404 
Reviews. 
f  Am.  Jour.  I'harm. 
1      August,  1899. 
combated.  Part  III  presents  a  classification  of  medicaments  in  accordance 
with  their  physiologic  actions. 
The  work  has  been  carefully  prepared,  and  contains  just  the  kind  of  infor- 
mation that  the  physician  is  constantly  requiring  in  his  practice.  It  is  a  book, 
too,  that  the  pharmacist  can  very  profitably  employ.  The  form  and  size  of  the 
book  are  such  that  it  can  be  easily  carried  in  the  coat  pocket  and  used  by  the 
physician,  pharmacist  or  student  in  "brushing"  up  his  memory  whenever 
opportunity  presents. 
Practical  Materia  Medici  eor  Nurses  and  an  appendix  containing 
poisons  and  their  antidotes,  with  poison  emergencies,  mineral  waters,  weights 
and  measures,  dose  list  and  a  glossary  of  the  terms  used  in  materia  medicaand 
therapeutics.  By  Emily  A.  M.  Stoney.  Philadelphia:  W.  B.  Saunders,  925 
Walnut  Street.  1899. 
This  work  consists  of  the  notes  of  a  series  of  lectures  delivered  by  the  author, 
and  includes  only  the  source  of  the  drugs,  their  action  and  uses,  dosage  and 
the  symptoms  and  treatment  of  poisoning.  It  seems  a  pity  that  when  there 
are  so  many  books  of  a  practical  character  the  author  should  have  spent 
her  time  in  preparing  this  work  which  contains  nothing  that  is  new,  and  it  can 
hardly  be  said  that  it  either  reflects  or  is  intended  to  encourage  the  desire  for 
accurate  knowledge.  Neither  is  there  an  attempt  to  follow  a  system  or  even 
stick  to  the  plan  of  the  book.  We  presume  that  what  the  author  meant  by 
source  of  drug  is  the  origin  as  given  in  the  Pharmacopoeia.  In  some  cases  this 
is  partly  done,  as  under  "  Stramonium  Leaves"  and  "  Stramonium  Seed." 
Under  "  Conium  "  the  author  says  "  the  leaves  and  fruit  of  '  Conium  Macula- 
turn  '  is  an  antispasmodic  and  calmative."  Then  follow  the  doses  of  the 
extract  and  fluid  extract  of  Conium.  Under  "  Lemon  Peel  "  all  that  is  said  is 
that  "  it  is  used  for  flavoring  purposes."  Then  in  the  same  sentence  comes 
"Action  and  Uses. — Internally,  lemon  juice  is  a  refrigerant  and  forms  a 
refrigerant  drink,"  etc.  Instances  of  this  character  are  common  throughout 
the  book.  The  definition  of  Materia  Medica  in  the  "Introductory"  is  very 
different  from  that  given  in  the  "glossary."  The  origin  of  Kola  is  given  as 
"  vSterarbia  Acuminata."  Under  "  Taka-Diastase  "  the  following  information 
is  given:  "A  ferment  produced  by  the  action  of  Japanese  rice-fungus  ;  used  as 
a  disinfectant."  "  Cetrarin  "  is  defined  as  "an  alkaloid  from  Iceland  Moss." 
These  instances  are  sufficient  to  justify  what  was  said  in  the  first  part  of  this 
review. 
Practical  Methods  of  Urine  Analysis. — For  chemists  and  druggists, 
with  notes  on  the  composition  of  the  normal  and  abnormal  renal  secretions. 
Published  at  the  offices  of  The  Chemist  and  Druggist,  42  Cannon  Street, 
London,  E.  C. 
That  there  is  a  growing  importance  to  the  physician  and  patient  that  the 
urine  of  the  latter  be  analyzed  is  observed  in  the  numerous  works  on  urine 
analysis  being  published  and  the  extent  to  which,  in  some  of  our  text-books, 
a  chapter  on  urine  analysis  is  added.  That  the  analysis  of  urine,  from  both  a 
chemical  and  microscopical  standpoint,  is  a  legitimate  field  for  the  pharmacist 
is  evidenced  by  the  demand  for  instruction  in  this  particular  field.  The  book 
before  us  is  a  fairly  accurate,  clear,  simple  and  practical  treatise  on  this  subject. 
With  the  exception  of  those  portions  treating  of  the  spectroscope  and  polari- 
