November 3, 192 1] 



NATURE 



3»5 



the textiles are prepared. These investigations 

 were the chemical basis of the invention of the 

 well-known " Mather " Kier and process. In 1885 

 " Cross and Bevan " was established at 4 New 

 Court, Lincoln's Inn, where the scientific-technical 

 research work has been carried on ever since. 

 The invention of the well-known " \'iscose " pro- 

 cess in 1892 resulted from the systematic investi- 

 gations of the antecedent period. 



The development of this matter becoming a 

 pressing question of "ways and means," Mr. 

 Bevan decided to enter the field of professional 

 chemistry, and obtained the appointment of 

 County Analyst for Middlesex. In this field he 

 made his particular personal reputation. The long 

 tenure of this important position ( 1892-192 1) is 

 evidence of Mr. Bevan 's exceptional qualifications, 

 and in addition to those of chemist his qualities of 

 character, brought to bear on activities associated 

 with his office, were honoured by influential posi- 

 tions in the Institute of Chemistry (vice-president) 

 and Society of Public Analysts (president). 



Mr. Sevan's life-work is a many-sided construc- 

 tive contribution to chemical science, and his 

 career may be an encouragement to young 

 students of this generation who are inclined to 

 despise the day of small beginnings. 



The third Earl of Ducie, who died on 

 October 28, aged ninety-four, was much interested 

 in natural science, and was for many years an 

 active geologist. He joined the Geological 

 Society in 1853, and was a member of council 

 from 1856 to 1858. He collected fossils, and 

 between 1864 and 1891 made many valuable gifts 

 of specimens to the British Museum. He also 

 made important observations on the geology of 

 the region round Tortworth, Gloucestershire, his 

 countr\- seat. He was elected a fellow of the 

 Royal Society in 1855. 



The death occurred on Friday, October 28, at 

 the age of forty-two years, of Prof. F. E. 

 Armstrong, professor of mining at the University 

 of Sheffield. 



We regret to announce the death, on Thursday! 

 October 27, at the age of forty-seven years, of 

 Prof. F. A. Baixbridge, professor of physiology 

 in the University of London. 



We much regret to see the announcement of the 

 death on October 29. at the age of fifty-four years, 

 of Dr. W. S. Bruce, the well-known Polar ex- 

 plorer and naturalist. 



Notes. 



On Mondav last, October 31, twenty-five years had 

 elapsed since Prof. P. Zeeman's first observations of 

 the decomposition of spectral lines by a magnetic field 

 were communicated to the Amsterdam Academy of 

 Sciences in a paper that appeared shortly afterwards 

 in the Philosophical Magazine under the title " On 

 the Influence of Magnetism on the Nature of the 

 Light emitted by a Substance." By this important 

 advance in magneto-optics, the first made since the 

 days of Faraday and Kerr, a new and vast field of 

 research of uncommon interest was opened. In 

 commemoration of this development a reprint of Prof. 

 Zeeman's original papers has now been published by 

 the physicists of the Netherlands, conjointly with 

 many scientific men of other countries. Prof. 

 Zeeman has also been honoured by a special issue of 

 the Dutch journal Physica, containing contributions 

 by C. Cotton, G. E. Hale, Ph. Kohnstamm, T. van 

 Lohnizen, H. A. Lorentz, A. van Maanen, E. E. 

 Mogendorff, H. Kamerlingh Onnes, F. Paschen, and 

 C. Runge. Some of these articles are devoted to an 

 appreciation of Zeeman and his work or to the history 

 of his discover},-. In others the present state of 

 magneto-optical theory and the latest results in the 

 experimental investigation of the Zeeman eff^ect are 

 discussed. The bearing of the phenomenon on solar 

 physics and the conclusions that have already been 

 drawn concerning the magnetic field of sun-spots and 

 the sun's general magnetic field are explained by 

 t Prof. Hale and Mr. van Maanen. Finally, Prof. 

 ^■Paschen describes a new phenomenon lately discovered 

 ' by him, and consisting in the appearance, under the 

 influence of a magnetic field, of certain spectral lines 



NO. 2714, VOL. 108] 



that cannot otherwise be produced. We are glad to 

 avail ourselves of this opportunity of expressing our 

 high appreciation of Prof. Zeeman's brilliant work, 

 by which he has contributed most effectively to the 

 development of modern physics. 



"Is it advisable that ever>' clinical thermometer 

 offered for sale in Great Britain should be tested at 

 the National Physical Laboraton,? " This is the 

 question asked and answered affirmatively in a circular 

 issued by the British Lampblown Scientific Glassware 

 Manufacturers Association and circulated amongst 

 members of Parliament, the medical profession, etc. 

 It is pointed out that from the consumer's point of 

 view it is as important to be assured that the clinical 

 thermometer he buys is accurate within two-tenths of 

 a degree Fahrenheit as it is to have a guarantee, such 

 as the law provides, that when he purchases butter it 

 is pure butter that he gets. From the maker's point 

 of view it is to the good of the trade in this countrv 

 that there should be such a standard of accuracy of 

 clinical thermometers that everyone will know the 

 British article to be above suspicion. When the 

 Government made testing compulsory-, at least 25 per 

 cent, of the first batches tested were rejected as in- 

 accurate; but there was steady improvement until, 

 at the time of the abolition of the compulsory test, 

 the rejections were of the order of only ij per cent. 

 The quantities under test, which in November, 1919, 

 when testing was compulsor}-, were 135,000 per 

 month, dropped to 55,000 per month in June, 192 1, 

 when the compulsor}- test was abolished. In view of 

 these results the British Lampblown Scientific Glass- 

 ware Manufacturers Association invite support of 



