578 
EDITORIAL. 
more  in  physical  science,  than  in  physiology  and  mental  philosophy.  It  is 
evidently  the  product  of  much  thought,  and  many  of  the  views  which  have 
been  arrived  at,  during  a  series  of  years  in  the  inner  man  of  the  author,  are 
here  given  out  in  a  pleasantly  readible  form.  Some  of  the  most  abstruse 
questions  of  mental  philosophy  are  considered,  especially  the  physiology  of 
the  brain  in  connection  wTith  the  manifestations  of  the  intellect  and  senti- 
ments. The  author  is  not  a  phrenologist,  yet  his  study  of  human  physiology 
leads  him  to  grant  much  that  the  opponents  of  phrenology  deny,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  functions  of  the  brain.  The  subjects  of  dreams  and  mental  illu- 
sions come  in  for  a  share,  and  many  curious  observations  are  brought  forward 
by  the  author.  The  subject  of  memory,  in  its  relation  to  the  brain,  is  ably 
discussed.  We  are  glad  to  find  that  the  author  does  not  for  a  moment  doubt 
the  independent  existence  of  mind,  in  his  views  of  the  relationship  of  the 
brain  to  the  mind.  He  considers  that  all  impressions  on  the  brain  do  not  re- 
sult in  memory,  but  that  an  impression  to  be  remembered  must  be  accompa- 
nied by  attention,  which  is  an  act  of  the  mind  itself;  just  as  in  telegraphing 
a  message  to  be  recorded  at  a  particular  station,  requires  the  attention  of 
the  operator  at  that  station,  otherwise  the  clicking  of  the  apparatus  is  with- 
out result.  The  subject  of  insanity  is  also  considered  in  its  partial  and  gene- 
ral conditions.  The  power  of  fixing  the  attention  at  will,  one  of  the  marks 
of  strength  of  intellect,  is  more  or  less  absent  in  lunatics,  in  whom  a  contin- 
uous flow  of  ideas  continues  to  pass,  which  they  are  unable  to  control  by  at- 
tention ;  or  on  the  other  hand,  but  one  idea  constantly  recurs.  The  subject 
of  animal  instincts,  and  the  mental  constitution  of  animals  is  discussed,  the 
author  inclining  to  the  belief,  "  that  the  minds  of  the  inferior  animals,  are 
essentially  of  the  same  nature  with  that  of  the  human  race,"  so  far  as  facul- 
ties are  concerned,  but  the  more  important  in  a  far  less  degree,  whilst  in  in- 
stinctive faculties  animals  surpass  man.  The  sixth  and  last  chapter  is  de- 
voted to  11  the  science  of  human  nature,"  and  to  discussing  the  merits  of 
Phrenology  as  a  practical  reality,  the  author  deciding  against  its  claims  on 
anatomical  grounds.  The  author  has  avoided  technicalities  j  the  work  ad- 
dresses itself  as  much  to  the  general  reader,  as  to  the  professional  man,  and 
it  will  amply  repay  the  time  required,  and  afford  much  food  for  reflection. 
Concentrated  Organic  Medicines  : — being  a  practical  exposition  of  the 
therapeutic  properties  and  clinical  employment,  of  the  combined  proxi- 
mate medicinal  constituents  of  indigenous  and  foreign  plants.  To  which 
is  added  a  brief  history  of  crude  organic  remedies,  constituents  of  plants, 
concentrated  medicines,  officinal  preparations,  etc.  etc.    By  Grover  Coe, 
M.  D.    Published  by  B.  Keith  &  Co.  New  York,  1858,  pp.  445  octavo- 
This  book,  as  its  name  implies,  is  written  to  bring  into  notice  the  class 
of  medicinal  preparations  chiefly  used  by  "  Eclectic  "  practitioners,  pre- 
pared by  Keith  &  Co.  of  New  York.    As  the  mode  of  making  these  prepa- 
rations is  kept  a  secret,  and  as  they  have  no  claim  to  be  considered  pure 
proximate  principles,  as  their  names  would  signify,  but  are  mere  mixtures 
of  certain  principles  of  plants.    We  doubt  the  propriety  of  the  medical 
