Maech 16, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



429 



since 1891 in the chapter on the phenomena 

 of irritability (Ch. VII.), although a large 

 part of the most important literature, on the 

 theory of tropisms especially, is more recent ; 

 and he has not included any of the data con- 

 cerning cell-lineage or germinal localization 

 in the parts dealing with the theory of em- 

 bryonic development, althovigh (or because) 

 these data render his own point of view un- 

 tenable. 



In general, then, though the author has in- 

 cluded some of the new literature on certain 

 subjects with which he deals, there are grave 

 omissions of data necessary to the discussion 

 of other subjects with which he also deals. 

 It would be unreasonable to expect an ex- 

 haustive treatment of the vast field covered 

 by general biology, and no criticism is due 

 for the omission of certain problems entirely; 

 it is due, however, for the omission of the 

 most significant data in subjects actually 

 discussed. 



Professor Hertwig occupies precisely the 

 same theoretical ground that he did at the 

 time of the publication of the first edition. 

 He declares himself in advance against all 

 purely physico-chemical conceptions of the 

 cell (pp. 15 and 16), " since they are funda- 

 mentally irreconcilable with the conception of 

 the elementary organism, which runs through 

 this text-book like a red thread." This point 

 of view constitutes at the same time an apol- 

 ogy for an inadequate and antiquated treat- 

 ment of the chemistry of protoplasm. Most 

 biologists will no doubt agree with the author 

 that ' protoplasm is a biological conception,' 

 not a name for a simple chemical substance, 

 and that, even if the chemist could synthesize 

 all kinds of proteids, he would still be far 

 from the synthesis of an organism; but most 

 woiild value more highly than does the author 

 the contributions from the physico-chemical 

 side to our comprehension of protoplasm. 



The second part of the book is essentially a 

 theory of ontogenetic development with its 

 phylogenetic implications; it was originally 

 piiblished as a separate work in 1898, and was 

 reviewed at that time by the present writer.^ 

 The second edition contains very little matter 



^Science, N. S., Vol. VIII., No. 198, 1898. 



that was not included in the first, and the 

 theoretical standpoint is exactly the same; so 

 that the review of the first edition might serve 

 equally well for the second. The author be- 

 lieves in the inheritance of acquired char- 

 acters, and adopts a Lamarckian point of 

 view in regard to evolution, without seriously 

 examining the difficulties or availing himself 

 of new data ; for instance, de Vries' ' Muta- 

 tionstheorie ' is not mentioned, though it bears 

 a date of publication three years earlier than 

 Hertwig's book. Similarly on the side of 

 ontogeny the author finds the full and suffi- 

 cient explanation of development in the mul- 

 tiplication of cells and in their manifold rela- 

 tions with the environment, again without 

 serious examination of the difficulties and 

 with scant respect for important recent lit- 

 erature. 



What was really needed was not a second 

 edition, but a new book, for which Professor 

 Hertwig either had no leisure or lacked 

 realization of the need. It is unfortunate 

 that he should have permitted himself to issue 

 a second edition under such circumstances. 

 Prank E. Lillie. 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. 



The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Sup- 

 plement No. 2, February, 1906. Some of the 

 papers presented to the laboratory section of 

 the American Public Health Association at 

 the Boston meeting, September 25, 1905: 



William Hallock Park : ' Some Observations 

 upon the Agglutinization of Bacteria.' 



Edward K. Dunham : ' Comparative Studies of 

 Diplococci Decolorized by Gram's Method, Ob- 

 tained from the Spinal Fluid and from the Nares 

 of Cases of Epidemic Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.' 



Mart E. Goodwin and Anna I. von Shollt: 

 ' The Frequent Occurrence of Meningococci in the 

 Nasal Cavities of Meningitis Patients and of 

 Those of Direct Contact with Them.' 



OSKAS Klotz : ' Temporary Alteration of 

 Character of an Organism Belonging to the Colon 

 Group.' 



H. L. EusSELL and C. A. Fuller: 'The Lon- 

 gevity of Bacillus Typhosus in Natural Waters 

 and in Sewage.' 



George C. Whipple and Andrew Mayer, Jr.: 



