August I, 



1878] 



NATURE 



371 



this genus are beginning to be understood, and there 

 is no doubt that, where the climate is suitable, few 

 timber-trees can compare with them for rapidity of 

 growth and excellence of wood. Popular misconceptions 

 still, however, prevail on the subject, to some extent. 

 Attempts to grow in tropical climates the species of 

 temperate ones such as Eucalyptus globulus can only 

 result in disappointment." 



Two points of interest are recorded in connection with 

 the botanical origin of Shiraz and Havana tobaccos. 

 Hitherto the former has been stated, even upon the best 

 authorities, to have been furnished by Nicotiana persica. 

 It has, however, been proved from plants raised at Kew 

 from seed of the finest Shiraz tobacco procured from 

 Persia, to be merely a form of Nicotiana tabacum, the 

 plant so largely cultivated in North America, and from 

 which the bulk of the commercial tobacco is procured. 

 To the same plant N. tabacum, var. inacrophyllum, is 

 attributed the Cuba and Havana kinds, which have 

 always been described as the produce of N. repanda, no 

 such species, so far as Dr. Vidal, the director of the 

 Botanical Gardens, Manila, is aware, being found now 

 in Cuba, either wild or cultivated. 



An interesting subject is that connected with vegetable 

 poisons, more particularly the arrow poisons. It is, as 

 is stated, a subject " well deserving of investigation, 

 although it has been doubted whether the ingredients 

 employed have any really poisonous qualities." The 

 evidence on these points is conflicting. Some of the 

 plants from which these poisons are obtained have been 

 promised to Kew, so that before long we shall no doubt 

 know something more definite about them. 



Altogether the Kew report is, this year, one worthy 

 not only of perusal, but to be retained for future 

 reference. 



NOTES 



Within a short period Vienna has lost two of her leading 

 scientific celebrities, von Littrow and von Ettingshausen. We 

 regret to add to the list the name of Baron Karl von Rokitansky, 

 the President of the Vienna Academy of Sciences, who died on 

 July 23 at the age of seventy-four. He was born at Koniggratz, 

 in Bohemia, February 19, 1804. After completing his medical 

 studies at the Universities of Prague and Vienna, he became, in 

 1828, assistant in the Pathological Anatomical Institute at 

 Vienna. In 1834 he accepted the chair of pathological anatomy 

 in the University, fulfilling, in addition, the duties of prosector 

 in the Vienna hospital, and of legal anatomist for the city. In 

 these varied functions an enormous mass of observations was 

 accumulated, which served as a basis for his "Lehrbuch der 

 pathologischen Anatomic," which appeared in five volumes, 

 1 842- 1 846, and has survived three editions. At this period von 

 Rokitansky commenced a remarkable series of investigations 

 with the microscope, which Johannes Mliller, a few years pre- 

 viously, had introduced into physiological research. From the 

 results of these and other lines of investigation, he rapidly won 

 for pathological anatomy an importance which had been hitherto 

 wanting in German schools of medicine, and caused its recogni- 

 tion as the foundation for all research, not only in pathological 

 physiology, but in the whole province of medicine. The old 

 symptomatic system of classification was replaced by a careful 

 discriminating study of the changes brought about in individual 

 organs by the varied forms of disease. The delicate appliances 

 of modern science enabled him to detect a large number of new 

 diseases, which had hitherto been classed with other diseases on 

 account of the apparent similarity in symptoms. To the classical 

 researches of von Rokitansky, probably more than to any other 

 source, modern diagnosis owes its perfection. The impulse 

 given by him was ably seconded by the contemporary medical 

 authorities of Austria, and on the basis of the principles formu- 



lated by von Rokitansky, Hebra in dermatology, Engel in 

 general anatomy, Oppolzer in therapeutics, and Dittrich, Schuh, 

 and Skoda in other special departments of medicine have 

 grounded the famous so-called Vienna-Prague school. Von 

 Rokitansky retired from his professorship three years ago, and 

 published at the same time his last work, " Die Defekte der 

 Scheidewande des Herzens." His merits won for him numeroxis 

 marks of distinction, and for some time past he has presided 

 over the Imperial Academy of Sciences. He leaves behind him 

 a son, Professor of Music at the Vienna Conservatorium. 



We have received, from the Ethnological Museum of Leipzig, 

 a circular, signed by Drs. Magnus and Pechuel-Loesche, of 

 great importance in reference to the much-debated question as 

 to the development of the sense of colour in men. The object 

 of this circular is to obtain data as to what degree uncivilised 

 peoples perceive colours and distinguish them by names, after 

 the manner of civilised nations. The circular contains a series 

 of inquiries in German and English, along with a scale of colours, 

 and a schedule in which to record the replies to the various 

 questions. The instructions are carefully drawn up, and Drs. 

 Magnus and Loesche intend to distribute the circular by thou- 

 sands ; if the instructions are strictly adhered to the result must 

 be of great value. We believe this circular is only the first of 

 a long series which Dr. Pechuel-Loesche is preparing with the 

 intention of enlarging, in a systematic way, our ethnological 

 knowledge, and especially to solve interesting psychological 

 problems regarding uncivilised tribes. The Ethnological Museum 

 of Leipzig has agreed to receive and take care of all the material 

 collected, which will be at the command of any scientific in- 

 quirers who may care to make use of it. We need say nothing 

 in support of this enterprise of Drs. Magnus and Loesche ; we 

 would simply urge upon all our readers who are in a position to 

 lend a helping hand, either directly or through friends living 

 abroad, to obtain a supply of the circular referred to, by apply- 

 ing to Dr. Pechuel-Loesche, Museum fiir Volkerkunde, Leipzig, 

 Germany. 



In the year 1851 the Vienna Academy of Sciences offered a 

 prize for determination of the " Crystalline forms of products 

 obtained in chemical laboratories," which proved fruitful, to a 

 remarkable extent, in crystallographic researches of much im- 

 portance. More recently new problems have come up with 

 reference to crystallisation, partly in consequence of the labours 

 just referred to, and partly because of the new discoveries of 

 chemistry with regard to the structure of chemical molecules. 

 Wishing to promote research in this direction, the Academy 

 offer a prize of i.ooofl. for " Investigation of the crystalline form 

 of chemical substances, with special reference to homologous 

 series and isomeric groups. A determination of the specific 

 gravity is also desired. The carrying out of optical researches 

 on the crystals measured is deferred for measurement by the 

 winner of the prize." The limit of time is December 31, 1879, 

 and the prize will be awarded in 1880. Papers to be sent in 

 with sealed envelopes and mottoes. 



Prof, Tait is, we hear, engaged in developing for fog- 

 signalling purposes a form of apparatus producing intense sounds 

 with great economy of driving power, which he some time ago 

 exhibited at the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His mechanism 

 is, we believe, devised to produce an effect analogous to that of 

 the drum, which is one of the most economic of noise- producing 

 instruments. 



The commission appointed by the French Government to 

 test the rope used by M. Giffard in the construction of 

 his captive balloon have made their experiments. We have 

 already said that the rope is conical, the heaviest end 

 being uppermost, so that, if any breakage should take place, 

 it will not be in the vicinity of the car, but close to the 



