SCIENCE. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



On Certain Conditions of Nervous Derange- 

 ment. By William A. Hammond, M.D. Published 

 by G. P. Putnam's Sons, 182 Fifth Avenue, New 

 York, 1881. 



The recent lecture of Dr. Beard before the New York 

 Academy of Sciences, on " Mesmeric Trance," appears 

 to have revived an interest in this subject, and new 

 works bearing on Hypnotism are promised by those who 

 have of late given attention to the phenomena in ques- 

 tion. 



The work before us by Dr. Hammond, therefore, comes 

 at an opportune moment, for it not only explains very 

 fully the author's views on " Hypnotism," but all the 

 other conditions of nervous derangement which are evi- 

 dently allied to the same class of mental disturbances. 

 Thus we have chapters on Somnambulism, natural and 

 artificial, including Hypnotism, various phases of Hys- 

 teria, the Hysteroid Affections, Somatization, Supernat- 

 ural cures. Some of the causes, which lead to sensorial 

 deception and delusional beliefs. 



Although the present work is a reprint of a previous 

 book published by the author in 1876, Dr. Hammond 

 states that he has thoroughly revised, and added largely 

 to the subjects now considered, and also " omitted every 

 thing specially relating to spiritualism." 



Turning to the subject of Hypnotism, we are some- 

 what surprised to rind it classed under the heading of 

 Artificial Somnambulism, especially as we understood 

 Dr. Hammond to state in a recent lecture before the 

 University of the city of New York, that he attributed 

 the phenomena to quite another cause, and for this rea- 

 son he proposed to dispense with the term Hypnotism, 

 which implies " sleep," and suggested the introduction of 

 the word " Syggnosticism," meaning union of thought, or 

 sympathy of thinking between two persons. The sub- 

 ject is also complicated by finding two such authorities 

 as Dr. Hammond and Dr. Beard giving conflicting ex- 

 planations of the phenomena. 



Studying the one case of Hypnotism given by Dr. 

 Hammond as the result of his experience, it appears to 

 come to any other conclusion than that the phenomena 

 presented in Hypnotism are merely manifestations of 

 disease. 



The instance we refer to was that of a young lady of 

 great personal attractions, who up to a certain time was 

 in a normal condition. 



We first find that her nervous organization became 

 depressed and demoralized by a great domestic bereave- 

 ment, and further prostrated by fatigue, excitement and 

 grief. The trouble commences by the young lady show- 

 ing symptoms of chorea, the muscles of the face being in 

 almost constant motion. The next step was that she 

 talked in her sleep, and later she walked in her sleep and 

 became a confirmed somnambulist. In the latter condi- 

 tion she walked about the house, struck a match and 

 lighted the gas, seated herself in a chair and looked fix- 

 edly at the portrait of her lost mother. 



While gazing at the picture she was subjected to vari- 

 ous experiments by Dr. Hammond, her olfactory nerves 

 received no impression from theiumes of sulphurous acid 

 gas ; she failed to perceive ihe sour taste of lemons or the 

 bitter taste of quinine ; scratching the back of her hand 

 with a pin, pulling her hair and pinching her face appeared 

 to excite no sensation, thus exhibiting all the phenomena 

 of Hypnotism. 



The next stage of this case develops a power in the 

 patient of inducing the hypnotic state at will. Her pro- 

 cess was to fix her attentions by reading a book and fix- 

 ing her eyes steadily to reflect as if in a reverie, when she 

 would presently pass to a perfect hypnotic condition. 



Without professing to give a final opinion on the phe- 



nomena of Hypnotism, we direct attention to this authen- 

 tic case presented by Dr. Hammond as showing what ap- 

 pears to be the evolution of Hyprotism. 



First we find the subject in health, with all the functions 

 and conditions of life normal. Secondly, the body and 

 nervous organization is subjected to a great mental strain, 

 developing a modified Hypnotic condiition. Thirdly, 

 the disease becomes chronic and all the phenomena of 

 Hypnotism are established and the patient is subject to 

 hysteria, catalepsy and ecstasy, three conditions Dr. Ham- 

 mond considers present in confirmed Hypnotism. There 

 must be a final stage, the form of which may depend on 

 circumstances. Under judicious treatment perhaps a 

 normal condition of the nervous system may be restored, 

 while, on the contrary, a further development of the dis- 

 ease may result in a total breaking up of the nervous 

 system, followed by mania. 



These reflections are suggested by the work before us, 

 but in the present condition of the question it is impos- 

 sible to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion. Drs. Ham- 

 mond and Beard are not agreed even on the fundamental 

 principles involved, ami the former employs two terms 

 for the phenomena, which areantagonistical to each other. 

 It is therefore evident that ample opportunity is presented 

 for a more thorough examination ot the question, the re- 

 sult of which would doubtless improve our knowledge of 

 mental diseases, many of which are at present inexpli- 

 cable. 



Papilio. — Devoted to Lepidoptera exclusively. — Vol. 1, 

 No. 1, January, 1881. — Mr. Henry Edwards, No. 185 

 East 1 16th street, New York City. 



This Journal is the authorized organ of the New York 

 Entomological Club, and will be issued about the fifteenth 

 of each month (excepting the two mid-summer months) 

 the subscription being $2 per annum. 



The first number contains many articles of interest to 

 entomologists, and a full-page colored illustration of the 

 beautiful insect Edwardsia bril Harts, from a specimen 

 captured in N. W. Texas by the late Jacob Boll. 



Entomologists will welcome this Journal, which in the 

 hands of Mr. Henry Edwards will, doubtless, be main- 

 tained at a high standard, aod command success. 



Use of Glass-Wool in Filtration. — F. Stolba and R. 

 Bottger. Both these authors point out that glass-wool is 

 attacked by various liquids, including hot water. 



Detection of Pre-formed Urobiline in Urine. — One 

 hundred c.c. of urine are gently shaken up with 50 c.c. of 

 perfectly pure ether ; the ether decanted off and evaporated. 

 .The lesidue is taken up in absolute alcohol, and is rose- 

 colored with a green fluorescence. The experiment does 

 not always succeed. — E. Salkowski. 



A Coloring Matter from Carbon Disulphide. — If 

 carbon disulphide is agitated with semi-fluid sodium amal- 

 gam, and if the paste-like mass is mixed with water, there is 

 produced a hyacinth red liquid, whilst mercury and mer- 

 cury sulphide are deposited. The solution contains the 

 sodium salt of a yet unknown acid, sorr.ewhat soluble in 

 hot water, and more readily in alcohol. It dyes yellow, 

 orange, and brown shades on wool and silk. — C. Reichl. — 

 Polyt. Noiizblatl, 35, 151. 



HOMOFLUORESCEINE : A N EW COLORING MATTER FROM 



Orcine and its Derivatives. — On heating solutions of 

 orcine with caustic alkalies and chloroform, the liquid be- 

 comes purple and then fiery red, and on dilution shows a 

 strong greenish yellow fluorescence. This reaction is ex- 

 ceedingly sensitive. On neutralizing and adding bromine 

 water a compound is formed from the fluorescent coloring 

 matter resembling cosine ; its alkaline alcoholic solutions 

 appear cherry-red by transmitted light with yellow fluor- 

 escence. Though many of these compounds have splendid 

 colors, only the nitro-derivatives are suitable for dyeing. 

 Hexa-nitro-mono-oxy-homo-rluorcsceine dyes silk a, biil- 

 ilant orange, the penta-nitro-diazo-amido-monoxy-homo- 

 fluoresceine compounds a gold yellow and cyamic acid a 

 light reddish yellow. — H. Sciiwarz. 



