A number of prescriptions bearing on one question in the treatment of a disease, as is often found in the book, is a subject for interesting study, such as can hardly be awakened by referring to any book on practice on the subject. It must be admitted that each prescription represents the best effort on the part of its author, to supply a want in the treatment of the disease for which it is intended, and its publication is usually a guarantee that he has not always made the effort in vain. Another marked feature is that these prescriptions are intended for that class of diseases, that may be daily brought under the notice of the practitioner, and may demand counsel and aid for the best recent methods of treating them.

In connection with the diseases treated in the book, are included many subjects of a practical nature that may require an immediate consideration in the counsel room or sick chamber. Among these are the symptoms of obscure diseases that demand a symptomatic treatment - a treatment for immediate relief. As this practice is of frequent occurrence with all physicians, it was deemed proper to give it careful attention. It is a remarkable fact that some of the best prescriptions offered to the medical profession from the most noted authorities are found under this classification. We can venture on an axiom in practice, that will hold good in a multitude of cases: Remove the symptoms of a disease, and you will remove the disease itself.

One important feature is the enumeration and systematic classification of all the remedies the book contains. They amount to 10,243, and an excess of this is given as some numbers are sub-divided into another series of enumeration. There are several advantages to be gained by this arrangement. In the first place where it is convenient to prescribe by enumeration, it will not only save the labor of writing a prescription, but on the plan represented in the book, will show how readily public prescriptions can be modified. It will likewise do away with the abuse of written prescriptions in the hands of patients, and what is better still, it will afford special facilities and security to the pharmacist, and at the same time in each case, maintain an accurate record of its progress. In these prescriptions the physician marks the therapeutic force of each, as a matter of record, and for the special information of his dispensing druggist. Should the physician from some oversight, put the force of 20 to a prescription, when on the list of Therapeutics in the book the remedy called for a force of 90, there evidently would be a dangerous mistake in the formula, which the druggist would be obliged to return for correction. The book gives a form for this method of prescribing.

It is not supposed that the physician will always cull out choice prescriptions and prescribe them by enumeration; yet still, when he has a list of several of them before him on one point, all well recommended, he may see the elements in some of them for a formula, that would meet the conditions of a case on hand, that in his judgment, really would be more acceptable than any other. Yet such a formula from his hands might not have been produced had the authorities not been consulted. It may be often in this way of suggestion and authority that the book may be of greatest value.

Special attention has been given to the treatment of poisoning by active drugs, venomous bites, etc. These are treated by a series of formal prescriptions, and not in the general suggestive way, as seen in our text books.

Another subject of interest is an extensive collection of receipts for the preparation of "Diet for the sick." Many of these are adopted by the United States Government Hospitals. This part of the work is especially designed for the educated nurse who occupies so important a position relatively to the physician and the patient.

The book closes with a full list of new remedies. Rare alkaloids, glucosides and chemicals; representing their active principles and their posology; and with an appendex containing the following subjects:

1. Alimentation in diseases.

2. Formulae for nutritive enemata.

3. Bill of fare for the diabetic.

4. Dietetic rules for reducing weight.

5. Diet in Bright's disease.

6. Diet in calculus.

7. Diet in rheumatism.

8. Diet in gout.

9. Relative digestibility of animal substances.

10. Relative digestibility of vegetable substances.

11. Relative digestibility of alimentary substances.

12. Composition of various articles of food.

13. Weights and measures.

14. Tables of the metric system, giving a ready method to change a metric weight or measure into Troy weight or measure, and vice versa,

15. Posological table, a ready method to ascertain the approximate quantity of each medicine in a prescription in each teaspoonful dose or fluid drachm, or in each pill

16. Definitions of terms denoting the properties of remedical agents.

17. Differential diagnosis of eruptive fevers.

18. Proper names in medicines.

19. Table of thermometric equivalents.

20. Thermometry in practice.

21. Co-relation of pulse and temperature.

22. The pulse - average frequency at different ages in health.

23. Respiration at different ages.

24. Eruption of the teeth.

25. Examination of urine in health and disease - a subject of special interest to Medical Examiners of the army and navy, and for life insurance.

26. A method of prescribing by enumeration.

27. Index of medicines, etc., the classical and English terms of each item is given to each reference. This index gives the current classical and common names of each medicine.

28. Index of diseases, is on the same plan, and is equaliy replete. Each disease is referred to by its different names, and the name of each disease is followed by referring to the different methods of its treatment. Both indices are so arranged that many questions in medicine can be determined by referring to either index.