May 8, 19 13] 



NATURE 



'■39 



in a parenthesis of the epoch-making work of 

 Schiifer and Oliver, there is nothing- to indicate 

 that it was these workers who founded our know- 

 ledge of the physiology of this organ. Adrenaline 

 is referred to as a chemical substance of known 

 composition, but there is no description of its 

 constitution, nor of the success which has attended 

 the efforts which have been made to synthesise it. 

 The account given of the pituitary is similarly 

 marred by the entire omission of Herring's and 

 Howell's researches, which have thrown so much 

 light on its development, structure, and functions. 

 Nussbaum's work on the kidney is mentioned 

 and dismissed with a shrug because Adami failed 

 to confirm some of his statements. We are not 

 told that Adami subsequently withdrew most of 

 his criticisms, nor of the important recent develop- 

 ment of the Nussbaum method in this country, 

 which has shown that this particular means of 

 investigation has proved to be a sheet-anchor in 

 our conception of the mechanism of the renal 

 organs. 



So also in the discussion on the absorption of 

 proteins the author's knowledge seems to have 

 stopped short at an epoch when it was believed 

 that proteose and peptones were absorbed as 

 such, and we have many pages devoted to an 

 antiquated description of how these are re-syn- 

 thesised in the intestinal wall into the blood- 

 proteins. The work of Fischer, Abderhalden, 

 and a host of American workers is passed by with- 

 out a reference. 



Such examples might be multiplied almost to 

 weariness. It would therefore be advisable that 

 if advanced students take this book as their guide 

 it would be well for them not to rely exclusively 

 upon it. They will derive both pleasure and profit 

 from its study, but if they desire the latest and 

 most accurate account of modern views they 

 should supplement it with reading other books 

 which deal rather with the present than with the 

 past. 



(2) Dr. Pieron's book on sleeo is of quite a 

 different character, for it only treats of one small 

 corner of physiology, and yet he has contrived 

 to write a volume on this subject almost equal in 

 length to the one we have just considered. It, 

 however, resembles Prof. Luciani's in its wealth 

 of references. Some sixty pages are devoted to 

 bibliography alone. This indicates how much has 

 been written, but it also shows how little we really 

 know.. If physiologists had satisfactorily solved 

 the intimate meaning of sleep, there would be no 

 need of so much discussion and printer's ink, and 

 the subject might have been discussed in as many 

 lines as there are pages devoted to it. It is only 

 fair to say, however, that the book is a singularly 

 NO. 2271. VOL. Ql] 



interesting one, and the subject is discussed with 

 that admirable clearness which distinguishes the 

 writings of most French authors. Of all the 

 numerous theories advanced, some chemical, some 

 circulatory, some histological, some psychological, 

 and so forth, the author most inclines to the so- 

 called inhibition hypothesis. The book is en- 

 titled a physiological problem, but many patho- 

 logical or quasi-pathological states are included ; 

 thus we have chapters devoted to coma, uncon- 

 sciousness produced by drugs and other means, 

 fatigue, hypnosis, and others. It will therefore 

 appeal to the students of pathology and medicine 

 as well as to those who make physiology their life- 

 work. 



(3) The third book on our list, that by Dr. 

 Plimmer on protein synthesis, is the second edition 

 of a work which has already been favourably 

 noticed in these columns. The mere necessity of 

 a second edition of such a highly technical work 

 is no mean testimony to its excellence. So rapid 

 have been the recent advances in knowledge on 

 this question that the book is very largely a new 

 one, and it is thoroughly up to date. To peruse 

 the original memoirs on which the book is founded 

 is a task which would deter many authors, and 

 certainly the majority of readers. The useful 

 summary Dr. Plimmer has given will relieve the 

 latter class from undertaking such a labour. It 

 would be damning the book with faint praise to 

 say that it is interesting; it is far too technical 

 and packed with facts and formulae to make it 

 light reading, but to those who want to know the 

 recent developments in one of the most important 

 of the problems of the day to which either chemists 

 or biologists can apply themselves, the book will 

 prove a veritable godsend. W. D. H. 



7 HE GAS TURBINE AND OTHER ENGINES. 



(1) The Gas Turbine. By H. Holzwarth. Trans- 

 lated by A. P. Chalkley. Pp. viii+140. 

 (London: C. Griffin and Co., Ltd., 1912.) 

 Price 75. 6d. net. 



(2) A Primer of the Internal Combustion Engine. 

 By H. E. Wimperis. Pp. xiii+143. (London: 

 Constable and Co., Ltd., 1912.) Price 2s. 6d. 

 net. 



(3) Vapours for Heat Engines. Including Con- 

 siderations Relating to the Use of Fluids other 

 than Steam for Power Generation. By Prof. 

 W. D. Ennis. Pp. v + 78. (London: Con- 

 stable and Co., Ltd., 1912.) Price 6s. net. 



(1) "T^NGINEERS interested in this very diffi- 



JlL cult problem are much indebted to Mr. 



Holzwarth for his ingenuity, to Mr. Junghaus 



for his support, and to both for their liberality 



