Abstract
A LITTLE volume of 127 pages, primarily intended to carry candidates for diplomas in Public Health through a three months' course in bacteriology, and not pretending to be more than a laboratory guide. The instructions are extremely brief, and for the most part unaccompanied by any theoretical explanation. This entire divorce of theory and practice is, in our opinion, not unattended with danger, often leading the student to unintelligently cram the details of methods without having any proper understanding of the principles involved. It is frequently forgotten that the chief object of laboratory work should be to gain a living knowledge of a. science, rather than the acquisition of mere dexterity in its practical technique. The exercises are, as we should anticipate from the experience and standing of the authors, well chosen, thoroughly representative, and cover a large amount of ground. On the other hand, some statements made without qualification may easily give rise to mistakes if accepted without reserve. Thus we are told that it is often possible to give a definite opinion in from eighteen to forty-eight hours, as to the presence or absence of cholera vibrios. Recent researches, however, go more and more to show that it is by no means so easy as was supposed to give a correct “definite opinion” as to the identity of this or any other particular micro-organism. We doubt whether bacteriology is sufficiently advanced to admit of treatment in quite such a final and hard and fast manner as it receives in this text-book; but we are told that these pages are not to supplant the demonstrator, and we would add that they should be carefully supplemented by the teacher. If thus employed, this work should prove a very valuable addition to the bacteriological literature of our country. Especially welcome is the inclusion of the principal methods for the detection of some of the chemical products of bacterial life.
A Course of Elementary Practical Bacteriology, including Bacteriological Analysis and Chemistry.
By A. A. Kanthack J. H. Drysdale (London: Macmillan, 1895.)
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
A Course of Elementary Practical Bacteriology, including Bacteriological Analysis and Chemistry. Nature 52, 53 (1895). https://doi.org/10.1038/052053b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/052053b0