REVIEWS. 159 



certain soft waters, and the action of certain hard waters, on lead. He has brought 

 together not onty the result of various experiments of his own, but cited the opinions 

 of the chief medical and scientific men upon the same subject. 



On the Advantages of the Study of Botany to the Student of Medicine. An Inaugural 

 Lecture delivered in King's College. By Eobeet Bentley, F.L.S., M.B.C.S., Pro- 

 fessor of Botany, &c, &c. 

 The publication of this excellent introductory lecture to Professor Bentley's course on 

 botany at King's College will be highly beneficial, and cannot but be read with great 

 interest. We cite a passage or two (all our limited space will allow) to prove the im- 

 portance of the arguments and truths advanced. 



" But if a knowledge of botany be so valuable in its results to the medical practi- 

 tioner in this country, it will become vastly more important to him, if (as constantly 

 happens in a nation like our own, with numerous colonial possessions in all parts of 

 the world) he may be required to practise his profession in an almost unknown coun- 

 try. Then a knowledge of botany will give him a clue to the properties of the plants 

 he will see around him, for its study will have taught him that those which resemble 

 each other in their structure — that is, those belonging to the same natural order — may 

 be expected to resemble one another in their properties. He will know, also, that 

 whilst certain tribes of plants are almost universally poisonous, or to be regarded with 

 suspicion, others, on the contrary, are at least harmless ; while others, again, may be 

 expected to possess some important properties, applicable as a medicine, or as yielding 

 some product of value for manufacturing purposes, or in the arts, or domestic 



economy We see, therefore, that by a knowledge of botany a 



medical practitioner would, in case of need, or in a deficiency of supply in the medi- 

 cines he was in the habit of employing, possess a clue to the resources by which he 

 was surrounded, and would accordingly frequently find himself almost as much at 

 home in an unknown country as in his own native land ; for such a knowledge would 

 enable him to search for new remedies, when he would be almost certain to find some- 

 tiling of value, not only for his own use, but for that of the world at large. He might 

 even be the instrument of discovering a most important remedial agent, which, by the 

 blessings it would confer upon mankind, would be the means of handing down his 

 name and memory to posterity, as one of the great benefactors of the human race. 

 What pleasure could excel, or even equal, that of such a man ? who would be thus 

 enabled, and when least expected by those by whom he was surrounded, to alleviate 

 their sufferings and minister to their wants ; and what distress of mind would be the 

 lot of him who, when placed in similar circumstances, would be unable to avail himself 

 of the means which a bountiful Providence had placed at his disposal, because he had 

 omitted to make himself acquainted with an important branch of his education. In 

 this respect alone, therefore, a knowledge of botany cannot but be considered as of the 

 most essential service to the medical practitioner, whether pursuing his profession in 

 this or any other part of the world." 



Adulteration of Food. 

 We have to acknowledge the receipt of a very interesting table, showing the more 

 important articles of food and drink, and the substances employed for adulterating 

 them, compiled by Mr. Wentworth L. Scott (C. Mitchell & Co.), which will be found 

 exceedingly useful for ready reference, being clearly and intelligibly arranged. The 

 adulterants are classified into — - 



I. Results of imperfect purification or preparation, or of improper packing or storing, 

 &c. (fraudulent, or from negligence). 



II. (In articles sold in natural state, or nearly so.) Eesults of natural decompo- 

 sition, organic disease, certain parisitical plants and insects, or various injurious 

 specimens, apparently resembling the true ones for which they are sold (fraudulent, 

 or from negligence). 



