The author's aim has been to present a concise yet connected account of the anatomical facts of importance to the surgeon, indicating the relative importance of these facts by brief references to their surgical bearing. The physiology of the parts under discussion has also been touched upon when of surgical import.

It is hoped that the aim will commend itself to medical men, and to students of surgery and of anatomy, and that they will find the detail given sufficient to obviate frequent reference to systematic text-books of anatomy.

Generally, the author has followed the teaching of the standard British and Continental works, and to these he gladly acknowledges his indebtedness. On a number of points, however-as, for example, regarding the function of the periosteum-he has followed that of his teacher, Sir William Macewen, whose opinions are based not merely upon clinical experience, but also in many cases upon long series of experiments.

In the mode of presenting certain facts, likewise-as in surveying the anatomy of hernia from the abdominal instead of from the external surface- -the author has followed methods which long experience infHeaching has convinced him are most readily grasped by the student.

J. A. C. M.

Glasgow,

November 1, 1909.