34° 



SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



BOOKS TO READ 



NOTICES BY JOHN T. CARRINGTON. 



Who's Who in 1901. xx + 1,234 pp., 7h in. x 



5 in. (London : A. & C. Black. 1901.) 5s! net. 

 This indispensable book of reference becomes 



stouter and more important-looking as its years 

 advance. With this edition is incorporated " Men 

 and Women of the Time," and new biographies 

 have been added to include all Companions of 

 Orders not previously inserted. In addition to 

 biographies there is much other general informa- 

 tion, which is brought down to October 31st last. 



Convalescents' Diet. By Helen Lucy Yates. 

 viii + 88 pp., 6^- in. x 4J in. (London: H. Virtue 



6 Co. 1901.) Is. 



The author of this useful little work, who has 

 written another book on cookery from the French 

 point of view, gives especial hints with regard 

 to a suitable dietary for patients suffering from 

 dyspepsia, neuralgia, anemia, and other trouble- 

 some complaints. None the less important are the 

 recipes for preparing refreshing and restorative 

 drinks ; in fact, there is hardly a page in the book 

 on which something useful will not be found for 

 others as well as convalescents. 



Comparative Physiology of the Brain and 

 Psychology. By Professor Jacques Loeb. x + 

 309 pp., 8£ in. x 5^ in. Illustrated with 89 figures. 

 (London: John Murray. 1901.) 6s. 



The object of this work, which is one of Mr. 

 Murray's Comparative Science Series, is to serve as 

 a short introduction to the comparative physiology 

 of the brain and the central nervous system, 

 especially the latter, as observed in non-vertebrate 

 animals. Hitherto physiologists have turned their 

 attention chiefly to the nervous organisation of 

 vertebrates, and psychologists have concerned 

 themselves only with the interpretation of the 

 brain functions as shown in the higher orders of 

 mammals, without reference to the physiology pro- 

 ducing such functions, and have, therefore, entirely 

 ignored the consideration of comparative psycho- 

 logy. Dr. Loeb, who is professor of Physiology at 

 the University of Chicago, in the volume before us 

 endeavotus to resolve into their elementary com- 

 ponents the central nervous system. He first deals 

 with the class of processes called reflexes, which in 

 the opinion of many psychologists may be defined as 

 " the mechanical effects of acts of volition of past 

 generations." It is also a usually accepted opinion 

 that the ganglion-cell is the orily place where such 

 mechanical effects could be stored. It has there- 

 fore been considered the essential element of reflex 

 mechanism, nerve-fibres being regarded simply as 

 conductors. Professor Loeb, however, does not 

 agree with this view, and he points out that the 

 identity of the reactions of animals and plants to 

 light show that the phenomena cannot depend upon 

 specific qualities of the central nervous system, 

 assuming, of course, that plants do not possess 

 nerves. He also adds that in the case of 

 Ciona intestinales he had successfully shown the 



complicated reflexes would continue after the 

 central nervous system had been removed. The 

 author is of opinion that a study of comparative 

 physiology brings out the fact that irritability and 

 conductibility are the only qualities essential to 

 reflexes. Some of the experiments recorded are 

 exceedingly interesting — for instance, those on a 

 number of Nereis, which, when placed in a square 

 aquarium, instead of crawling contentedly round 

 the glass after their brains had been removed, on 

 arriving at a corner attempted to continue straight 

 on through the glass, continuing their efforts until 

 they died. The author investigates the theories 

 generally held on instinct, the nervous system, 

 heredity, and associative memory. In many of 

 his conclusions he differs considerably from other 

 psychologists, and his points are well worthy of 

 consideration by the reader. F. W. 



Manual of Elementary Science. By B. A. 

 Gregory, F.E.A.S., and A. T. Simmons, B.Sc. 

 viii+ 429 pp., 7 in. x 5 in., with 260 figs. (London 

 and New York : Macmillans. 1901.) 3s. 6d. 



This is a carefully compiled series of chapters 

 suitable for the guidance of pupil-teachers taking 

 elementary science with a view to presenting 

 themselves in that subject at the Queen's Scholar- 

 ship Examination. Also it provides a series of 

 experiments, complete in themselves, illustrative of 

 the principles of physical science, capable of being 

 performed with simple apparatus. Each chapter is 

 divided into numbered sections, corresponding to 

 definite ideas. Evidently every effort has been em- 

 ployed to make, as far as possible, the statements in 

 the descriptive text justifiable by the experiments 

 proceeding. As a whole, the book can be strongly 

 recommended, not only to those for whom it is 

 intended, but also to many readers with scientific 

 tastes who desire some further instruction in 

 common phenomena. As may be easily understood, 

 the section devoted to the celestial sphere and its 

 diurnal motions is well done, having doubtless had 

 the especial attention of Professor Gregory. The 

 book is well worth its published price. 



First on the Antarctic Continent. By C. E. 

 Borchgrevink, F.E.G.S. xv + 333 pp., 9| in. x 5f in. 

 With 190 illustrations and 3 charts. (London : 

 George Newnes, Ltd. 1901.) 10s. 6d. net. 



We can well imagine the feelings of Sir George 

 Newnes when he had placed in his hands the first 

 copy of this handsome and deeply interesting book. 

 It is the popular record of what has been done through 

 Sir George's munificence in providing the whole 

 funds for equipping and maintaining the recent 

 British Antarctic expedition under the author's 

 command. Sir George is never behindhand in 

 supporting useful public works, and one cannot 

 help reflecting on the different results accruing 

 from the same amount of money spent on this 

 enterprise, or on some good-natured charity for 

 maintaining useless people who ought to dis- 

 appear in Nature's battle for the survival of the 

 fittest. M. Borchgrevink seems to have proved 

 himself a capable commander with sufficient re- 

 source, especially during the terrible E.S.E. gales of 

 wind that sweep the fringe of the Antarctic cap on 

 the Australian side. These appear to be the most 

 dreaded dangers of a winter spent in those for- 

 lorn regions, in consequence of drifting snow and 

 pebbles. It is estimated that these gales, raging 

 at a pace of from eighty to one hundred miles an 

 hour, reduced the explorers' opportunities by 20 per 



