Decembee 6, 1912] 



SCIENCE 



791 



sometimes makes the treatment of the inner- 

 vation, the comparative anatomy and the de- 

 velopment of the muscles less satisfactory 

 than if the grouping in all cases were along 

 morphological lines. In an extensive, scien- 

 tific reference handbook, it would seem to the 

 reviewer better, for instance, to group the 

 sterno-cleido-mastoid and the trapezius to- 

 gether, rather than to class the former with 

 the " muscles of the neck " and the latter with 

 the superficial muscles of the hack. Some 

 repetition would thus he avoided and the 

 morphological relations of the muscles would 

 be emphasized. In spite, however, of the tra- 

 ditional general classification of the muscles 

 according to adult topographical relations, the 

 author gives an exceptionally clear account of 

 the morphological relations of the muscles and 

 some excellent illustrations based on this point 

 of view. The topographical treatment is an 

 aid in the discussion of the fascise. After 

 treating of the muscles of each part, as, for in- 

 stance, of the head, the author gives an exten- 

 sive description of the muscle fasciae, the most 

 extensive and satisfactory which has yet ap- 

 peared. The fasciae he justly considers not as 

 independent organs, but rather as local thick- 

 enings or strengthenings of the general con- 

 nective tissue framework, the thickness, struc- 

 ture and extent of which depends upon the me- 

 chanical stresses to which the part is sub- 

 jected. 



The author's style throughout is so clear, his 

 su mm ary of the literature is so satisfactory, 

 his own contributions are so welcome and his 

 point of view of the theoretical aspects of the 

 subject is so suggestive even when one does 

 not accept all the conclusions reached, that 

 one can not but regret that the mechanics of 

 muscle action have not to some extent been 

 considered along with the morphological as- 

 pects of the subject. While this would have 

 necessitated some repetition of the extensive 

 field covered by Fick in the volume on special 

 joint and muscle mechanics in the same 

 " Handbook " it would, none the less, add not 

 a little to the interest of the study of the 

 detailed anatomy. 



Not the least satisfactory part of the vol- 



ume under review is the section devoted to the 

 general aspects of myology. Here an ad- 

 mirable review is given of the more recent 

 literature on the histology of striated muscle 

 fibers, their physical and chemical character- 

 istics and their development, and of the gen- 

 eral structure of the voluntary muscles. In 

 general opposing views of disputed points are 

 fairly presented. The discussion of the con- 

 nective tissue in relation to the muscles is 

 especially good. Eisler, however, accepts O. 

 Schultze's apparent demonstration of the con- 

 tinuity of the myofibrils with the connective 

 tissue fibrils attached to the sarcolemma with 

 less reserve than would seem to the reviewer 

 justified. The general, like the special, treat- 

 ment of the muscle fascia is a contribution 

 of importance. 



Taking the volume as a whole, it should 

 prove of much value not only to those inter- 

 ested in scientific human anatomy, but also 

 to the zoologist interested in comparative 

 anatomy. 



C. E. Baedeen 



Univeesity of Wisconsin 



The Physiology of Protein Metabolism. By 

 E. P. Cathcart, Ph.D., D.Sc. Monographs 

 on Biochemistry. Longmans, Green and Co. 

 1912. Pp. viii-f 142. Price $1.25. 

 Like the other monographs of this series, 

 this book is from the pen of an ardent in- 

 vestigator in the field of which he vtrrites. To 

 those who derive their knowledge of the sub- 

 ject of nutrition from text-books, the present 

 volume will offer numerous surprises. In 

 many places the treatment consists in the ex- 

 position of the various points of view of spe- 

 cific problems relating to protein metabolism, 

 which rest upon experimental data, and does 

 not therefore furnish a complete and har- 

 monious story. This style of treatment is most 

 commendable, for with no other attitude 

 could the author give an adequate picture of 

 the state of our knowledge of this complex sub- 

 ject. 



The book surveys the literature up to the 

 end of the year 1910, and appeared at a rather 

 unfortunate time, for never in the history of 



