August 2 2, 1889] 



NATURE 



397 



Sections. We may mention : — (Sections i and 2), M. 

 Joukowski, on an apparatus for determining moments of 

 inertia. (3 and 4) M. Pichou, on a universal paddle- 

 wheel ; by altering the direction of the paddles, a steamer 

 may be reversed without reversing the engines. (5) M M. 

 Bailie and Feret, on a method for reading the oscillations 

 of the balance with great precision ; the authors employ 

 a very simple optical arrangement, which allows them to 

 estimate the i/2oooth part of a milligram by the displace- 

 ment of a series of Newton's rings. (6) MM. Alexeieff 

 and Werner, on the heat of neutralization of certain 

 aromatic compounds ; the authors show that the general 

 results already acquired enable one to determine in certain 

 cases the position of disubstituted compounds. Messrs. 

 Gladstone and Perkin, on the relation between constants 

 of refraction, dispersion, and magnetic rotation in organic 

 compounds. M. Cazeneuve, on camphor derivatives. M. 

 Franchimont, on the action of nitric acid on organic 

 bodies according to their function. M. C. Chabrie, on 

 the synthesis of selenium organic compounds. M. Raoult, 

 on a new form of the apparatus for cryoscopic observa- 

 tions ; the author produces cold by the evaporation of 

 carbon disulphide. M. Meunier, on insoluble crystalline 

 compounds of mannite and sorbite, with the aldehydes, 

 serving to isolate these bodies from organic mixtures (the 

 juice of fruit, &c.). M. Berlinerblau, on a sweet body, 

 NH0.CO.NH.QH4 .OC2H5. M. Istrati, on new gen- 

 eral methods for the synthesis of aromatic compounds. 



(7) M. Crova, on the standardization of actinometers. M. 

 D'Abbadie, on the qobar. M. Angot, on the representation 

 of the variation of temperature by a harmonic formula. 



(8) M. Szabo, on the opal mines of Hungary. M. Malaise, 

 on the Belgian Olethamias. M. Bleicher, on the glacial 

 formation of the Vosges. (9) M. Timiriazeft", on the role 

 of light-intensity in the assimilation of carbon by plants. 

 M. Mer, on variations of structure in the wood of pines. 

 M. Clos, on certain cases of hybridity in plants, and on the 

 vtgtt2i\.\onoi Marchanfia polymorpha. (10) M. de Lacaze 

 Duthiers, on the fusion of nerves and ganglia in Mollusca, 

 and on the interpretation of the membrane which separates 

 them. M. Beauregard, on the Cetacean ear. M. Packard, 

 on the distribution of the organs of taste in insects. M. 

 Sirodot, on the dentition of elephants. M. Jourdain, on 

 the necessity of conjugation for the continued propagation 

 of Protozoa. M. de Varigny, on the action of certain con- 

 vulsive poisons on Carciniis incenas. (11) M. A. Bertillon, 

 on the anthropometric characteristics of the French nation 

 classed by the departments. M. V. Schmidt, on the Stone 

 Age and the prehistoric Iron Age in Denmark. M. de Mor- 

 tillet, on right- and left-handed individuals in prehistoric 

 times. M. Manouvrier, on anthropometric researches on 

 natives of Algeria. Dr. Maurel, on the relation of the section 

 of the thorax to the height and the length of the foot. (12) 

 M. Masse, an instrument for determining the position of 

 the fissure of Orlando. M. Steinhaus, on the causes of 

 suppuration. M. Jolly, on the use of iodine in tubercu- 

 losis. M. Luys, on the pathological anatomy of mad- 

 ness, and on the action of rotating mirrors on the ner- 

 vous system. M. Michel, on the influence of drinking- 

 water on public health. (13) M. Kunckel, on the de- 

 struction of locusts in Algeria. M. Ladureau, on a 

 rapid method of colorimetrical analysis for nitrates. M. 

