484 



NATURE 



[January 2, igi; 



Several of the specially interesting examples of 

 plant-movement receive careful treatment, and 

 amongst them chemiotaxis is fairly fully dis- 

 cussed, but no very satisfactory conclusion is 

 arrived at — a result which is quite justified by, 

 and in accordance with, the present state of 

 knowledge. 



In the general summary there occurs an excellent 

 suggestion as to the general attitude to be main- 

 tained towards the whole subject of irritability 

 by a wise investigator. 



Although it may not be possible as yet to give 

 a complete or satisfactory explanation for the 

 irritable manifestations of life, or of the manner 

 in which they are produced, it is nevertheless on 

 the suggested lines that advance may still be most 

 profitably made. Even if we are as yet ignorant of 

 many things in chemistry and physics which are 

 necessary to the solution of the problems, it is 

 better to search in those directions than to delude 

 ourselves with psychical explanations which are no 

 real explanations at all, but mainly serve to bar 

 real advance by substituting elusive phantasy for 

 ascertainable fact. At the best, they may be 

 useful in checking too ready dependence on crude 

 mechanistic hypotheses. For this is apt to be 

 the sin of those who desire to run along the road 

 of the "exact sciences" faster than the way is 

 securely built, or even exactly traced. 



J. B. F. 



COPPER SMELTING. 

 Modem Copper Smelting. By Donald M. Levy, 

 Pp. xii + 259. (London: C. Griffin and Co., 

 Ltd., 1912.) Price 10s. 6d. net. 



THE book consists of the lectures given by 

 the author before the senior students of 

 metallurgy at the University of Birmingham, con- 

 siderably extended, and is based partly on a 

 study of the practice as conducted at some of the 

 most important copper-smelting works in America, 

 and of the records of the advances in the metal- 

 lurgy of copper contained in recent technical 

 literature. Incorporated in it are also the personal 

 experiences of the author during a stay at the 

 works at Anaconda and at others in Tennessee. 



In the first four lectures are given brief 

 accounts of the history and uses of the metal anr 

 of the preliminary preparation of the ores for 

 smelting. As regards the roasting of ores, the 

 modern type of furnace is indeed described, but 

 the space devoted to this important operation 

 might be extended with advantage in the next 

 edition of the book. 



The use of the reverberatory furnace, which, not 

 long ago, was considered by some to be passing 

 NO. 2253, VOL. 90] 



into obsolescence and was almost everywhere 

 being displaced by the blast-furnace, has, during 

 recent years, again come to the front on account 

 of its suitability for the smelting of fine ores. 



New furnaces of extraordinary length and other 

 dimensions have been erected at Anaconda and 

 elsewhere, and are worked with a greater economy 

 of fuel and labour than the smaller furnaces which 

 formerly were universal in this country. 



Copper-smelting generally, however, is con- 

 ducted on a much less magnificent scale than at 

 the Anaconda works, and it would have been well 

 if the description of the furnaces and practice 

 there had been supplemented by an account of the 

 practice and type of furnace that would be best 

 adapted for works of moderate size. This remark 

 also applies to lecture vi., on blast-furnace prac- 

 tice, in which the Anaconda plant again receives 

 chief attention. 



The lectures on bessemerising and copper- 

 refining contain a good summary of these pro- 

 cesses, but are wanting in one or two details. 



The foregoing criticisms are offered in a friendly 

 spirit, as the book is a good one, an excellent 

 summary of modern copper-smelting practice, and 

 should be in the hands of every student of this 

 subject. W. G. 



PERSON.iL AND PUBLIC HEALTH. 



(i) Perfect Health for Women and Childreji. By 

 Elizabeths. Chesser. Pp. xi + 276. (London: 

 Methuen and Co., Ltd., n.d.) Price 35. 6d. net. 



(2) Hypnotism and Disease: a Plea for National 

 Psychotherapy. By Dr. Hugh C. Miller. Pp. 

 2^2. (London: T. Fisher L'nwin, 1912.) Price 

 5.?. net. 



(3) Modern Sanitary Engineering. Part i.. House 

 Drainage. By G. Thomson, M.A. Pp. xv + 

 266. (London: Constable and Co., Ltd., 1912.) 

 6s. net. 



(i) ' I ^HE author's experience as a woman 

 J. doctor has frequently shown to her how 

 necessary it is to women, especially mothers, that 

 they should be supplied with information which 

 will be of service to them in health and sickness ; 

 and the book which she has written aims at supply- 

 ing intelligent women with such useful in- 

 formation. The simple facts of hygiene, properly 

 understood and practised, cannot fail to prevent 

 much disease, and a knowledge of the domestic 

 treatment of common ailments will in many cases 

 avert serious complications. Miss Chesser has 

 to be commended for having treated a wide sub- 

 ject in such a sound, common-sense and practical 

 manner as will make the book appeal to every 

 class of reader, both lay and medical. The author 



