380  Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  {Amjui°yuri887harm' 
as  applied  to  pharmacy.  It  is  intended  to  be  sent  out  every  two  or  four 
weeks  in  parts  sufficient  to  be  studied  in  that  space  of  time,  thus  securing  a 
systematic  reading.  While  any  other  good  work  on  the  same  subjects  could 
be  used  equally  well,  the  advantage  is  connected  with  the  one  before  us,  that 
the  student  is  expected  to  communicate  with  the  author  on  all  points  not 
fully  comprehended,  and  in  return  receive  further  explanations  ;  moreover 
the  student  is  examined — by  correspondence — on  the  subjects  previously 
read,  by  which  means  deficiency  may  be  pointed  out. 
This  system  of  teaching  has  been  previously  tried  in  other  departments, 
and  may  be  considered  as  a  suitable  aid  where  oral  instruction  cannot  be 
had.  To  be  profitable  to  the  student,  it  presupposes  familiarity  with  the 
outlines  of  the  sciences,  or  at  least  a  well  trained  mind  capable  of  assimilat- 
ing knowledge,  and  not  merely  accustomed  to  crowding  the  memory  with 
isolated  facts ;  such  students,  after  perusing  the  lectures,  will  find  an  addi- 
tional incentive  for  seeking  further  instructions  in  a  good  educational  insti- 
tution. 
The  Physician's  Dose  and  Symptom  Book,  containing  the  doses  and  uses  of  all 
the  principal  articles  of  the  materia  medica  and  officinal  preparations,  ar- 
ranged in  alphabetical  order ;  also  tables  of  weights  and  measures,  rules  to 
proportion  the  doses  of  medicine,  common  abbreviations  used  in  writing 
prescriptions,  alphabetical  list  of  materia  medica,  preparations  and  mode 
of  administration,  list  of  incompatibles,  hints  on  prescription  writing,  table 
of  poisons  and  antidotes,  hints  on  treatment  and  table  of  symptoms.  By 
Jos.  H.  Wythe,  M.  D.,  Prof,  of  histology  and  microscopy,  Cooper  Medical 
College,  San  Francisco,  &c.  Seventeenth  edition,  completely  rewritten 
and  enlarged.  Philadelphia  :  P.  Blakiston,  Son  &  Co.,  1887.  32  mo.  pp. 
22G.    Price,  cloth  $1. 
That  this  little  book  has  been  found  useful  may  be  judged  from  the  fact 
that  it  has  passed  through  so  many  editions.  The  present  one  has  been  re- 
written to  a  considerable  extent,  and  on  the  whole  will  be  found  reliable. 
The  non-pharmacopoeial  articles  are  marked  with  an  asterisk  (*)  in  the  ma- 
teria medica  list,  but  not  in  the  list  of  preparations,  and  since  the  book  is 
intended  to  cover  both  the  British  and  United  States  Pharmacopoeias,  the 
figures  given  for  the  preparations  should  be  accompanied  by  the  authority 
in  all  cases  where  the  difference  in  strength  is  notable.  Under  the  head  of 
infusions  for  instance  are  found  formulas  of  the  present  and  preceding 
U.  S.  and  Br.  pharmacopoeias,  the  infusion  of  digitalis  being  that  of  Br.  1867 
and  the  much  stronger  preparation  of  the  U.  S.  P.  is  not  indicated.  In  the 
materia  medica  list  the  names  of  the  different  articles  are  usually  in  Latin, 
but  inconsistencies  are  met  with  like  the  following :  ammoniated  iron,  fer- 
rum  dialysatum,  arseniate  of  ammonium,  sodii  arsenias,  &c.  A  number  of 
typographical  errors  in  spelling  and  accentuation  have  been  overlooked  by 
the  proofreader. 
The  doses  have  been  stated  with  great  care,  and  with  the  useful  informa- 
tion collected  together  in  the  various  tables  in  a  very  compact  form,  insure 
the  utility  of  the  little  volume  to  physicians  as  a  handy  work  of  reference  on 
those  points. 