 Deh^rain, on the loss and gain of nitrogen in arable 

 lands and on the graphic representation of crops. (14) 

 M. Castonet des Fosses, on the future of the Negro race. 

 M. Gauthiot, on a route for mining exploration from 

 Bangkok to Korat. The Prince of Monaco, on dragging 

 in deep water. M. de Guerne, on an exploration of the 

 Forno de Graciosa (Azores). (15) M. Arthur Raffalovich, 

 on economic legislation in England in 1888. M. Mar- 

 tineau, on the true motives for the introduction of free 

 trade into England. M. Ch. Gradj on insurance against 

 old age and infirmity in Germany. (16) M. Frederic 

 Passy, on a system of writing which permits blind people 



to communicate with the non-blind ; M. Paul Passy, on 

 spelling reform ; M. Herzen (of Lausanne), on the or- 

 ganization of certain secondary schools to enable them to 

 continue the teaching of the primary schools. M. Morel, 

 on the organization of the enscigncment special in 

 the secondary schools of Paris. (17) M. Delthil, on 

 diphtheria and its treatment. M. Teissier, on diphtheria 

 at Lyons. MM. Dubief and Brutel, new experiments on 

 the value of sulphurous acid as a disinfectant. 



The work of the Sections was most usefully supple- 

 mented by visits to different institutions and to the 

 Exhibition. Sections r and 2 inspected the collection of 

 calculating machines at the Conservatoire des Arts et 

 Metiers, under the guidance of M. Ed. Lucas. Sections 

 3 and 4 examined the new steerable balloons with the 

 inventor, Commandant Renard, while various other parts 

 of the exhibition of the Minister of War were explained 

 by officers of the special departments. Section 6 in- 

 spected the fine collection of chemical products at the 

 Champ de Mars (Class 45), general explanations being 

 given by MM. de Clermont, Riche, Suilliot, Billault, 

 Istrati, and others. M. Tanret showed his interesting 

 exhibit, including specimens of pelletierine, the alkaloid 

 of the pomegranate bark now so extensively used as 

 a taenifuge, and ergotine, the active principle of ergot of 

 rye, by whose discovery M. Tanret has rendered such 

 signal service to therapeutics ; and last, but not least, 

 M. Grimaux, Professor at the Ecole Polytechnique, gave 

 an account of the fine exhibition of Lavoisier's papers and 

 instruments, which he had selected from the collection 

 of M. de Chazelles, to whom they belong,^ and pointed 

 out the portrait of M. and Mme. Lavoisier, by David, 

 in the Palais des Beaux Arts. Section 7 met at the Ex- 

 hibition to see the instruments which record the direction 

 and the vertical and horizontal components of the wind 

 on the top of the Eiffel Tower, the results being trans- 

 mitted electrically to the Palais des Arts Libcraux, and 

 inscribed on MM. Richard's revolving drums. The 

 Section also met at the Central Meteorological Office to 

 see experiments on cyclones by M. Weyher. Sections 

 8, 9, and 10 inspected the fine galleries at the Museum, 

 which have just been opened. 



Other scientific visits were paid to the Institut Pasteur, 

 the sewers of Paris, and to various glass-works, gas- 

 works, &c. On Thursday, August 8, the Municipality of 

 Paris threw open their magnificent suite of rooms at the 

 Hotel de Ville to the members of the French Association ; 

 while extraordinary animation was lent to the scene by 

 the presence of the students of Paris and their foreign 

 comrades, 8000 guests in all having been invited. On 

 the following evening, the Association was received by 

 M. Yves Guyot, the Minister of Public Works, and Mme. 

 Guyot at the Ministry in the Boulevard St. Germain. A 

 concert was given during the evening by members of the 

 Opera Comique ; while the gardens lighted up by 

 Chinese lanterns afforded a pleasant change from the 

 crowded salotts. 



On Sunday, August 11, an excursion was made to St. 

 Germain-en-Laye, and to Meudon, dinner being served in 

 the orangery which belongs to the beautiful grounds of 

 the Astronomical Observatory, directed by M. Janssen. 

 M. Janssen offered a warm welcome to the members, and 

 said that he should be very willing to let his Observatory 

 be used for the scientific purposes of the Association. 

 On Monday, August 12, a lecture was delivered by 

 General Tcheng-Ki-Tong, on the social economy of 

 China. On Wednesday, August 14, the Association 

 offered a banquet to its foreign members at the Restaurant 

 d'Alsace- Lorraine on the first story of the Tour Eiffel. 



M. de Lacaze Duthiers made a short speech, in which he 

 declared that he would not say good-bye to the foreign 

 guests, but au revoir, as he hoped to see them all again 



' M. Grimaux has published this year a reniarlvable monograph on 

 Lavoisier (Felix Alcan). 



