Am.  Jniir.  Pliarm.  1 
June,  1885.  j 
lifvieics,  etc. 
317 
REVIEWS  AND  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 
American  MediGinal  PlanU  ;  an  illustrated  and  descriptive  guide  to  Amer- 
ican plants.  By  C.  F.  Millspaugh,  M.D.  New  York  and  Philadelphia  : 
Boericke  &  Tafel.    Nos.  6  to  10.    Price,  $5. 
This  is  the  second  fascicle  of  a  work,  which  we  have  noticed  on  two  occa- 
sions, in  1882  and  1884,  when  its  scope  and  general  make-up  was  consid- 
ered. The  fascicle  now  before  us  contains  30  plates,  with  the  requisite  let- 
ter-press. Many  of  the  plants  figured,  like  Taraxacum,  iSenecio,  Scrophu- 
laria  and  Cephalanthus,  are  common  in  most  parts  of  the  United  kStates, 
while  Gelsemiuni  represents  the  South,  Anemone  Nuttalliana  the  West, 
Thuja  the  Northern  section,  Ranunculus  acris  the  naturalized  plants  and 
Fagopyrum  the  cultivated  plants.  The  plates  are  handsomely  executed, 
and  the  coloring  is  as  nearly  true  to  nature  as  may  be  reasonably  expected  ; 
occasionally  some  of  the  details  have  not  received  full  attention,  as  in  the 
case  of  Podophjilum,  the  rhizome  of  which  has,  as  a  rule,  the  rootlets  in 
tufts  at  the  end  of  the  annual  shoots,  but  rarely  on  the  lower  and  thinner 
portion,  and  in  Geranium  maculatum,  the  flowers  of  which  have  10,  not  12? 
stamens.  The  botanical  dsscriptions  are  i)retty  full  and  accurate.  The 
work  deserves  the  attention  of  those  interested  in  medical  botany. 
The  MiGro^icope  in  Botany.  A  guide  for  the  microscopical  investigation  of 
vegetable  substances.  From  the  German  of  Dr.  Julius  Wilhelm  Behrens. 
Tianslated  and  edited  bv  Rev.  A.  B.  Hervey.  A.M.  ;  assisted  bv  R.  H. 
Ward,  M.D.,  F.R.M.e^.  Illustrated  with  18  plates  and  153  cuts.  Boston  : 
S.  E.  Casino  &  Co.,  1885.    8vo,  pp.  466.    Price,  |5. 
This  is  a  most  valuable  addition  to  the  works  on  microscopy  published 
in  the  English  language.  It  opens  with  an  introductory  chapter  devoted 
to  the  history  of  the  microscope  and  its  gradual  perfection,  and  to  the  man- 
ner in  which  microscopical  work  and  investigations  siiould  be  conducted. 
The  pertinent  advice  given  at  the  close  of  this  chapter  applies  with  equal 
force  to  scientific  work  in  general,  and  culminates  in  the  following  four 
indispensable  characteristics,  necessary  for  reliable  investigations,  namely, 
a  skillful  hand,  good  eyes,  a  tranquil  mind  and  self-knowledge,  the  latter 
being,  perhaps,  the  most  important.  About  140  pages  are  next  devoted  to 
the  consideration  of  the  compound  microscope,  its  various  parts  and  acces- 
sories, all  of  which  are  fully  and  clearly  described,  their  uses  explained  and 
amply  illustrated.  Then  follow  about  110  pages  on  the  preparation  of 
microsco2:)ic  objects,  including  softening  of  tissues,  cutting  in  various  ways, 
clarification,  mounting  and  drawing  of  sections,  labeling  and  storing  of 
preparations,  and  examination  of  living  organisms. 
The  fourth  chapter  treats  upon  about  45  pages  of  the  various  microscopical 
reagents,  inorganic  as  well  as  organic,  including  among  the  latter  the  vari- 
ous staining  liquids.  The  concluding  chapter  on  the  microscopical  inves- 
tigation of  vegetable  substances  occupies  over  140  jDages  and  discusses  the 
composition  of  the  walls  of  different  kinds  of  tissue  and  the  vari^ms  cell 
contents  with  the  means  of  recognizing  the  tissues,  incrustations  and  con- 
tents under  the  microscope. 
