( 86 ) 



kinds of earth (foresl-liiimiis, üarden-cartli, sand, poniukMl aiitinnn- 

 leaves of Qiicirns and Fagus). 



After the experiineiilal dishes, covered with glass, liad been jdaeed 

 on a windowsill outside and for 8 weeks had shown no sign of 

 life, stemmed enps were found on the sclerolia in ail of them, 

 differing from those obtained formerlj' in ha\ ing greater dimensions. 

 Instead of 0.8 mill, wide and 0.2 deej), the cups were now 1.4 — 5 

 mill, wide and 0.2 — 0.3 mill, deep; the stems on the other hand 

 were much shorter, varying between 1.5 and 9 mill, against 

 4 — 6 cent, in March. 



The new numbers agree more with those of other sj)ecics of 

 Sclerotinia and can oidy, we think, have been [)roduced by the 

 influence of a nnlder temperature and corresponding increased 

 metabolism. 



The greatest number of cups, sprung from one sclerotium, was 12, 

 as may be seen in the illustration. 



The special features of cujis and stems, among which the swelling 

 under the cups, resembling an apo[)hysis, and the rough suiface of the 

 stems, w^ere present in the newly gained specimens as in the former 

 ones. Finally it must be stated that the sclerotia with wdiich the 

 new experiments were made, originated from i)ure cultures and 

 that between the microscopical structure of the former and the new 

 cups and stems no difference was found. 



Physiology. — ''The cause of aleep." By Dr. A. (Iortkk. (Com- 

 municated by Pi'of. ('. WlNKLKU). 



The diflerent well-known theories about the origiji of sleep have 

 hitherto not furnished us with a satisfactory explanation either for 

 the want of sleeping or for the sleej)ing state. B}- anaentia of the 

 hralii quite other symptoms are ofien presented than by want of 

 sleep, and liie former has been recognised as a phenomenon of repose 

 even without sleep. The interru|)tion of contimuly in the conduction 

 from the brain to tlie remaining ])art of the nervous system w^as 

 considered already by rurl-'nije as the primal cause of sleep and has 

 been treated of afterwards by Louis Maitiiner in an essay on Xonn. 

 In the latter the hypothesis was put forward that the interruption 

 of the contact occurred in those jdaces Avhere, in cases of J\)Uo- 

 encepliaUtis haenu)n'h>i</ic((, the focusses of disease were found ^). 

 This theory has more recently found a powerful supjjorter in Duval, 



1) Wicn. Med. Wochensclirifl ls90 no 23—27. 



