412 
Reviews. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     August,  1894. 
full  and  satisfactory  account  of  the  methods  of  sanitary  water  analysis  on  page 
124,  followed  by  a  brief  statement  of  the  biological  examination  of  the  same  on 
page  243,  the  full  section  on  theoretical  chemistry  on  page  77,  and  the  large 
space  devoted  to  the  subjeet  of  physiological  and  clinical  chemistry  on  pages 
509-624.  Some  few  errors  have  crept  in  it  in  connection  with  the  use  of  proper 
names.  Thus  Berthelet  on  page  99  should  be  Berthollet ;  Victor  Meyers  on 
page  298  should  be  Victor  Meyer;  Barford  on  page  351  should  be  Barfoed. 
Under  essential  oils  we  find  no  mention  of  pinene,  sylvestrene  and  the 
fundamental  hydrocarbons  of  what  used  to  be  called  terpenes.  The  bringing 
in  of  the  essential  oils,  camphors,  resins  and  gums  before  any  mention  is  made 
of  the  aromatic  hydrocarbons,  is  also  in  our  opinion  an  ill-advised  arrange- 
ment. Indeed,  the  methane  derivatives  and  the  aromatic  compounds  are  inter- 
spersed in  a  way  somewhat  confusing  to  the  student.  The  book,  however, 
contains  much  valuable  matter  in  general  well  presented.  It  is  very  neatly 
finished  and  makes  a  convenient  text-book.  S.  P.  S. 
Bulletin  Vol.  II,  No.  1,  College  of  Agriculture,  Imperial  University  of 
fapan.  This  contains  a  valuable  contribution  by  Dr.  Oscar  Loew,  Professor  of 
Agricultural  Chemistry,  on  "The  Energy  of  the  Living  Protoplasm,"  and  one 
"On  the  Poisonous  Action  of  Di-cyanogen,"  by  O.  Loew  and  M.  Tsukamoto. 
The  former  of  these  papers  is  worthy  of  especial  attention.  After  a  chapter 
devoted  to  "Former  views  on  the  cause  of  the  vital  phenomena,"  and  one  on 
"  Modern  steps  of  progress,"  the  author  devotes  a  chapter  to  his  own  views  on 
"Living  Protoplasm  and  Chemical  Lability."  He  states  that  "The  name 
'  living  albumen  '  should  be  discarded  altogether,  as  it  might  lead  to  erroneous 
conceptions,"  and  that  the  term  "  active  proteids  "  much  better  expresses  the 
meaning,  because  it  includes  the  whole  living  matter  of  the  cell. 
He  considers  that  these  active  proteids  exist  as  "exceedingly  labil  com- 
pounds that  can  be  easily  converted  into  relatively  stable  ones." 
Since  his  theory  depends  almost  entirely  on  the  existence  of  labil  compounds 
instead  of  what  is  usually  designated  "living  protoplasm,"  we  can  best  under- 
stand it  by  the  following  explanation,  by  the  author,  of  chemical  lability  : 
"A  labil  position  exists,  if,  in  a  molecule,  one  atom  is  influenced  simultaneously 
by  the  affinities  of  two  neighboring  atoms. 
"  Thus  lively  oscillations  are  produced,  bringing  on  a  great  ability  for  reac- 
tions, and  an  inclination  for  a  spontaneous  migration  of  the  labil  atom  into  a 
stable  position."  As  aldehydes  are  highly  labil  compounds,  the  author 
believes  they  occupy  an  important  position  in  the  formation  of  active  proto- 
plasm. 
An  Illustrated  Dictionary  of  Medicine,  Biology  and  Allied  Sciences.  Includ- 
ing the  Pronunciation,  Accentuation,  Derivation  and  Definition  of  the  Terms 
used  in  Medicine  and  the  Allied  Sciences.  By  George  M.  Gould,  A.M.,  M.D. 
Philadelphia.    P.  Blackiston,  Son  &  Co.    1894.   Pp.  1,635. 
This  book  is  not  a  revision  or  compilation  of  a  previous  work,  but  is  entirely 
new.  Its  well-executed  illustrations,  its  encyclopedic  character,  and  its  con- 
venient size  will  at  once  establish  it  in  the  favor  of  every  pharmacist  and  phy- 
sician. 
Most  pharmaceutical  and  chemical  terms  are  concisely  defined  in  a  way  not 
found  (if  found  at  all)  in  the  ordinary  dictionary.    The  new  synthetic  remedies 
