10 OCTOBER 1874, Page 23

Physiology for Practical Use. By Various Writers. Edited by James

Hinton. 2 vols. (Henry S. Sing and Co.). The method and style of Mr. Hinton's book do justice to a subject which possesses unfailing interest. It begins with a chapter on "The Brain and its Servants," which is followed by essays on the faculties of hearing, sight, smell, and taste. The natural sequel to them is the subject of digestion. Then comes "The Skin—Corpulence," "The Bath—the Sense of Touch," "Notes on Pain," a specially valuable and interesting chapter, and "Respira, tion." With this the first volume is concluded. The first three chap.- tern of the second deal with portions of morbid physiology, " " Influenza," and "Headache," though the subject has of course been treated incidentally in earlier, portions of the book, and in the "Notes on Pain," directly. A short treatise on "Sleep" is followed appro- priately by one on "Sleeplessness." Of thou: that remain we may specify the chapter on "Alcohol," as specially worthy of note. The writer states, with emphasis, that alcohol is a "food." Hero he will displease a numerous body of theorists; to us his reasoning appears to be sound; at the same time, his language throughout the chapter is thoroughly moderate and sensible. The subjects of which

these two volumes treat lie beyond the range of the present writer's knowledge. Still, wherever he has had an opportunity of testing the

suggestions and conclusions of the writers by experience, he haft found them sagacious and accurate. Of the high literary value of tho book we can speak without hesitation.