METEOEOLOOY. 417 



With tomatoes conditions were worse than with berries. "Only three stuuples 

 lire Iciiown to have been sterilized at ordinary leniporatures, and they received. 

 1()0,()()0 lbs. for 00 minutes on seven successive days. Of 30 samples subjected 

 to 28,000 to 4r),0CH) lbs. at 50 to 70° C. for from 30 minutes to 24 hours, all but 

 five siwiled. These had received 40,000 lbs. at 70° for 60 minutes; 45,000 

 lbs. at 65° for 120 minutes; 40,000 lbs. at 65° for IGO minutes; 40,000 lbs. at 

 65° for ISO minutes ; and 32.000 lbs. at 60° for 24 hours. Other samples receiving 

 higher pressures for longer periods spoiled. There was nothing regular in the 

 work with tomatoes." 



Samples of vegetables treated spoiled. Compressed samples did not spoil as 

 quickly as the check samples, however, but the decomposition was quite as 

 offensive. 



Experiments were also made with pure cultures of micro-organisms for the 

 purpose of determining the following points: "(1) "Whether or not a certain 

 organism could be killed by such pressures as we could safely and easily apply; 

 (2) the time pressure death point curve, that is, the relation between amount 

 of jiressure and length of time it is applied; (3) the effect of high and low 

 temperatures on death point curve; (4) the effect of reaction of the media on 

 death point curve." The organisms used were BaoiUus prodigiofius, B. fluores- 

 ccns liqucfatiens, B. lactis acrogcncs, ^ircptoeoccus lacticus, B. suhtilis, Sae- 

 charomyces cererisiw, 8. albicans, B. tyi)hosns, and B. diphtheria;. 



While quite a few apparently contradictory results were obtained in the work, 

 further investigation might eliminate nearly all of the contradictions. All of 

 the results given are based on the ability of the micro-organisms to rejtroduce 

 themselves. The value of the pressure method for the sterilization of culture 

 media is pointed out. The technique and the apparatus employed in the tests 

 are discussed in detail. 



The coagulation of albumin by pressure, P. W. Bridgman (Jour. Biol. Chcm., 

 1!) {I'Jl'i). yo. .'/. pp. 511, 512). — It was found that white of egg subjected to 

 hydrostatic pressure of 5,000 atmospheres (75,000 lbs. per square inch) at 20° C. 

 for 30 minutes becomes somewhat stiffened. At a little higher pressure, " 6.000 

 atinosi>heres for 30 minutes produced a coagulation in ai>ioearance like curdled 

 milk ; while 7,000 for 30 minutes resulted in appai-ently complete coagulation, 

 the white being capable of standing under its own weight. If the duration of 

 the in-essure of 5.000 was increased to one hour, the coagulation was only 

 slightly increased in amount. Three thousand atmospheres applied for 16 hours 

 produced a barely perceptible thickening of the white. The effect of tempera- 

 ture, which is not large, seems to be such that the ease of coagulation increases 

 at low temperatures, contrary to what one might expect. Six thousand atmos- 

 pheres applied at 0° for one hour produced a somewhat greater stiffening than 

 would have been produced at 20°. Pressures considerably higher than 7,000 did 

 not alter the effect." 



The experiment was also tried with a pressure of 12.000 atmosi)heres for 20 

 minutes, but the resulting product was indistinguishable in appearance from 

 that produced by 7,r)00, although at 20° it was high enough to compel the water 

 to freeze to a modification of ice denser than water. " It is interesting that the 

 coagulated white had not apparently been affected by this freezing." 



The albumin was inclosed in a nickel-steel case and pressure transmitted to it 

 by mercury. 



METEOROLOGY. 



The change in the climate and its cause, R. A. Mabriott (London, 191^, 

 pp. .9.'/, figs. 6). — This treatise predicates ixn-iodic variations in climate and the 

 advance and recession of the polar ice sheet simulttineously in the arctic and 



