70 
A Text-Book of Histology, including Microscopic 
Technic. Authorized Translation of the Sec- 
ond German Revised Edition of Dr. BorHM 
and yon DaAvyiporr’s Histology. Edited 
with Extensive Additions to Text and Illus- 
trations by C. CARL Huser, M.D., of the 
University of Michigan. Published in Phila- 
delphia by W. B. Saunders & Co. 1900. 
Price, $3.50, net. 
In selecting Drs. Boehm and von Davidoff’s 
‘Text-Book of Histology’ for an English edi- 
tion, the American editor has made a happy 
choice. The excellent features of the original 
German editions are too well known to need 
any extensive comment here. ; 
In general plan, clearness and brevity of 
treatment, combined as a rule with sufficient 
detail, the text is admirable. The illustrations 
are for the most part quite good. Especially 
praiseworthy are the suggestions as to technical 
methods following each topic, and the refer- 
ences to literature in the back of the book. 
The student finds here an exceptionally valua- 
ble addition to the statements of the text, in 
the effects of reagents and other treatment of 
the structures described, and is led to under- 
stand how and by whom the science has been 
developed. This feature gives a very broad 
conception of the subject, explains the basis of 
the facts and conclusions presented, and at the 
same time makes it easy to confirm and extend 
them in the laboratory and through the litera- 
ture. 
We find unevenness of emphasis, certain sub- 
‘jects being described in much greater detail than 
are others, as is usually the case in text-books; 
but the constant reference to original sources 
should counteract this, and the book as a whole 
has certainly been a decided success. 
Dr. Huber must be congratulated on his Eng- 
lish version of so good a text-book. Taking 
Dr. Cushing’s excellent translation as a basis, 
the editor has rearranged the text to advantage 
here and there, and has rewritten and extended 
a number of topics, greatly improving them. 
Many new and valuable figures have been in- 
troduced. This is especially true of the sec 
tions on the structure of gangliaand nerve end- 
organs, the figures having been taken from Dr. 
Huber’s own papers on the peripheral nerves. 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Von. XIII. No. 315. - 
The nerve supply of all organs is much more 
fully treated than in the original. The discus- 
sion of the development of bone is much im- 
proved, and the sections on the structure of 
the spleen and ductless glands receive consid- 
erable additions. 
The changes or additions of the editor seem 
well considered, wherever made, and it is only 
to be regretted that he has not attempted to 
bring all sections symmetrically up to date. 
Finally the publishers must be complimented 
on a handsome book with excellent press- work, 
and with illustrations as good as those of the 
German edition, which is high praise. 
It isa pleasure to cordially recommend this 
book as one of the very best text-books avail- 
able on the subject. 
H. Mc. E. KNOWER. 
ANATOMICAL LABORATORY, 
JOHNS HopKINS UNIVERSITY. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
New 
1900. 
The Elements of Astronomy. ROBERT BALL. 
York and London, The Macmillan Company. 
Pp. viii-+ 188. 80 cts. 
Die Pflanzen-Alkaloide. JUL. WILH. BRUHL, EDVARD 
HJELT und OsstAN ASCHAN. Braunschweig, Fried- 
rich Vieweg und Sobn. 1900. Pp. xxii +586. 
M. 14. 
Beitrag zur Systematik und Genealogie der Meptilien. 
MaxX FURBRINGER. Jena, Gustav Fischer. 1900. 
Pp. 91. 
Ergebnisse der neueren Sporozoenforschung. M. LUHE. 
Jena, Gustav Fischer. 1900. Pp. iv +100. 
SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. 
In the November-December number of the 
Physical Review, Mr. Frank Allen describes an 
interesting series of experiments to determine 
the effect upon the persistence of vision of ex- 
posing the eye to light of various wave-lengths. 
It is found that prolonged exposure to red light 
increases the persistence of vision for light from 
the red end of the spectrum, while the sensi- 
tiveness of the eye for other colors is unaffected. 
It has previously been shown by Ferry that a 
‘red-blind’ eye shows abnormally great per- 
sistence of vision at the red end of the spec- 
trum. In respect to the duration of impres- 
sions, therefore, as well as in other respects, an 
eye that has been fatigued by red light re- 
