life, as the 

 Romans say, is fortunate also in his biographer. With 

 the possible exception of Hofmann, no more fitting 

 choice could have been made than Prof. Volhard. The 

 author and his subject were on terms of strong per- 

 sonal friendship, dating, indeed, from Dr. Volhard's 

 early youth. He was, in fact, like a son of the house 

 in Liebig's family. For some years Dr. Volhard 



