In spite of the absence of Dr. Singer on military duty for the greater part of the time, the work has been carried on with conspicuous success, to use the words of Bodley’s Librarian. Ten special students have used the room. Professor Ramsay Wright has made a study of an interesting Persian medical manuscript. Professor William Libby, of Pittsburg, during the session of 1915-16, used the room in the preparation of his admirable _History of Science_ just issued. Dr. E. T. Withington, the well-known medical historian, is making a special study of the old Greek writers for the new edition of Liddell and Scott’s _Dictionary_. Miss Mildred Westland has helped Dr. Singer with the Italian medical manuscripts. Mr. Reuben Levy has worked at the Arabic medical manuscripts of Moses Maimonides. Mrs. Jenkinson is engaged on a study of early medicine and magic. Dr. J. L. E. Dreyer, the distinguished historian of Astronomy, has used the room in connexion with the preparation of the _Opera Omnia_ of Tycho Brahe. Miss Joan Evans is engaged upon a research on mediaeval lapidaries. Mrs. Singer has begun a study of the English medical manuscripts, with a view to a complete catalogue. How important this is may be judged from the first instalment of her work dealing with the plague manuscripts in the British Museum. With rare enthusiasm and energy Dr. Singer has himself done a great deal of valuable work, and has proved an intellectual ferment working far beyond the confines of Oxford. I have myself found the science history room of the greatest convenience, and it is most helpful to have easy access on the shelves to a large collection of works on the subject. Had the war not interfered, we had hoped to start a _Journal of the History and Method of Science_ and to organize a summer school for special students--hopes we may perhaps see realized in happier days. Meanwhile, this volume of essays (most of which were in course of preparation when war was declared) is issued as a _ballon d’essai_. WILLIAM OSLER. CONTENTS PAGE CHARLES SINGER The Scientific Views and Visions of Saint Hildegard (1098-1180) 1 J. W. JENKINSON Vitalism 59 CHARLES SINGER A Study in Early Renaissance Anatomy, with a new text: The _ANOTHOMIA_ of Hieronymo Manfredi, transcribed and translated by A. Mildred Westland 79 RAYMOND CRAWFURD The Blessing of Cramp-Rings; a Chapter in the History of the Treatment of Epilepsy 165 E. T. WITHINGTON Dr. John Weyer and the Witch Mania 189 REUBEN LEVY The ‘Tractatus de Causis et Indiciis Morborum’, attributed to Maimonides 225