LITERATURE, 
Dermatology, and the Treatment of Skin Diseases. By 
SAMUEL C. GRIFFITH, M.D. Churchill and Sons. 
A VALUABLE contribution to medical literature, which will 
tepay perusal. There is no doubt that much mischief has 
resulted from the indiscriminate use of mineral prepara- 
tions in the treatment of various diseases, and in no dis- 
orders have they been more employed than in those which 
affect the skin. 
Dr. Griffith, who appears to have had great experience 
in the specialty he has taken up, has been in the habit of 
substituting herbs for minerals in his practice, and the in- 
tention of the author in producing the treatise we are 
noticing is to bring before the public the results of many 
years research and careful study. The plan of the work 
is good, the rules for diet and the mode of life generally to 
be pursued are based on sound sense, and when we consider 
_ how tedious and disfiguring many diseases of the skin are, 
we cannot refrain from giving a hearty welcome to a clearly 
written book on an important subject. 
The public begin to understand the recklessness that 
too often characterised the treatment of the old school of 
medical men, and although they do not perhaps know that 
the lancet and mercury have slain more men than the sword, 
they are sufficiently wise to prefer the simple remedies of the 
modern to the heroic ones of the past generation. We 
heartily commend this work to all who wish to get really 
useful information in a readable form devoid of dogmatism. 
The Christian Observer, No. 352. (New Series). Hatchard 
and Co. 
THIS number of the Christian Observer is replete 
with good sound reading. Some of the articles are written 
from rather a one-sided point of view. The most interest- 
ing article is the one on “India’s Past Wrongs.” The 
writer rather boldly asserts that the Indian mutiny and the 
