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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCE * 
HYSIOLOGY is the basis of all rational medicine. It is to the 
physician what mathematical science is to the astronomer ; and the 
medical man who attempts to treat disease without a thorough knowledge 
of the processes which are carried on in the body during health, is a mere 
empiric, who is elevated above the herbalist charlatan solely through the 
influence of conventionality. We are sorry to think that very many of 
our practitioners display a lamentable ignorance of the laws which govern 
the vital operations ; but we confess that this, in our opinion, is due to 
the negligence of certain licensing bodies, who fancy that when they have 
ascertained that a candidate can amputate a thigh, and make a neat dis- 
section of the external carotid, they have done all that is requisite for the 
advancement of educational interests. It is lamentable that such a state 
of things should exist ; but that it does exist we have not the least hesita- 
tion in affirming. It is the more to be regretted, as there are few countries 
where so many and well-written text-books on Physiology are to be found 
as in that of Great Britain. Should the physician inquire, Where is the 
necessary information to be obtained ? we can safely reply, In the work 
now under notice. Dr. Kirkes has been long and favourably known to 
the profession, and we venture to say that there is no name in science 
with which the medical student is more familiar than that of the author 
of the “ Handbook of Physiology .” The fifth edition of this fine work 
has just appeared, and no doubt will be welcomed to the library and 
lecture theatre with the hearty greetings it deserves. The book has under- 
gone an entire revision, and, so far as we can see, has received many 
additions, bringing it up to the present state of scientific physiology. It 
must be borne in mind that Dr. Kirkes has written upon pure, or special 
physiology, as it is termed : that is to say, he has treated almost exclu- 
sively of the functions which the various organs perform, merely touching 
generally, upon the microscopic anatomy of the tissues. If, therefore, we 
say that the latter is hardly of as modern a type as an examination of 
Reichert’s, Huxley’s, and Beale’s views might have rendered it, we must 
not be supposed desirous of passing any censure upon the writer. Those 
portions of the text devoted to functional physiology are written in a terse 
and lucid style, embrace the consideration of all recent investigations, 
and are illustrated by wood and other engravings of a very superior stamp. 
In the chapter on the chemical and histological character of the blood, the 
reader finds, not only the results of those researches which he is already 
acquainted with, but much valuable matter relating to the discoveries of 
the last few years. Bernard’s discovery of scarlet blood in the veins of 
active glands and in those of inactive muscles is adverted to ; and the same 
observer’s statement, that the acidity of the blood when removed from 
the body is owing to conversion of its sugar into lactic acid, also finds a 
place. The nature of coagulation is referred to, and on this subject the 
* “Handbook of Physiology.” By William S. Kirkes, M.D., 
F.R.C.P.S., etc. Fifth edition. London : Walton & Maberly. 18G3. 
