Aljanuaryfi902m'}    Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  47 
theory  was  considered  in  the  light  of  modern  discoveries,  and 
instead  of  concluding  that  it  had  served  its  purpose,  Dr.  Riicker 
concludes  {Chem.  News,  1901,  133)  "that  in  spite  of  the  tentative 
nature  of  some  of  our  theories,  in  spite  of  many  outstanding  difficul- 
ties, the  atomic  theory  verifies  so  many  facts,  simplifies  so  much 
that  is  complicated,  that  we  have  a  right  to  insist — at  all  events 
till  an  equally  intelligible  rival  hypothesis  is  produced— that  the 
main  structure  of  our  theory  is  true;  that  atoms  are  not  merely 
helps  to  puzzled  mathematicians,  but  physical  realities." 
REVIEWS  AND   BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 
Pharmacopedia,  a  commentary  on  the  British  Pharmacopoeia, 
1898.  By  Edmund  White  and  John  Humphrey.  With  46  full- 
page  plates.  London:  Henry  Kimpton,  13,  Furnival  Sq  ,  E.  C. 
1 901. 
The  authors  have  recognized  a  need  in  all  countries,  of  educators 
and  students  alike,  to  acquire  such  a  knowledge  of  the  subject- 
matter  of  the  respective  Pharmacopoeias  as  may  exert  an  evident 
possible  beneficent  influence  on  the  physician  and  pharmacist  in 
their  relation  to  the  cure  of  the  sick  and  diseased.  Educators  will 
admit  with  Huxley,  as  quoted  by  the  authors:  "The  knowledge  I 
have  looked  for  was  a  real,  precise,  thorough  and  practical  knowl- 
edge of  fundamentals ;  whereas  that  which  the  best  of  the  candi- 
dates in  a  large  proportion  of  cases  have  had  to  give  me  was  a  large, 
extensive,  and  inaccurate  knowledge  of  superstructure." 
The  Pharmacopoeias  represent  the  knowledge  that  has  been  tried, 
accepted,  and  is  likely  to  be  valuable  for  a  limited  number  of  years. 
This  knowledge  is  based  on  experiment,  reasoning,  and  fundamen- 
tals that  are  necessarily  not  contained  in  its  pages.  These  funda- 
mentals are  what  ought  to  be  sought  and  acquired  by  teachers  and 
students  as  well  as  practitioners  and  pharmacists.  Works  tending 
to  this  end  are  not  only  to  be  desired  but  are  valuable  in  alleviating 
human  suffering  and  prolonging  life.  The  failure  to  possess  this 
knowledge  is  one  factor  that  is  delaying  the  progress  in  medicine 
and  pharmacy. 
The  authors  in  this  treatise  have  wisely  confined  themselves  to 
the  subject-matter  of  the  British  Pharmacopoeia.  They  have,  fur- 
thermore, first  ascertained  the  meaning  of  the  British  Pharmaco- 
