66 NATURAL SCIENCE [January 



secretory nerves. Many valuable ideas on the physiology of glands 

 resulted from his first experiments. Again, during the years 

 1889-1892, he was brought to. consider lymph as a product of 

 the secretion of the cells in the walls of the blood capillaries, and 

 from this all our ideas on the formation and circulation of lymph 

 underwent revision. The theory may be contested, but it has evoked 

 many new facts. 



The discovery of lymph-producing substances made in the course 

 of these researches is not the least considerable. A new chapter 

 of physiology was opened. Thus Heidenhain appears to us not only 

 as a skilful and successful experimenter, but also as a clear-sighted 

 intellect. 



A view now generally held, that of the specific activity of cellular 

 elements, resulted from Heidenhain's numerous researches on the 

 functions of the glands. He contributed to the abandonment of 

 purely physical explanations of the phenomena of secretion. 



Almost all the works of Heidenhain were published in the 

 Archiv. f. die ges. Physiol., a few in the Archiv. f. die mikros. Anatomic. 

 A large proportion were collected and published in four volumes 

 at Leipzig from the year 1861 to the year 1868, under the title 

 SUidien des 2)hysiol. Institutes zu Breslciu. Every physiologist has 

 read and thought over his fine and complete study of glandular 

 functions, published in Hermann's " Handbuch der Physiologic." 



Great activity prevailed in Heidenhain's laboratory. Many 

 well-known physiologists of the day studied under his direction. 

 Amongst these may be mentioned Griitzner, Hiirthle and Rohmann. 



[The above is largely taken from an article by Professor E. Gley 

 in L'Interme'diaire des Biologistes, No. 2.] 



OSCAR FRIEDRICH VON FRAAS 



BoKN January 17, 1824 Died November 22, 1897 



The veteran director of the Royal Wiirtemberg Museum of Natural 

 History in Stuttgart, who had been in failing health for some time, 

 died on November 22. Dr von Eraas was a native of Lorch in 

 Wiirtemberg, and at an early age entered the theological faculty of 

 the University of Tiibingen in preparation for the Church. While 

 there he came under the influence of Quenstedt, who inspired him 

 with zeal in the study of geology and palaeontology. In 1847 he 

 proceeded to Paris for a year, where he pursued his studies at the 

 School of Mines under d'Orbigny and Elie de Beaumont. At the 

 conclusion of his university career in 1850 he was ordained, and 

 became a pastor in his native country, devoting his leisure only to his 

 favourite scientific pursuits. In 1854, however, he left the Church 

 and was appointed Conservator of the minerals and fossils in the 

 Wiirtemberg Museum, an office which he held until a few years ago, 

 when he succeeded Dr von Krauss as Director of the Museum. The 

 researches of Dr von Eraas had reference chiefly to the geology, 

 palaeontology, and prehistoric archaeology of Wiirtemberg ; and in the 

 rich collections of the museum which he did so much to form, he has 

 left an enduring monument and memorial of his labours. But he 

 also carried on important researches in the East, where he was one of 



