NA TURE 



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THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1913. 



.1 NEW TEXT-BOOK OF PHYSIOLOGY. 

 Principles of Human Physiology. By Prof. E. H. 

 Starling, F.R.S. Pp. xii+1423. (London: 

 J. and A. Churchill, 1912.) Price 21s. net. 



TO one familiar with modern text-books of 

 human physiology, the title of this work 

 suggests something out of the common run. Ex- 

 cellenl "elements" of the subject, "manuals," 

 .mil "text-books" exist in plenty. Indeed, Eng- 

 lish-speaking students are exceptionally fortunate 

 in possessing' as they do such a selection of trust- 

 worthy and often attractive presentations of the 

 established facts of the science. At the same 

 time many teachers have undoubtedly felt that 

 the existing students' text-book, admirable as it 

 is. is not in all things in tune with the times, and 

 that a new presentation in which more attention 

 should be paid to recently revealed or recently 

 applied " principles " would be a welcome acquisi- 

 tion. Prof. Starling's work is a response to this 

 commonly-felt de side num. 



To attempt to combine an up-to-date exposi- 

 tion of the traditional subject-matter of a manual 

 of human physiology with a sufficiently well- 

 informed risumi of new and unfamiliar but appro- 

 priate branches of chemistry and physics, showing 

 wherever available the connection between the one 

 and the other, and in addition indicating the 

 general trend of modern physiological investiga- 

 tion, implies qualifications rarely met with in one 

 individual. It will be generally conceded that no 

 one, whether from versatility of personal experi- 

 ence or from environment, was more competent 

 than Prof. Starling to undertake the task. It 

 will be equally conceded that his reputation has 

 not suffered in the achievement. In more respects 

 than one the book represents an advance on pre- 

 vious works of a similar kind. 



A word as to its history. Some fifteen or 

 twenty years ago there existed an unpretentious 

 little volume by the author entitled " Elements of 

 Human Physiology." Admirably concise, clear in 

 thought and style, no better epitome of physiology 

 could be put in the hands of a student. The author 

 subsequently enlarged this book, leaving the title 

 unchanged. Although the enlargement went 

 through a number of editions, it was never such 

 an unqualified success as the original, at least 

 from the reader's point of view. Like the new 

 dress of the little girl who had made up her mind 

 to cry, it was "either too long or too short." The 

 present volume represents a further transforma- 

 tion, in which the whole work has been recast and 

 greatly expanded, and the title changed. At the 

 XO. 2272. VOL. 91] 



same time it carries within it unmistakable and 

 almost ineffaceable traces of its predecessors. 



An important feature of the book is the inser- 

 tion of an introductory section on general physio- 

 logy. This consists for the most part of two sub- 

 stantial chapters, one on the chemistry of cells 

 and food materials, the other on elementary 

 physical chemistry so far as it bears on physio- 

 logy. The latter is a welcome innovation, for it 

 provides essential information that can otherwise 

 be obtained only with difficulty. The bulk of the 

 volume is devoted to the stock subject-matter of a 

 text-book of physiology, the material being- 

 grouped under two main headings, "The Mechan- 

 isms of Movement and Sensation" and "The 

 Mechanisms of Nutrition." The author's first- 

 hand experimental knowledge is especially brought 

 out in the latter of these, while the former is 

 mainly notable for the incorporation of Sherring- 

 ton's work on the central nervous system. The 

 book ends with a short section on reproduction. 

 Apparently the author has not considered the time 

 ripe for the introduction of a special section on 

 growth. The book is illustrated with a wealth of 

 pictorial matter, chiefly in the form of diagrams. 



While the work as a whole bears evidence of 

 strenuous effort to bring it up to date (it contains 

 a large amount of material comprised in no other 

 general text-book of physiologyj, the process ol 

 modernisation is unequal. Thus, the value of the 

 chapters on muscle and nerve has been enhanced 

 by the inclusion of much recent investigation, 

 especially of workers in the Cambridge school, but 

 the partial selection of this material and the omis- 

 sion of other recent Continental work indicate 

 that the author has failed to grasp some of the 

 most suggestive teachings of nerve and muscle 

 experiment. Again, the chapter on coagulation of 

 the blood contains an admirable history of the 

 coagulation question almost up to the date of 

 publication, but the account of blood-platelets, 

 with which coagulation is so intimately associated, 

 is not only inadequate, but in regard to many- 

 statements quite misleading. 



The omission of any single section on the liver 

 is difficult to explain. While a considerable amount 

 of information (not always correctly indexed) on 

 the physiology of the organ is scattered through- 

 out the book, the structure and vascular relations 

 of the liver are not described. 



One greatly regrets that the author has not 

 seen his way to provide occasional references to 

 original papers. A good scientific text-book has 

 two classes of readers, students and research 

 workers. To the latter a handy reference is most 

 acceptable. For students the systematic mention 

 of names and dates (the latter word might be 



