28 



NA TURE 



[July 7, 1923 



Stanislas Millot : Simplified solutions of problems of 

 Laplace on the probability of causes. — B. Hostinsk/ : 

 The equihbrium of electricity on a cylindrical surface. 

 — Th. Do Donder : Synthesis of the gravific. — 

 Adolphc Lepape : Tlic radioactivity of the springs 

 from some watering-places in the Pyrenees (Bagndres- 

 de-Luchon, Vemct, les Escaldes, Thu6s) and of the 

 Central Plateau (la Bourboule, Royat, Saint-Nectaire, 

 Sail-les-Bains) . Determinations of the radium eman- 

 ation in gases and waters from forty-four springs. 

 Search for the thorium emanation gave mostly 

 negative results, a few springs only showing a trace. — 

 Albert Nodon : The relations between the radio- 

 activity of radium and the activity of solar radiations. 

 — F. Bourion and E. Rouyer : The determination of 

 double salts in solution by the boiling-point method. 

 A discussion of the validity of the rule of mixtures 

 as applied to the boiling-point elevations of solutions 

 of two electrolytes. — Jacques Bardet : The arc 

 spectrum of celtium. The material used contained 

 as impurities only zirconium and a trace of lead, and 

 was obtained from zircons from Brazilian monazite 

 sand. Wave-lengths of the lines in the region between 

 2300 and 3500 A. are given. — Paul Pascal : Re- 

 searches on the constitution of insoluble alkaline 

 metaphosphates. The insoluble alkaline metaphos- 

 phates are not monometaphosphates, but furnish a 

 remarkable example of colloids prepared at a tempera- 

 ture of about 850° C. The normal formula, MPO3, 

 should be restricted to the salts obtained starting 

 with ethyl hexametaphosphate. — S. Glixelli : The 

 influence of neutral salts on the silica gels. The acid 

 properties of colloidal silica are increased by the 

 addition of salts of the alkalis : the effects observed 

 can be explained by assuming that the (OH) ions are 

 adsorbed by the particles of silica. — A. Mailhe : The 

 catalytic decomposition of the anilides. An account 

 of the decomposition of acetanilide at 400° C. in the 

 presence of nickel and of copper. — R. Fosse and A. 

 Hieulle : Xanthyl derivatives of allophanic acid, 

 thiosinamine and of allantoine. — Conrad Kilian : The 

 folds of the " Tassilian enclosure " of the central 

 Saharan massif of Ahaggar. — A. Boit : The role of 

 the superficial folds in the structure of the formation 

 at Morvan. — Ch. Maurain and Mme. de Madinhac : 

 The secular variation of the intensity of the terrestrial 

 magnetic field at Paris. Bauer has suggested the use 

 of a local magnetic constant G = -y/B^+JZlzy, 

 where H and Z are the horizontal and vertical com- 

 ponents of the magnetic field at any point. From 

 an examination of the records for Coimbra, Pola, 

 Paris, Kew, Greenwich, and De Bilt, it is shown that 

 G reached a maximum in 1902. The value of G 

 increases with the latitude of the stations. — J. Giral 

 and F. A. Gila : The use of sodium chloride as a 

 standard in the estimation of the halogens in sea 

 water. The salts present in sea water have no 

 appreciable influence on the quantitative determina- 

 tion of chlorine. — J. J. Thomasset : Relations between 

 the dentine and dental enamel in a fossil fish (Sargo- 

 don). — P. Bugnon : The homologies of cotyledonous 

 leaves. — L. Blaringhem : Heredity in mosaic of the 

 doubling of the flowers in Cardamine pratensis. — 

 A. Guillaumin : The vacuum as a means of prolonging 

 the germinating faculty of seeds. Seeds of radish, 

 wheat, and lettuce, after preservation in a vacuum in 

 the dark for 12 years, showed unimpaired powers of 

 germination. — A. de Puymaly : The adaptation to 

 aerial life of a green alga {Chlamydomonas fungicola). — 

 Marc. Bride! : Biochemical study of the composition 

 of Monotropa Hypopitys : a new glucoside, monotro- 

 peine. The new glucoside was isolated in a pure 

 crystalline condition, 2 gm. being obtained from 

 5200 gm. of material. It is hydrolysed by emulsion 



NO. 2801, VOL. 112] 



