May 30, 1889] 



NATURE 



119 



expand, and on the contrary undergoes a slight contraction. 

 The phenomenon is analogous to that observed in the di- 

 morphic transformations of litharge, of potassium sulphate, and 

 especially of dicalcic silicate. — On the variations of the acid 

 function in stannic oxide, by M. Leo Vignon. The author here 

 resumes his study of the polymerization of stannic acid, dealing 

 more especially with stannic acid prepared by means of stannic 

 chloride ; with metastannic acid obtained by the reaction of 

 nitric acid on tin ; and with calcined stannic oxide. He finds 

 that there must exist a complete series of stannic acids, whose 

 first term would appear to be the soluble acid, and the last the 

 calcined metastannic acid. — On oxalomolybdic acid and the 

 oxalomolybdates, by M. E. Pechard. — On phosphorous acid, 

 by M. L. Amat. In a previous note {Cotnptes rendus, cvi. 

 p. 1400) the author showed that, under the action of heat, the 

 acid phosphite of soda may lose water, and be transformed to a 

 pyrophosphite of soda. His present researches make it 

 probable that the other acid phosphites behave like the salt 

 of soda, only the dehydratation in their case is much more 

 difficult. — Action of the alkaline mela-, pyro-, and ortho- 

 arseniates on the alkaline earthy oxides, by M. Lefevre. 

 These researches, which are confined to baryta, strontia, and 

 lime, show that lime has a greater tendency to form chloro- 

 arseniates than baryta, while baryta yields simple compounds 

 more readily than lime. Strontia is intermediate between 

 these two bases. — On the malonates of ammonia, by M. 

 Massol. Here the author describes the method of preparation, 

 composition, and properties of the acid and neutral malonates. 

 — On the proportion of nitrates contained in the rains of 

 tropical regions, by MM. A. Muntz and V. Marcano. Obser- 

 vations taken at Caracas (Venezuela) and at Saint-Denis (Re- 

 union), compared with those recorded by Messrs. Lawes and 

 Gilbert at Rothamsted and by M. Boussingault at Liebfrauen- 

 berg (Alsace), show that the quantity of nitrates contained in 

 tropical rains is from five to thirteen times greater than in those 

 of temperate zones. To this abundance of nitrogen under a 

 form easily assimilated must doubtless be partly attributed the 

 exuberance of tropical vegetation. — On the richness of wheat in 

 gluten, by MM. E. Gatellier and L. L'Hote. Continuing their 

 researches on this subject, the authors arrive at the general con- 

 clusion that by careful selection and treatment wheat may be 

 made to yield a high proportion of gluten without any reduction 

 in the abundance of the harvest. — Papers were contributed 

 by M. Martinand, on the alcoholic fermentation of milk ; by 

 Dom Pedro Augusto de Saxe-Cobourg-Golha, on a specimen 

 of crystallized iron glance from Bahia (Brazil), and on the albite 

 of Morro Velho ; and by M. P. Termier, on leverrierite (a new 

 phyllite), and on the Bacillarites of the coal-measures. 



Astronomical Society, April 3. — The following were 

 elected officers for the ensuing year : — President, M. Faye ; 

 Vice-Presidents, M. C. Flammarion, Colonel Laussedat, General 

 Parmentier, and M. Trouvelot ; Secretary, M. Gerigny ; Vice- 

 Secretaries, MM. C. Detaille and E. Bertaux ; Treasurer, M. 

 A. Hentsch ; Librarian, M. Mabire. Council : MM. Bischoffs- 

 heim, Bossert, Charton, Gunziger, Heman, Hirn, Moussette, 

 Secretan, Oppert, Trepied, Armelin (Admiral), Cloue, Bardou, 

 Moureaux, and Schmoll.— M. C. Flammarion summed up the 

 progress of astronomy during the past year. — M. Faye then 

 took the chair, and remarked that in founding this Society M. 

 Flammarion and his collaborators had created something durable, 

 and had rendered a great service in so doing. M. Faye pro- 

 posed that the Society should hold an extraordinary meeting in 

 September this year, on account of the Exhibition, which will 

 bring many foreign astronomers to Paris. This proposition was 

 adopted. — M. Guiot sent an observation of shadow cast by 

 Venus. — M. Dumesnil, same observation ; also observations of 

 Venus, with the naked eye, on March 6, 9, 15, 23, and 28, from 

 3 to 4 p.m. — M. Faye made some remarks on the Samoa 

 cyclone, and explained the parabolic path of cyclones in both 

 hemispheres.— -M. Junod sent some remarks on the attraction 

 between rotating spheres. 



Berlin. 



