TRANSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES. 383 



SOME ANTARCTIC FRESH WATER ANNULATES. 



By Prof. E. J. Goddard. B.A., D.Sc, and 

 D.'E. Malan, M.A. 



(Not printed.) 



THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 



By F. W. FitzSimons, F.Z.S., F.RM.S. 



(Not printed.) 



Canadium — A Supposed New Element. — On 



page 225 of the preceding volume the discovery was reported 

 of a new element, to which the name " Canadium " had been 

 assigned. In the Annual Report of the Minister of Mines 

 (British Columbia) for the year 1911, it is stated that authentic 

 samples of the dyke in which the presence of platinum metals and 

 " canadium " had been reported, were procured, and submitted, 

 together with concentrates from the crushed material, to repre- 

 sentative firms of assayers, to the Canadian Geological Survey, 

 and to the British Columbia Government Laboratory. In no 

 case were any traces of platinum metals detected, nor was there 

 any evidence of the presence of the alleged new metal. 



TRANSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES. 



South African Institution of Engineers. — Saturday, April 12th: 

 Mr. W. Calder, Vice-President, in the chair. — " Hauling from great 

 depths " : H. Kestner. The author discussed methods of improving the 

 efficiency of hoisting machinery, and the conditions which obtain when 

 hauling from depths of from 3,000 to 4,500 feet, and when hoisting with 

 steam or electric-driven machinery. 



Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa. — 

 Saturday, April 19th: W. R. Dowling, M.T.M.M., President, in the chair. — 

 "Note on the quantitative determination of nitrous fumes in firing ('cheesa) 

 sticks " : Dr. L. Heymann. The fumes are absorbed by a strong al- 

 kaline solution in which the oxidised nitrogen compounds are determined 

 after reduction to ammonia. Results of the author's analyses of several 

 well-known brands of " cheesa " sticks by this method were given. — " Gold 

 production in relation to humanity": E. M. Weston. The author 

 disagrees with the somewhat generally accepted view that the production 

 of gold is now excessive and is causing serious disturbance in prices. Tn 

 controversion of this view the author discussed the history of the rise and 

 fall of nations as influenced by gold production, and then proceeded to 

 enquire whether, over long periods, prices have fluctuated in sympathy 

 with the rise and fall of gold production, or whether other factors have 

 governed that rise and fall ; whether the prices that have increased have 



