24S Scientific In I diligence. 



NlCOLAl. Pp. xxii, 322. Leipzig, 1910 (Veit & Co.).— This 

 volume represents the first more elaborate attempt at a syste- 

 matic presentation of the scientific basis and latest technic of 

 the electrocardiographic method applied to the study of heart 

 functions in animals and man. The authors have particularly 

 emphasized the possibilities of the electrocardiogram as an aid 

 in clinical diagnosis, and have furnished a review of the rapidly 

 growing literature on the subject. Such pioneer work deserves 

 commendatory mention and will assist many physiologists and 

 clinicians in orienting themselves in the newer methods of 

 research. l. b. m. 



8. Plane Trigonometry; by Edward R. Kobbins, Senior 

 Mathematical Master in the William Penn Charter School. Pp. 

 166. New York, 1910 (The American Book Company). — The 

 only valid excuse for an addition to the multitude of text-books 

 in Trigonometry is that it be written by a teacher of Trigonome- 

 try in order to minimize his labor of teaching by giving to his 

 pupils his own methods in print instead of by dictation. Mr. 

 Robbins has in this way recorded the economies that he has 

 secured by 15 years' experience. He seems to have systematized 

 the work in elementary plane Trigonometry a little better than 

 any of his predecessors, and thereby in so much diminished the 

 labor of thinking for his pupils. w. b. 



9. Shop Problems in Mathematics ; by W. E. Breckenridge, 

 S. F. Mersereau, and C. F. Moore. Pp. 280. Boston (Ginn & 

 Co.). — This volume is designed for students in trade schools. It 

 discusses materials and machines for both wood and metal work, 

 and outlines construction work of various kinds. Mathematics, 

 including trigonometiy, is also reviewed with particular refer- 

 ence to usefulness in shop practice. A large number of problems 

 drawn from practical work are given. d. a. k. 



10. Ostwald's Klassiher der Exakten Wissenschaften. Leipzig, 

 1910 (Wilhelm Engelmann). — Recent volumes in this important 

 series are the following: Nr.- 1*76. Mikroskopische Unter- 

 suchungen uber die Ubereinstimmung in der Struktur und dem 

 Wachsturae der Tiere und Pfianzen, von Th. Schwann. Heraus- 

 gegeben von F. Hunseler. Pp. 242. 



Nr. 1T7. Untersuchungen uber Gegenstiinde der hoheren 

 Geodasie ; von Caul Friedrich Gauss. Herausgegeben von J. 

 Fkischauf. Pp, 111. 



Nr. 178. Physikalisch-chemische Abhandlungen ; M. W. 

 Lomonossows, 1741-1752. Aus demLateinischen und Russischen 

 mil Anmerkungen herausgegeben von B. N. Menschutkin und 

 Max Speter. Pp. 61. 



Obituary. 



Sir Francis Galton, the veteran English explorer and con- 

 tributor to many departments of science, died on January 17 at 

 the age of seventy-nine years. His most important writings were 

 those on Heredity, but his activities extended into a remarkable 

 number of different fields involving the application of quantita- 

 tive methods to science. 



Dr. M. Wilhelm Meyer, the German astronomer, died two 

 months since, at Meran, at the age of fifty-eight years. 



