240 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



gctic processes of oxidation go on ; hence lower degrees of 

 oxidation can not arise, nor combinations of phosphorus with 

 other elements, for such combinations would be quickly oxi- 

 dized into phosphoric acid. 



In special experiments in regard to this subject by Plosz, 

 fishes were used as best adapted for the purpose, not only on 

 account of the large proportion of leucithine which they con- 

 tain, but also because it is probable that they contain anoth- 

 er phosphorized body in the nuclei of their blood corpuscles. 

 The fishes were beaten to a pulp, and laid aside with a little 

 water, for putrefaction to set in. The external air was ex- 

 cluded, so that only that air which was contained in the flask 

 could act as an oxygenant. A disengagement of gas qiyckly 

 took place. The gas given off was conducted through a so- 

 lution of silver nitrate, in which it produced a dark brown 

 precipitate. The generation of gas ceased after some time, 

 but was renewed as soon as air was admitted into the appa- 

 ratus. In this manner four parallel experiments were made, 

 and the whole precipitate formed during a period of five 

 weeks was employed in the examination for phosphorus and 

 sulphur. For this purpose the precipitate was acted upon 

 with nitro-hydrochloric acid, every precaution being taken, 

 and tested for sulphuric and phosphoric acids. Sulphuric acid 

 was found in abundance, but no phosphoric acid could be de- 

 tected. 21 A, August, 1871,734. 



DIFFERENCE OF BRAIX IX MAX AXD OTHER MAMMALS. 



Professor Theodore Meynert, in a late number of the Me- 

 moirs of the Anthropological Society of Vienna, presents an 

 elaborate discussion of the differences in the structure of the 

 brain of man from that of the other mammalia. His remarks 

 are too technical for our columns, but the general conclusion 

 arrived at is that differences exist which are of a fundament- 

 al character, and by which even the most closely allied an- 

 thropoid apes can be distinguished from man. 



SMALL-POX IX THE NORTH. 



By late advices from the extreme north of the continent, 

 we learn that small-pox and measles have continued to make 

 fearful ravages among the natives. Entire bands of Esqui- 

 maux, in the region between the mouths of the Mackenzie and 



