The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-01
LITERATURE.
Reviews of New Books.

TEXT Book OF PRACTICAL MEDICINE. With par
Anatomy By Dr.. Felix Won Niemeyer. Trans.
lated from the Seventh German Edition, by DR..
George II. Humphreys, NJ d., and Charles +. Hack
ley, III. ID. Two volumes. New YORK: ID. Apple
ton Co.
1t has been remarked more than once by celebrated
physicians that the science OF medicine hardly keeps
pace with the progress OF the age During the years
that the value OF steam has been discovered and the
telegraph has been invented the world has remained
in almost complete ignorance OF the remedial agents
for cholera consumption and several other diseases
now ranked among the mysterious and incurable.
But while medicine has been on the whole. laggard
In the march OF science 1t cannot be said to have
stagnated. Numerous important discoveries have
been made, beneficial to human life and health and
happiness. Everything Of importance relating TO
the science has been, as the transators remark in
the preface. presented to the world In "mutipli
city OF excellent English treatses" almost rendering
these volumes supernu0us. Still, as the preface
also very correctly says "the sciences OF pathology
and therapeutics have made vast strides within the
last ten years; and for very many important re-
searches and discoveries In both these branches OF
medicine are indebted to Germany. Professor
Niemeyer's volumes present concise and well al.
gested epit0me OF the results Of ten years OF care
fully recorded clinical observations by the most
ilustrious medical authorities Of Europe together
win many valuable ana practical deductions regard
ing the causes OF disease and the application OF
remedies such we believe have not as yet been
assembled IN any single work."
II the reputation which these volumes have OBJ
tained IN Germany be considered an evidence OF
their value TO the medical profession, and
through physicians to suffering humanity, there
Is nothing In the quoted sentences, strong
not heartily subscribe Our comparatively lin
tied knowledge OF medicine inclines US to depend
considerably upon the Judgment Of physicians Of
prominence In their profession for critical opinion
Of the merits Of Professor Nemeyers work, and this
is all that Is favorable. We have no doubt that to
the medical world In the United states It will prove
a valuable assistant To the scientific student 1t
will also be welcome. At odd times during the
past TWO weeks. we have perused the pages and
have been surprised at the interest their
contents awakened, Independent OF the infor-
nation conveyed and instruction Afforded. But 1t ia
principally TO physicians that these volumes will be
found OF value even they designed solely for
| them. They will therefore note with more than
ordinary satisfaction that both the transators are
gentlemen OF ability and established regulations In
their professions besides being thorough masters OF
| Che German language, DR.. Humphreys being lone Of
the physicians to the Bureau Of Medical and Surgical
Relief at Bellevue Hospital for the outdoor POor,n
and his cOlabOrer IN the work. Dr. Hackley zone Of
the physicians to the New York Hospital and one Of
the surgeons to the New York Eye and Ear In
hrmary.n Reliance can thus be placed upon the &C.
curacy Of the translation. 1t only remains be said
that both volumes are handsomely printed and
bound