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The book contains an excellent historical review of the investigations into the nature of the antirachitic vitamin and its relations to the action of light. Falkenheim's original work is described in detail. In his conclusions he seems to be torn between two disharmonious views on the pathogenesis of rickets. He is induced by his own experimental work to accept the view that rickets is a disease caused by growth in the presence of a deficiency in vitamin D and the ultraviolet waves of light between 290 and 313 microns. On the other hand, he wishes to retain the orthodox conception of manifold agencies, among them, disposition. His experiments which deal with the latter subject show nothing more than that vitamin D can be increased in the mother's milk by irradiating the nursing mother. Falkenheim's most serious error is his underestimation of the importance of rapid growth. This is particularly distressing