Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 23.djvu/139

Rh be allowed to languish for the want of a little support at a critical period.

Admirable papers on subjects connected with Lepidoptera are either in hand or promised by their authors for the present volume. Each monthly part contains from eighteen to twenty-five pages, and at least four colored plates will be given during the year. For its aims, value of its articles, and general appearance, "Papilio" is one of the cheapest scientific publications in the world, and its directors promise that nothing shall hereafter be wanting on their part to maintain it in the high position to which it aspires.

is a competent and comprehensive work that admirably fulfills the aim with which the author says he set out, "to write a concise and practical treatise, one which, while making no pretensions to being exhaustive, should comprise sufficient to afford a clear insight into the elements of dermatology, and a knowledge of the important facts in connection with each disease treated of." Simplicity and intelligibility have been primarily sought, and therefore questions of theory, discussions of unsettled points, and obsolete terms have been avoided. The classification of Hebra has been adopted, with some changes and modifications. The definitions of the diseases have been made from the clinical stand-point, with a view to giving them practical value, and to having them embody succinct descriptions of characteristic symptoms. In the matter of treatment, the methods favorably regarded by dermatologists at large have been mentioned, and the author has furthermore taken the pains to describe the remedies and mode of treatment which have proved of the greatest benefit in his own experience. The work was considerably enlarged in the second edition, with many additions and new chapters, and was entirely rewritten to meet the remarkable progress which had been made in the science of dermatology during the five years since the first edition was published, in 1876. Then, in a little more than another year, a critical revision was called for, with a rewriting and elaboration of the chapter on the anatomy and physiology of the skin, for the sake of incorporating the later results of the studies in microscopic anatomy. Advantage was taken of the revision to introduce additional cases illustrating rare forms of disease, and new and important observations and personal experiences. The method and arrangement of the treatise deserve commendation. The general considerations of the subject are given in the first part under the headings "Anatomy and Physiology," "Symptomatology," "Etiology," "Pathology," "Diagnosis," "Treatment," "Prognosis," and "Classification." The second part is devoted to the account of special diseases, which are classified as "Disorders of Secretion," "Hyperæmias," "Inflammations," "Hæmorrhages," "Hypertrophies," "Atrophies," "New Growths," "Neuroses," and "Parasites." In connection with each disease are given its synonyms, a general description in a sentence, its symptoms, diagnosis, etiology, pathology, prognosis, treatment, and, when proper, illustrations. The curious facts are brought out by the author that skin-diseases manifest variations of type in different parts of the world; that the differences are quite material between the United States and Europe; and that the diseases met with here resemble more closely those of Great Britain than those of cither France or Germany. These facts give the work the more value as an American treatise describing American types of disease.

Mr. Greer hopes, in the preface to his dictionary, that "the explanations may meet the wants of students and others engaged in these professions" (electrical and telegraph engineering), and it may be presumed that such was his object in preparing it; but had he been attempting instead to crowd the greatest amount of rubbish possible into the least space, he would have had no