THE ANALYST, 83 R E V I E W S A TREXIISE ON THE ~HENICBL ~ONSTITUTION OF TIIE BRAIN BASED THROUGROUT UPON O~~IGINAL EESEAIWEIES. By J. F. L. T~Z~CZ~CTZ?~, iz1.D. London : Published by Bailliere, Tindall, and Cox. To the true chemist this is a book of most absorbing interest, although dealing with matters somewhat out of the general run of his studies. Such a work would have been impossible in the handsof an ordinary labourer in our science, because of the time and expense involved, but Dr. Thudichum has been fortunate in obtaining State aid for the last twelve years, and has so been enabled to thoroughly devote his whole energies to his subject. At first, one takes up the book almost with a sigh of despair at the pre- sumed dryness of its contents, but, in the very preface, the author contrives to intloculate the reader with some of his own enthusiasm, and as one new and curious compound after another comes into view, the interest increases, until at last the work is laid down in sincere admiration for its .contents, and with a feeling almost of envy of the man who has been placed in so happy a position as to be able to engage in such research.It would be manifo&ly impossible to even attempt to follow the author through his subject within the space of L short notice like the present, but them are two points which at once appeal to a chemist, in the marvellous chemical structure of the brain. The first consists in the extraordinary isomerism exhibited by comparatively common substances when modified by tho action of the vital forces of that organ.Take, for instance, stearic acid, there we find no less than three perfectly new isomers discovered by the author, two being of the nature of fatty acids, while the third is an alcohol. To inosite and the glucose group generally is added a new carbohydrate, aameiy, cerebrose, which has been found to be the fundamental radicle of the group of bodies termed cerebro- sides, the chief of which are phrenosin and kerasin. The secondgreat point of interest to the general chemist is the chapter on the phosphorised bodies in the brain. When the first of these, namely, lecithin, mas discovered, it yielded its phosphorus in the form of glycerophosporic acid, and was, therefore, believed to be analagous in structure to an ordinary fat, but the author has proved that this belief was wrong, and that there are many such bodies which do not yield glycerol in any form.He therefore,coiicludes that they are not of the nature of fats, but simply the radicle phosphoryl in combination with other radicals on the type of ordinary tribasic phosphorjc acid. This class of bodies he now denominates plmsphatidm With reference to them, he states that they are the centre, life, and chemical soul of all bioplasm whatsoever, both in plants and animals j their chemical stability being due to the fact that their fundamental radicle is a mineral acid of powerful and inultitudinous dynamicities. The extraordinary point of interest about these compounds is their power of colloidation, and their liquefaction under the influence of disease is the first stage of their decomposition, which is then accompliBhed by patholysis, just as it can be in the laboratory by chemolysis.Again, we have bodies like amidomyelin, which are naturally present in the dissolved liquid skate at the ordinary bodily temperature, but become colloid at fever heat, and these may bo the real cause of death from fever. The book concludes with a scheme €or the quantitative analysis of the brain, and the author finishes by urging that it is to physiological chemistry me are to84 TED3 ANALYST. ~ ~~ ~~~ be chiefly indebted for our medical practise in the future. The advanoe of ohemistry, and the discovery of the uses of suuh bodies as m e r c u r d e , phosphomolybdic, and phosphotungstic acids have given the organic analyst powers of quantitative estimation hitherto undreamed of, and when the chemist has completed his researches it is then €or the medical man to step in and use them for the benefit of humanity.Then, as the author says, by the aid of chemisti! many derangements of the brain and mind which axe at pTesent obscure, will become accurately definable and amenable to precise treat- ment, and what is now m object of anxious empirioism will become one for the proud exercise of exact soience. NUNERICAL EXERCISES IN CHEMISTRY. By 2'. 2.i5octls, 61.4. London: Published by THIS is an addition to the already numerous books of stoichiometric problems intended for the use of chemical students. Commencing with exercises on the metric system, it takes in both ordinary chemical calculations and those belonging to the heat department of chemical physics.The exercises given are very numerous, and possess the advantage of yielding answers coming out to exact figures, and not, as a rule, to recurring deoimals. The key to the calcdation is also included, and thus the student is not taxed with the purchase of another book to get at the mBwers. The preliminary explanations to each variety o€ problem are more copious than usual, and the only fault is that they are sometinies B little too diffuse, and couched in language occasiondly, to some extent, beyond the grasp of beginners. To teachers seeking for a large mass of varied examples, the book will be found very useful, especially in training students for examinations, and we have no doubt that it will meet with an extensive sale €or this purpose.Samyson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivingtou. ALCOHOL TABLES. BY Otter Hc171~~, 11, Billiter Square, EX. Price 3s. 6d. !I!EZSE well known tables have proved of great service to Publio Analysts, and Analytical Chemists. We understand Mi. Hehner has still dently recommend them to all engaged in the perfectly accurate and reliable. The tables are arranged and printed in invduablc for reference purposes. a few copies left, and we can confi- testing of wines and spirits as being such a clear manner that they are SUGAR IN MILK. hi. 1'AuL U ~ i u , the eminent Prench biologist, has been investigating tho origin of sugar in milk. Two theories exist for explaining this phenomenon, one of which supposes that it is formed in the gland itself from lactogenic or milk-forming matter, the other supposes that it come8 from the blood, and is merely stored in the breasts of animals.a. Bert has experimented with cows and she goats, and found beyond a doubt that sugar of nlilk is introduced by excretion in the breasts from sugar formed in excess by the animal. The sugar is apparently first formed in the liver, but whether it appears in the form of lactoso, or glycose, afterwards transformed into lactose in tho breasts, is yet a moot point which 11. Bert has not investigated.TI-IE ANALYST 85 --- ANTI-ADULTERATION LEGISLATION IN AlkfERICA. FROX the following circular and leader,, which we reprint froin our excellent con- temporary, The rSnizitnry .Enyhrer, of New York, it will be seen that the war against the Adulteration Act is being fought in the United States with almost as much ill-feeling ax during the earlier days of the introduction of our Adulteration Acts in this oountiy. Probably longer experience in the States will prove that matters can be worked as comparatively harmoniously as in this country at the present day :-