giving a blue precipitate. Monotropeine is not 

 identical with aucubine. — Charles Henry : A new test 

 for sense of touch. — Jules Courtier : Experiments on 

 a new test for the sense of touch. Results of the 

 application of the method described in the preceding 

 communication to nineteen subjects. — P. Masson and 

 Louis Berger : A new mode of internal secretion. — 

 Louis Desliens : The measurement of arterial pressure 

 by the bleeding method. A very exact haemo- 

 dynamometric method and present application. The 

 artery is punctured by a hollow needle communicating 

 with a delicate pressure-gauge of the aneroid type. 

 The instrument before use is filled with a saline 

 solution to prevent coagulation. — J. Lopez-Lomba : 

 Changes of weight of the organs of the guinea-pig 

 during C-avitaminosis. — F. Franchette : The pneumo- 

 anaesthesiograph. An account of an instrument 

 designed to evaluate and record the amphtude and 

 frequency of the respiratory movements during 

 anaesthesia. — Emile F. Terroine and H. Barthelemy : 

 The composition of the eggs in the course of ovogenesis 

 in the brown frog [Rana fused). — M. Caille and E. Viel : 

 The detection of small quantities of antimony and 

 bismuth in biological liquids. An apphcation of the 

 antipyrine-potassium iodide reagent described in an 

 earlier communication. — M. Lemoigne : The pro- 

 duction of ^-oxybutyric acid by certain bacteria of 

 the B. subtilis group. — Charles Perez : The casting 

 of the shell of decapod crustaceans carrying parasites 

 (Epicaridae). — Boris Ephrussi : The sexuality of 

 Clava sqtiamata. — C. Levaditi and T. Nicolau : Tissue 

 immunity in neurotrope ectodermosis. — Emile 

 Gautrelet : Monomethylorthophospho-salicylic acid. 



Official Publications Received. 



Koninklijk Magnetiscli en Meteorologisch Observatorium te Batavia, 

 Jaarverslag 1922. Pp. 26. (Weltevreden, Java : Ijandsdrukkerij.) 



Survey of India. General Report 1021-22, from IstiOctober 1921 to 

 30th iSepteniber 1922. Prepared under the Direction of Col. C. H. D.Ryder. 

 Pp. vi+49+8 maps. (Calcutta: Survey of India.) 2-4 rupees ; 4s. 



Southern Rhodesia. Report of the Director, Geological Survey, for the 

 Year 1922. Pp. 10. (Salisbury, Rhodesia.) 



Nauka Polska : jej Potrzeby, Organizacja i Rozw6j. (La Science 

 Polonaise : ses Besoins, son Organisation et ses Progres.) Tom 4. 

 Pp. ix-f590. (Warszawa : Im. Mianovvskiego.) 



Koninklijk Xederlandsch Meteorologisch Instituut. No. 106 : Ergebnisse 

 Aerologisciier Beobachtungen, 10, 1921. Pp. xiii + 83. No. 108 : 

 Seismische Registrierungen in De Bilt, 7, 1919. Pp. xi+68. No. 110: 

 Oceanographische en Meteorologische Waarneniingen in den Atlantischen 

 Oceaan, Maart, April, Mei (1856-1920.) Tabellen. Pp. iii-H86. 15 Fl. 

 Planches. Pp.24. 7.50 Fl. (Utrecht : Kemink en Zoon.) 



Diary of Societies. 



TUESDAY, July 10. 



Sociological Society (at Leplay House, 65 Belgrave Road), at 5.45. — 

 C. Dawson : Progress and Decay in Ancient and Modern Civilisations 

 (Lecture). 



THURSDAY, Jdly 12. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Dermatology Section), at 5. 



TUEWAY, July 17. 

 Royal Society of Medicine, at 5.— General Meeting. 



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