5^o 



NATURE 



[June 23, 1921 



the relation of it to the adaptability of certain soils 

 and climates to the growth of the principal food crops. 



Dr. Simon Flexner communicated the results of ex- 

 perimental epidemics produced in colonies of mice, in 

 which it was s'hown that the mortality is enhanced 

 by the introduction of fresh subjects after the epidemic 

 has nearly run its course, the recurrence among the 

 original colony seeming to be promoted by the disease 

 of the new individuals. 



Novel experiments on the skin temperature of 

 pachyderms, reported by Dr. F. G. Benedict, 

 embraced measurements of the temperatures of the 

 elephant, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus at the New 

 York Zoological Gardens. The difference between the 

 results for these hairless animals and the results for 

 man seem to depend largely on the great thickness of 

 the skin, with accompanying control bv outside as 

 contrasted with interior temperature conditions. 



A short popular account was given bv Dr. C. G. 

 Abbot of his experiments with solar cooking apparatus 

 on Mount Wilson. The application of the solar heat 

 is indirect through an oil circulatory apparatus, includ- 

 ing a reservoir in which are inserted the ovens. All 

 kinds of domestic cooking, except frying, and the 

 preserving of fruits and vegetables were carried on. 

 A jar of preserved pears prepared in the solar cooker 

 was exhibited. 



In a paper by J. R. Carson and J. J. Gilbert on 

 transmission characteristics of the submarine cable, 

 further employment was made of the extraordinary 

 opportunity enjoyed by physicists during the war 

 owing to the Government control of the Alaskan cable. 

 A valuable paper had been given on the characteristics 

 of this cable by signal corps officers at the academv 

 meeting of 1920. Further applications of the results 

 were now given. 



A New Treatment of Sleeping Sickness. 



AT a meeting of the Royal Society of Tropical 

 '^*- Medicine and Hygiene held on May 20, Dr. 



Claude H. Marshall, senior medical officer of the 

 Uganda Protectorate, read a paper on a new treat- 

 ment of trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) which had 

 been originated by Dr. S. .M. Vassallo, of the Uganda 

 Medical Service, and himself. Remedies injected into 

 the circulation, though they may sterilise the blood, 

 probably do not destroy the parasites in the central 

 nervous system, since the trypanosomes produce 

 thickening and occlusion of the choroid plexus at an 

 early stage of the disease, and thus prevent the pas- 

 sage of drugs from the circulation into the spinal 

 fluid. In iqi8, therefore, in a well-marked case of 

 sleeping sickness, an intravenous injection of 

 neokharsivan was made, and three hours afterwards 

 2 oz. of the patient's blood was withdrawn ; 20 

 minims of the serum was then injected into the spinal 

 canal, and no further treatment was given ; twenty- 

 seven months afterwards the patient was quite well, 

 and his blood free from parasites. Of thirty cases 

 similarly treated a large majority were quite well 

 at periods varying from six and a half to twenty- 

 seven months afterwards. The results are supposed to 

 be due only in part to the drug contained in the serum ; 

 it is held that an antibody, trypanolysin, is formed in 

 the blood of an infected patient, but that this cannot 

 in ordinary circumstances reach the parasites in 

 the central nervous system. Acting on this view, Dr. 

 Vassallo is now treating caseS along similar lines, 

 but without previous intravenous injection of_^the drug. 

 Later speakers emphasised the value of the work 

 of Dr. Marshall and his colleague ; but it was pointed 

 out that it was early as yet to claim that the cases 

 were permanently cured. 



NO. 2695, VOL. 107] 



University and Educational Intelligence. 



Cambridgk.— The Frank Smart prizes for botany 

 and zoology have been awarded to A. J. Smith, 

 Downing College, and G. S. Carter, Gonville and 

 Caius College, respectively. 



Glasgow.— Sir John H. Biles has intimated his 

 intention to retire in September next from the John 

 Elder chair of naval architecture and marine en- 

 gineering, which he has held since 189 1. Prof. Biles 

 has served in many capacities under the Admiralty 

 and the Board of Trade, and is Consulting Naval 

 Architect to the India Office. He received the thanks 

 of the India Council for his services in designing and 

 constructing river craft for the Mesopotamia Expedi- 

 tionary Force during the war: 



The late Mr. William J. Chrystal, chemical manu- 

 facturer, of Shawfield Works, Rutherglen, has be- 

 queathed io,oooZ. to the University, to be applied as 

 the Senate may determine ; and also io,oooZ. to the 

 Roval Technical College, for endowment. 



Oxford.— Dr. E. Mallam, of Magdalen College, 

 has been appointed Litchfield lecturer in medicine for 

 two years as from October 5 next. 



Final approval has been given in Convocation to 

 the statute constituting the Delegacy for the Society 

 of Oxford Home Students, and to the decree authoris- 

 ing the loan of 19,000/. from the special reserve fund 

 for the completion of the Dyson Perrins Laboratory. 



St. Andrews.— Dr. R. Robinson, director of re- 

 search in the British Dyestuffs Corporation, Hudders- 

 field, has been appointed professor of chemistry and 

 director of the chemical research laboratory in suc- 

 cession to Prof. Irvine, now Principal of the Uni- 

 versity. 



The award of the William Gibson research scholar- 

 ship for medical women (the second since its founda- 

 tion) has been made by the council of the Royal 

 Society of Medicine to Miss Gertrude M. A. Herzfeld, 

 of Edinburgh. 



The^ Chemical Age for June 18 announces that 

 Mr. K. C. Browning, who for many years was 

 Government analyst in Ceylon, has been appointed 

 professor of chemistry and metallurgy at the Artillery 

 College (formerly the Royal Ordnance College), 

 Woolwich. 



At the meeting of Leedsi University Court, held on 

 June 15, the sixteenth annual report for the year 

 1919-20 was adopted. The vice-chancellor. Sir Michael 

 Sadler, addressed the court, and stated that the most 

 urgent question before the university was one of 

 finance. The cost of maintenance was almost double 

 that of 19 18, and the balance sheet for the current 

 year would show a deficit of 14,000/. The present in- 

 come was about 140,000/., of which 327 per cent, came 

 from Government grants, 164 per cent, from local 

 education authorities, 148 per cent, from endowments, 

 etc., and 36- 1 per cent, from students' fees. At pre- 

 sent the average cost per student is 75/. per annum, 

 and the average fee paid is 27/. It has therefore been 

 decided to adjust the fees to meet the difference be- 

 tween the total cost of the education provided and the 

 funds derived from all other sources. Under present 

 conditions this means an increase of 10/. per annum 

 in the tuition fees and a small increase in examination 

 fees. The report contains some account of the work 

 in hand in the various departments, and concludes 

 with a list of donations, etc., from which it appears 

 that during the past year the universitv has received 

 more than half a million sterling in donations, 

 including eight gifts of 10,000/. and over, and one 

 of 77,250/., in addition to their annual subscription 

 of 4000/. from the Cloth workers' Company of London. 



