SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
439 
vations of direct measurement of these volumes that I can find, and I 
find that the mean is 2-125. From theoretical grounds, I believe that 
more accurate experiments and observations will prove that the decimal 
fraction of an eighth must be struck off, and that the true proportion is re- 
presented by 2. Certainly 2 is the number given by the most accurate of 
the ten observers. But now to my verifications. I measured the length of 
the common fibres in the hearts of a great number of oxen, and I find it to 
be 10*875 inches. I measured the length of the fibres that go round the 
left ventricles in the same hearts, and I find as the mean of many measure- 
ments 8 625. Well, I suppose there is no one present here who is a good 
enough arithmetician to tell me at sight what the ratio of the cubes of 
those numbers would be. I have cubed the numbers, and their ratio comes 
out 2-004. I believe that to be a remarkable result, and to entitle us to 
assert that the principle of least action applied to the problem of the heart, 
is capable of solving it a step beyond what it has been solved, and bringing 
us within reach of the knowledge of one more of the wonderful laws 
the Creator. How it would rejoice the soul of the great Kepler if he had 
known that the ratio of the length of the fibres in his own heart was in the 
proportion of cube root of 2 to 1 ! Divine Geometry ! Queen and mistress 
of philosophy, thy right to rule the sciences shall never be disputed ! ” — 
British Medical Journal for June. 
Dynamics of Nerve and Muscle. — From the British Medical Journal” 
(which contained an able review on it) we learn that Dr. Badcliffe has pub- 
lished his views on this subject. We have not seen the book, however, 
which is published by Messrs. Macmillan. Hence we can do no more than 
announce the fact of its publication. It is to be regretted that Messrs. 
Macmillan do not send out their books more freely for review. We have 
had to write for at least three or four of their recently published works. We 
have no care for the interests of a publisher, but we do not consider that an 
author is fairly served by the negligence of his publisher in regard to sending 
out his book for review. A lesson might well be taken from the American 
publishers in this respect. 
Dr. Lionel Beale a 11 Baly ” Medallist — The 11 Baly Medal ” of the Royal 
College of Physicians, London, has been awarded to Dr. Lionel Beale, and 
was presented to him immediately after the termination of the Harveian 
Oration. 
Death of Von Niemeyer. — We regret to notice the decease of the distin- 
guished Dr. Felix von Niemeyer, author of the well-known work on the 
Practice of Medicine, which has met with such a remarkable success in 
England and America through the translation of Drs. Humphreys and 
Hackley. We have no particulars of Niemeyer’s case, except that he had 
recently returned from France, where he had been engaged in studying 
typhus and dysentery in the army. At the time of his return he was sick, 
but his illness was not believed then to be of a serious character. 
Todd and Bowman's Physiology. — The second part of the new edition by 
Dr. Beale, F.R.S., has made its appearance. It is devoted to the considera- 
tion of fibrous, elastic, and connective tissues, cartilage, bone, and fat. It is 
of course a very valuable work, and we wish it were completed by the 
present editor/who is certainly somewhat slow at his work. 
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