39 6 
Notices of Books. 
[July, 
prevail to an extent which is now utterly inconceivable. Thus, 
in their efforts to remove one evil, philanthropists, if they suc- 
ceed at all, are apt — like the village tinker — to create a greater. 
Turning from this interesting and suggestive Introduction to 
the body of the work : — 
The remarks on drinking-water call for notice. “ Hardness” 
may be in part caused by salts of magnesia, as well as lime, 
and in the former case relatively small quantities are objection- 
able. We should not place much confidence in the benefits to 
be obtained by boiling water containing organic impurities. 
Certain volatile matters would doubtless be driven off, and 
“ germs,” if present, might be destroyed, but there would still 
be an offensive and dangerous residue. Nor can we approve of 
the use of condemned waters for washing. A test for water, 
still simpler than the addition of Condy’s fluid, is to cork up a 
quantity of it in a clean bottle, and leave it for a few hours in a 
rather warm place. If, on uncorking the bottle, a bad smell is 
perceived the water should be rejected. 
Dr. Lankester very judiciously condemns cold meat, that 
haunting sin of the English cuisine. He says — “ When cold 
food is taken it reduces the temperature of the stomach, and 
both the nerves and vessels of the stomach are taxed in order to 
bring the temperature of the food thus taken up to that of the 
human body. It is only in very hot weather or in tropical 
climates that food can be taken with advantage when cold.” 
We fear, however, that this authoritative condemnation of cold 
mutton will not meet with the approbation of his lady readers. 
On the subject of clothing Dr. Lankester gives very good 
advice. He declares that “ black and dark substances, whilst 
they absorb heat best, also radiate or give it off quickest, so that 
it is really better to wear light-coloured clothes both in summer 
and winter. The true reason why the civilised inhabitants of 
Europe and America dress in dark-coloured clothes both in 
summer and winter is economy. It is a question of soap and 
washing , and not of the comfort or use of the dress.” Jean 
Paul Richter, if we remember rightly, puts this point more 
tersely. “ The ancient Spartans,” he says, “ wore red to hide 
blood ; the modern Italians wear black to hide fleas.” 
The author seems disposed to uphold the old notion of a con- 
trast, or difference of kind, rather than of degree, between man 
and the rest of the animal world. For this purpose he some- 
times goes out of his way. Thus in one place he takes occasion 
to observe that “ the human skeleton has two hands and two 
feet, and is not four-handed, as in the highest monkeys.” But 
according to the best and most recent authorities the hinder 
limbs of the highest apes terminate in true feet, and, in accord- 
ance with this conclusion, theorists most eager to uphold the 
“great gulf” between man and beast have abandoned this 
ground. We regret to see, in a work which has such just 
