August 12, 1909] 



NA TURE 



187 



high antidotal properties. If dried, an anti venomous 

 serum retains its neutralising power for a long period, 

 and it possesses this great advantage over a mere 

 chemical antidote, that it can also antagonise venom 

 which has been absorbed, and may thus be of service 

 for a longer time after injection of the venom. 

 Bathy-orographical Map of Africa. 1-8,400,000. 

 Bathy-orographical Map of Asia. 1-9,300,000. 

 (Edinburgh : W. and .\. K. Johnston, Ltd.) Price 

 \2s. each. 

 \\'f. must congratulate Messrs. W. and A. K. John- 

 ston on these excellent additions to their series of 

 orographical maps. The elevations in Africa show 

 10,000, 5000, 2000, and 1000 feet and below sea-level. 

 The general effect is satisfactory, though the very 

 deep green is, we think, somewhat unpleasing. The 

 10,000-feet contour shows the higher elevations of 

 the Atlas, Abyssinia, the Lakes Plateau and the 

 Drakensbergeni but the tint is indistinguishable by 

 a class. It would, however, have probably made the 

 map more useful if the 8000-feet line had been 

 selected, as the highest points are not of great im- 

 portance for an educational map except in the region 

 of the great lakes. As it is, the mountainous areas 

 do not indicate their special character. 



The other contours selected show the formation of 

 Africa well. The sea depths shown are 100, 1000, 

 2000, and 3000 fathoms. It is to be regretted that 

 the same contours have not been chosen to represent 

 both the land and sea, as the plateau character of 

 Africa would have been brought out with much 

 greater effect. 



Both in Africa and Asia, physical names have been 

 verv fully shown. As they cannot be read by a class, it 

 is a pity that they have not been printed faintly in 

 blue, like the initial letters of towns. The mass of 

 black lettering largely spoils the graphic character of 

 the maps. 



Actual mistakes are few, though one may be noted — 

 in the north-east of Abyssinia the area below sea- 

 level has been coloured as more than 1000 feet. 



The map of Asia is more effective than that of 

 .Africa, possibly owing to the selection of the con- 

 tours. The 10,000-feet affords a means of comparison 

 with .Africa, but it should, if possible, have been 

 printed the same depth ; then the 15,000- and 20,000-feet 

 lines would, with suitable graduation, have illustrated 

 the character of the Tibet Plateau. At present minute 

 and close examination is necessary to distinguish the 

 features of the North-West Frontier. The lower eleva- 

 tions are much better shown. The 100, 3000, and 6000 

 feet bring out well the great river valleys and de- 

 pressions of Asia. 



In spite of these defects, the maps are likely to 

 prove more useful for schools than any that have 

 previously been published of these continents. 



Publications of the Research Defence Society. March, 



iqo8, to March, iqoq. Selected by the Committee. 



Pp. XV+216. (London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 



iqog.) Price 2.y. 6d. net. 

 The Research Defence .Society was founded on 

 January 27, 1908, " to make known the facts as to 

 experiments on animals in this country; the immense 

 importance to the welfare of mankind of sucli experi- 

 ments; and the great saving of human life and health 

 directly attributable to them." The president is the 

 Earl of Cromer, himself a champion in the cause of 

 kindness to animals ; the committee is a strong one, 

 its members representing all branches of science, and 

 also including many theologians and laymen, and in 

 March of this year the membership of the Society 

 numbered more than 2250. 



This first volume of publications contains the presi- 



NO. 2076, VOL. Si] 



dent's address at the inaugural meeting, a review of 

 the Home Office Report fur 1907 on, and some facts 

 as to the administration of the Act regulating, experi- 

 ments on animals, and several essays (also published 

 separately in pamphlet form) by well-known experts 

 dealing with the knowledge that has been derived from 

 experiments on animals, and the saving of human life 

 therefrom. Prof. Cushny shows that the nature of 

 the action and therapeutic use of all drugs of recent 

 introduction, and the potency of the preparations of 

 many of the older drugs (e.g. digitalis and ergot), have 

 been elucidated solely by experiments on animals, the 

 value of diphtheria antitoxin and of serum treatment 

 in epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis (spotted fever) is 

 discussed by Dr. Courtauld and Dr. Robb respectively, 

 Sir David Bruce writes on the extinction of Malta 

 fever, and Dr. Bashford's article in N.wure on recent 

 advances in knowledge of cancer is reprinted. The 

 evidence of Lord Justice Fletcher Moulton before the 

 Royal Commission on Vivisection is given in extenso, 

 and is a powerful vindication from the ethical side of 

 the right to employ experiments on animals for the 

 benefit of mankind. 



If the standard of its publications be maintained at 

 the level of those contained in this volume, the Society 

 will be doing excellent work in the cause of experi- 

 mental research. R. T. H. 



Milk Testing. .4 Simple Practical Handbook for 

 Dairy Farmers, Estate Agents, Creamery Managers, 

 .Milk Distributors, and Consumers. By C. W. 

 Walker-Tisdale. (Northallerton : W. R. Smithson.) 

 Price IS. net. 

 The author of this little book is already favourably 

 known by his early publications, jointly with Mr. 

 r. R. Robinson, on butter-making and soft cheese- 

 making. He holds an important position in the dairy 

 world, and, as general manager of the Wensleydale 

 Pure Milk Society, knows at first hand all the diffi- 

 culties that beset the dairyman. The result is an 

 admirable little volume, sound in regard to analytical 

 methods, and direct in its appeal to the man for whom 

 it is intended. It is more than a mere collection of 

 methods, and includes discussions of such cognate 

 subjects as the use of preservatives. Occasionally a 

 request is heard in certain quarters that a preserva- 

 tive should be allowed in milk, but our author will 

 have none of it, and advises the dairyman to keep 

 clear of them all, even of a certain preservative offered 

 for sale, " guaranteed to contain no boron or boric 

 acid, and claimed to be undetectable by chemical 

 analysis"! Quite apart from considerations of the 

 general health of the community, the author shows 

 that the dairyman himself would suffer, since foreign 

 milk would invariably be imported if preservatives 

 were allowed. E. J. R. 



The Journal of the Cooper Research Laboratory. 

 Edited by Walter E. Collinge, Director. (Berk- 

 hamsted : The Cooper Research Laboratory, 1909.) 

 The fact that the principal of a large and well-knovi-n 

 firm like Messrs. Cooper should start a research 

 laboratory and publish a journal is a satisfactory 

 proof of the widespread interest now being taken 

 in science by all who have to do with agricultural 

 and horticultural matters. The special province of 

 the firm — treatment of insect and fungoid pests — cer- 

 tainly borders more closely than usual on pure science, 

 and no doubt a trained staff would have been 

 wanted in any case. But here we have something 

 more. The laboratory, we are told, " is in no sense 

 a fina.ncial venture or business concern." Its func- 

 tions are to answer inquiries from farmers, fruit- 

 growers, and gardeners as to preventive and remedial 

 treatment for diseases of plants and parasitic diseases 



