Am.  Jotjr.  Pharm. 
Oct.  1, 1874. 
}  Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  4^5 
The  first  ten  chapters  of  the  volume  are  devoted  to  the  special  senses,  of  which 
touch  and  smell  are  treated  in  chapters  I  and  II.  The  following  four  chapters 
treat  of  vision  and  the  anatomy  and  physiology  of  the  eye  ;  then  follow  three 
chapters  on  hearing,  the  anatomy  and  functions  of  the  auditory  apparatus  ? 
and  the  tenth  chapter,  on  the  sense  oUaste,  closes  the  first  part  of  this  volume. 
The  second  part  treats  in  nine  chapters  of  generation,  the  organs  and  ele- 
ments of  generation,  fecundation,  embryonic  development,  development  after 
birth,  and  death. 
Not  the  least  commendable  portion  of  this  volume  is  the  exhaustive  general 
index  to  the  five  volumes  of  the  work. 
Proceedings  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences.  New  Series 
Yol.  I.  (Whole  Series  Vol.  IX.)  From  May,  1873,  to  May,  1874.  Selected 
from  the  records.  Boston:  Press  of  John  Wilson  &  Son,  1974.  8vo.  pp. 
367. 
The  following  papers  of  this  volume  are  particularly  interesting  to  our 
readers:  No  tes  on  Composite  and  Characters  of  Certain  Genera  and  Species,  by 
Asa  Gray.  It  is  a  continuation  and  conclusion  of  a  paper  by  the  same  author 
published  in  the  preceding  volume  and  refers  principally  to  the  Californiao 
species.  A  Revision  of  the  North  American  Chenopodiacege  by  Sereno  Wat- 
son— very  interesting  and  important  to  the  botanical  student.  Report  of  the 
Committee  appointed  to  Memorialize  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts on  the  subject  of  Expert  Testimony,  by  Emory  Washburn.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  the  Legislature  did  not  adopt  the  suggestions  of  the  Com- 
mittee, according  to  which  experts  are  to  be  appointed  by  the  courts  ;  such  a> 
course  would  certainly  mark  the  beginning  of  a  most  necessary  reform.  A 
Singular  Case  of  Corrosion  of  a  Tin  Tank,  by  S.  P.  Sharpless.  It  relates  to  the 
destruction  of  the  block-tin  lining  of  the  water  tank  in  the  hotel  at  Collinsville? 
Conn. 
Cocain,  Veratria  and  Gelsemium.    Toxicological  Studies,  by  I.  Ott,  Easton, 
Pa.    Philadelphia  :  Lindsay  &  Blakiston.    1874.  pp.66. 
This  contains  descriptions  of  experiments,  made  with  the  articles  named, 
upon  rabbits,  cats  and  dogs,  also  upon  man,  and  from  which  the  author  con- 
cludes that  coca  and  cocaina  should  be  placed  in  the  category  of  excitants, 
of  which  coffee  is  the  chief  example,  and  that  coca  increases  the  pulse  and 
temperature,  and  dilates  the  pupil.  In  regard  to  veratria,  it  is  inferred  that 
the  nerve  does  not  participate  in  the  prolongation  of  muscular  contraction  by 
that  poison.  Gelsemium  is  a  respiratory  poison,  dilates  the  pupil  and  grad- 
ually depresses  the  temptrature. 
On  Strain  and  Over-action  of  the  Heart.  By  J.  M.  DaCosta,  M.D.,  Professor 
of  Practice  of  Medicine  in  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia.  Wash- 
ington :  Smithsonian  Institution.    1874.    8vo,  pp.  28. 
This  is  the  third  of  the  "  Toner  Lectures,"  which  have  been  instituted  by 
Joseph  M.  Toner,  M.  D.,  who  has  placed  in  charge  of  a  Board  of  Trustees; 
