58o 



SCIENCE PROGRESS 



a lessening of swelling of the tissue as compared with that 



which takes place in distilled water, while in solutions of a 



N 

 strength of only — a shrinkage results after a short preliminary 



swelling period, and this shrinkage is recognisable as that accom- 

 panying injury. 



Osterhout has continued his researches on the electrical 

 conductivity of Laminaria under various conditions, and has 

 drawn a number of conclusions from his results based on the 

 assumption that the electrical conductivity is a measure of the 

 permeability of the tissue. A discussion of these conclusions 

 would, however, be premature before a full account of the 

 apparatus and method has been published, together with the 

 evidence for accepting electrical conductivity as a measure of 

 permeability. 



ANTHROPOLOGY. By A. G. Thacker, A.R.C.Sc. 



The first place in recent anthropological literature must again 

 be given to the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 

 The publication for the first half of 191 7 (vol. xlvii. pt. 1) is 

 even more interesting than usual. The first article is Prof. 

 Arthur Keith's Presidential Address, which is entitled " How 

 can the Institute best serve the needs of Anthropology?" 

 The address consists largely of a survey of the history of the 

 Institute and of the growth of anthropological science in 

 England. The Anthropological Institute grew out of the 

 Ethnological Society, which was founded in 1844. Among 

 the early leaders of the Society there appear the names of men 

 who were pioneers in other branches — often in several other 

 branches — of science, such as Huxley, Spencer, Russel Wallace, 

 Hooker, Galton, Murchison. In these days of high specialisa- 

 tion, one is amazed at the versatility of these men. In answer- 

 ing the question which gives the title to his address, Prof. 

 Keith says that in his opinion the most important duty of 

 the Institute is to maintain its publications, and that after 

 that, the most urgent matter is to provide for the upkeep of 

 the library. Also, " the claims of anthropology for a place 

 amongst the subjects fostered and taught at universities " 

 should be pressed. And, finally, Prof. Keith mentions the 

 point, which has often been insisted upon in Science Progress, 