Physiological Society, May 3.— Prof, du Bois Reymond, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. Blaschko gave an account of his 

 anatomical researches on the formation of the horny layer of the 

 skin. According to his observations the Malpighian layer con- 

 sists of polygonal cells, which are pierced by so considerable a 

 number of fibres that the cell-substance of each consists of a 

 network of fibres. These fibres pass through two or three cells 

 in succession, thus uniting them one to the other ; between 



them, and external to the cells, is found the intercellular fluid, 

 and similarly a fluid substance in the interior of the cells. The 

 growth of the horny layer begins in the stratum granulosum, 

 with the appearance of VValdeyer's keratohyalin granules in the 

 fibres ; these granules then become larger, and the fibres dis- 

 appear. In the itrattim corveum fibres again make their ap- 

 pearance in the dried cells, which have now entirely lost the 

 nucleus which they possessed m hen they formed part of the 

 Malpighian layer. The speaker supported his statements by 

 drawings and preparations which he exhibited. — Dr. Gold- 

 schneicler spoke on the muscular sense, and on the experiments- 

 he had made with a view to its analysis. To assist him in 

 his researches he made use of localized anaesthesia, produced 

 by Faradic currents, and of the exclusion of conscious voli- 

 tional impulses. Perception of motion takes place at the joints,, 

 and is unaffected by want of sensitiveness in the skin. The 

 liminal value for the sensation of motion varies greatly for 

 various joints, lying between i°'30 and o'="27. The time required 

 for the perception of the motion is very short, and is unaffected 

 by the position of the limb. The muscles are not concerned in 

 perceiving the position of the limb, this being dependent on the 

 visual centre, which is stimulated by local sensory impulses. 

 The perception of weight is similarly dependent en the ctntral* 

 nervous system, and the recognition of resistance experienced in 

 raising and lowering weights is brought about by means of the 

 varying presssure exerted by the surfaces of the joints against 

 each other. Owing to the lateness of the hour the conclusion^ 

 of this communication was postponed to the next meeting. 



\Note. — In the report of the Physiological Society, Nature, 

 May 2, p. 24, line 22, for " ventral" read " dorsal." 



May 17. — Prof du Bois-Reymond, President, in the chair. 

 — Dr. Goldscheider concluded his communication on the 

 muscular sense. He brought forward a mass of evidence 

 in opposition to the view, which has up to the present 

 time been widely spread, that innervation-sensations play an 

 important part in connection with muscular sense. Thus, for 

 instance, the following experiment is opposed to the current 

 view : a given muscle is stimulated electrically (the will thus 

 being excluded), lifts a weight, and gives rise to a distinct sensa- 

 tion of the accompanying movement. On the other hand, a 

 movement may be intended, the innervation-sensation being at 

 the same time distinctly prominent, and still the sensation of 

 movement may be subminimal and not reach its liminal value, 

 so long as the movement when executed is very small. As 

 regards the raising of weights, it must be borne in mind that this 

 is performed by limbs made up of several parts connected by 

 joints ; the rigid joints give rise to the sensation of resistance. 

 The speaker summed up the outcome of his researches as a whole 

 in the conclusion that the muscular sense is compounded of three 

 peripheral sensations : of a sensation of movement resulting 

 from the displacement of the condyles, of a sensation of weight' 

 produced by the tension of the tendons, and of a sensatioii of 

 resistance due to the pressure of the articular surfaces against 

 each other. In addition to the above there is still another 

 sensation — namely, o{ position, resulting from pressure, tension, 

 and stretching of the skin and other local stimuli. Prsf. Gad 

 gave strong expression to his own view, in opposition to the con- 

 clusions of Dr. Goldscheider, that the perception of resistance 

 is not directly a sensation but a judgment, based upon the relation 

 of the movement to the innervation and muscular tension. — Prof. 

 Kossel then expressed his opposition to the views of Prof. Leo 

 Liebermann on nuclein, which he regards as a mixed precipitate 

 of metaphosphoric acid, albumen, and bases of the xanthin series. 

 — He next gave an account of the researches of Schindler, who 

 had sought in the tissues for the bases of adenin, hyi^oxanthin, 

 guanin, and xanthin, which are all products of the decomposition 

 of nuclein. He found no adenin in the semen of bulls, but only 

 the other three bases, whereas in that of the carp and in the 

 thyroid gland not only adenin but the other three are plentifully 

 present. Schindler had further exposed adenin and guanin to- 

 putrefactive decomposition. After prolonged exposure both 

 these bases were entirely decomposed, hypoxanthin having taken 

 the place of adenin, and xanthin that of guanin. In both 

 cases the result is explained by the assumption of one molecule- 

 of water and the elimination of one molecule of ammonia. 



Meteorological Society, May 7.— Dr. Vettin, President, in 

 the chair. — Prof von Bezold discussed the modern views on the 

 formation of atmospheric precipitates, which, in opposition to- 

 the older views, are based upon strictly scientific principles. At 

 one time it was thought that the precipitates are formed by the 



