Am.  Jour.  Pharir. 
May,  1892. 
Reviews. 
283 
Le  Genre  Meliola.  Anatomie  ;  Morphologie  ;  Systematique.  Par  A.  Gail- 
lard,  preparateur  au  laboratoire  de  botanique  generale  et  laureat  de  l'Bcole 
superieure  de  Pharmacie.    Ivons-le-Saunier.  1892. 
This  monograph  on  the  anatomy,  morphology  and  systematic  position  of  the 
genus  Meliola  was  prepared  as  a  thesis  for  obtaining,  from  the  pharmacy 
school  at  Paris,  the  diploma  of  pharmacien  of  the  second  class.  The  descrip- 
tive part  of  the  text  enumerates  nr  species,  and  excludes  27,  of  which  number 
3  species  are  considered  doubtful.  The  genus  belongs  to  the  order  of  Peri- 
sporeaceae  among  the  lower  fungi.  The  text  of  163  pages  is  accompanied  by 
24  lithographic  plates,  illustrating  the  species  described. 
The  Mediterranean  Shores  of  America.  Southern  California  :  its  Climatic, 
Physical  and  Meteorological  Conditions.  By  P.  C.  Remondino,  M.  D., 
member  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  etc.  Fully  illustrated.  Phila- 
delphia :  The  F.  A.  Davis  Company, 'Publishers.  1892.  8vo.  Pp.  xiv  and  160. 
Price,  paper,  75  cents  ;  bound  in  cloth,  $1.25. 
"  California,  meteorology,  is  something  that  will  interest  the  reader,  whether 
in  search  of  a  more  genial  home,  or  in  search  of  lost  health,  or  even  if  only  as 
a  matter  of  new  information  about  one's  own  country."  This  statement  of  the 
author  would  seem  to  us  to  be  subject  to  considerable  extension,  and  should  be 
taken  to  apply  particularly  to  those  who,  for  a  briefer  or  longer  period,  became 
acquainted  with  the  climate  of  the  Pacific  shore,  but  whose  home  is  located 
nearer  the  Atlantic  coast;  they  will  peruse  his  descriptions  of  the  meteoro- 
logical and  climatological  conditions  of  this  favored  region,  with  unabated 
interest,  because  of  the  plain  and  convincing  manner  in  which  they  are  made, 
though  these  conditions  may  appear  strange  to  those  who  are  not,  in  a  measure, 
familiar  with  them.  The  discussion  as  to  the  influence  of  these  conditions  upon 
health  and  disease  are,  as  a  matter  of  course,  of  primary  importance  to  the 
physician  ;  but  technical  language  having  been  avoided  as  much  as  possible, 
the  consideration  of  these  topics  does  not  diminish  the  attractiveness  which  the 
book  has  for  the  intelligent  lay  reader.  For  the  information  of  the  physician 
a  list  of  books  is  given  which  treat  upon  allied  subjects,  either  in  a  general 
way,  or  with  special  application  to  contiguous  localities.  The  book  is  embel- 
lished with  forty-five  illustrations,  with  a  map  of  the  coast  district  of  Southern 
California,  and  another  map  giving  profiles,  east  and  west,  of  the  same  district. 
Pharmacographia  Indica.  — A  history  of  the  principal  drugs  met  with  in 
British  India.  By  Wm.  Dymock,  Brigade-Surgeon,  retired  etc.,  C.  J.  H. 
Warden,  Surgeon -Major,  Bengal  army,  etc.,  and  David  Hooper,  Quinologist  to 
the  Government  of  Madras,  Ootacamund.  London.  Kegan,  Paul.  Trench, 
Trubner  &  Co.,  Ld  ,  1892.    Part  V.    Pp.  312. 
This  is  the  first  part  of  the  third  volume  of  this  valuable  and  interesting 
work,  and  comprises  the  drugs  of  the  groups  Personales  and  Lamiales  of  the 
Gamopetalse,  and  of  most  of  the  monochlamydeous  orders,  including  the 
greater  portion  derived  from  the  Euphorbiaceae.  Of  drugs  and  plants  known 
or  used  in  North  America,  the  following  are  also  employed  in  India  :  Verbas- 
cum  Thapsus  is  prescribed  by  Mahometan  physicians  in  gout  and  rheumatism 
in  combination  with  aperients.  Sesamum  indicum  is  used  for  a  variety  of  pur- 
poses ;  besides  the  oil,  the  leaves  and  seeds  are  employed,  being  considered 
emollient,  laxative,  emmenagogue,  aphrodisiac,  and  useful  in  cough,  as  an 
