^ Not.™; mi""'}  Revieivs  and  Bibliographical  Notices.     ,  527 
EEVIEWS  AND  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 
The  Physician^ s  Dose  and  Symptom  Book  ;  containing  the  doses  and  uses  of 
all  the  principal  articles  of  the  materia  medica  and  officinal  preparations  ; 
also  tables  of  weights  and  measures,  rules  to  proportion  the  doses  of  nnedi- 
cines,  common  abbreviations  used  in  writing  prescriptions,  table  of  poisons 
and  antidotes,  index  of  diseases  and  treatment,  pharmaceutical  preparations, 
table  of  symptomatology,  outlines  of  general  pathology  and  therapeutics. 
By  Joseph  W.  Wythes,  M.  D.,  &c.  Tenth  edition.  Philadelphia:  Lindsay 
&  Blakiston.  1871.  16mo,  277  pages.  Price,  in  cloth,  $1.00  ;  in  leather, 
tucks,  with  pockets,  $1.25. 
That  the  work  before  us,  which  is  evidently  intended  as  an  aid  to  the  student 
■and  a  pocket  companion  for  the  general  practitioner,  has  been  well  received  by 
the  medical  profession,  is  evideficed  by  the  various  editions  through  which  it 
has  passed,  the  last  one  being  enlarged  by  several  useful  additions.  In  some 
instances  the  author  has  sacrificed  clearness  to  brevity.  For  instance,  on  page 
12  we  find,  as  the  antidote  to  alkalies  and  their  salts,  the  vegetable  acids  men- 
tioned ;  alkalies  and  their  carbonates  are  intended,  for  acids  would  certainly 
■not  be  advised  against  excessive  doses  of  nitrate  of  potassa,  for  example. 
Under  the  head  of  opium  and  other  narcotics  the  antagonistic  effects  of  opium 
and  belladonna  deserved  to  be  mentioned.  Nux  vomica  and  strychnia  are  not 
enumerated  among  the  poisons. 
The  word  aconitum  (page  37),  instead  of  aconitia,  is  doubtless  an  error 
attributable  to  oversight.  On  page  61  it  is  stated  that  Cocos  butyracea  is  the 
plant  which  affords  palm  oil  and  cocoa  butter,  and  that  this  '*  is  used  as  an 
-excipient  for  suppositories  and  medicated  pessaries."  Here  the  author  con- 
founds two  entirely  different  fats.  Cocos  nucifera,  Liu.,  yields  palm  oil,  some- 
times also  called  cocoa  butter,  which,  however,  is  perhaps  never  used  in  medi- 
cine in  this  country.  The  seeds  of  Tkeohroma  cacao,  Lin.,  the  so-called 
chocolate  nuts,  furnish  cacao  batter  (often  incorrectly  termed  cocoa  butter), 
which  constitutes  the  base  of  suppositories. 
Aside  from  these  few  imperfections  the  book  will  prove  very  useful  to  those 
for  whom  it  is  intended. 
Medical  Education  in  America  ;  being  the  annual  address  read  before  the 
Massachusetts  Medical  Society  June  7,  1871.  By  Henry  J.  Bigelow,  M.  D., 
Professor  of  Surgery  in  Harvard  University.  Cambridge  :  Welch,  Bigelow 
&  Co.    1871.    8vo,  83  pages. 
An  excellent  essay  on  the  subject  of  medical  education.  The  facilities  of 
European  universities  are  described,  and  their  requirements  compared  with  the 
actual  and  imperative  demands  of  this  country.  The  address  closes  with  an 
account  of  the  changes  adopted  in  the  medical  instruction  in  Harvard  Univer- 
sity. We  heartily  commend  this  book  to  the  careful  perusal  of  every  friend  of 
progress  in  the  instruction  of  medical  and  also  pharmaceutical  students  ;  for 
much  that  we  find  mentioned  here  applies  with  equal  force  also  to  the  young 
pharmacist. 
Essentials  of  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  Medicine.  A  handbook  for  students 
and  practitioners.  By  Henry  Hartshorne,  A.  M.,  M.  I).,  Professor  of  Hy- 
giene in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  &c.    Third  edition.  Thoroughly 
