Jan. 17. 1S78] 



NATURE 



21^ 



hoping thereby to succeed in replacing the oxygen of 

 many oxygenated compounds by alcohol radicles derived 

 from zinc-methyl, zinc-ethyl, and allied bodies. In the 

 primary research of this new series, nearly all of which 

 were conducted in conjunction with the late Mr. B. F. 

 Duppa, ethylic oxalate was the subject of experiment, with 

 the result that a portion of its oxygen was replaced by 

 methyl, and the first step taken in the synthesis of acids 

 of the lactic series. A large number of new compounds 

 were discovered, and the relations of the members of the 

 lactic series of acids to each other and to the acrylic and 

 to the fatty group of acids clearly made out. Then fol- 

 lowed researches on the members of the acrylic series 

 which were suggested by those on the lactic acids and 

 which also afforded a rich harvest of results. 



Up to this point Dr. Frankland's investigations are seen 

 to have been intimately connected with one another and to 

 have resulted in some of the most valuable contributions 

 yet made to synthetical chemistry ; but the last research 

 of importance included in this section of the volume 

 seems fo stand alone, for it is concerned with the synthesis 

 of acids, ethers, and ketones of the fatty series by a 

 method differing from that previously employed in the 

 important particular that the alcohol radicles were substi- 

 tuted for hydrogen and not for oxygen. These new inves- 

 tigations resulted in the discovery of a mode of effecting 

 the synthesis of the acids of the fatty series and of bodies 

 related to them, of dissecting their molecules, and thus, in 

 some measure, of determining their structure. Although 

 these researches were not directly connected with those 

 that preceded them, there can be scarcely a doubt that 

 they were suggested by the insight into the constitution 

 of the acids gained in the course of Dr. Frankland's 

 previous researches. 



A few short papers — on Gas Analysis, on the Composi. 

 tion of Air from Mont Blanc, on the Analysis of Organic 

 Compounds containing Mercury, and on the Combustion 

 of Iron in Compressed Oxygen — bring Section I. to a close. 



Section II. contains the author's researches on Artificial 

 Light, on Drinking Water, on the Purification of Foul 

 Water ; together with miscellaneous work in Applied 

 Chemistry. Section III. includes Dr. Frankland's valu- 

 able memoirs on the Influence of Atmospheric Pressure 

 on Combustion, on the Spectra of Gases of Vapours (an 

 investigation carried out in conjunction with Mr. Lockyer), 

 on the Source of Muscular Power, and on Climate. 



The contents of these two sections are much too inter- 

 esting to be lightly passed over— and those of Section II. 

 in some degree challenge criticism —but we must leave 

 them for consideration in another article and now return 

 to Section I. This section forms just half the book, 

 and by far the most important half. In fact Dr. 

 Frankland's work is so naturally divisible into two 

 parts that we regret he has not issued it in two 

 volumes rather than in its present form, for its value 

 as a work of reference would not have been lessened 

 thereby, while the section of chief educational importance 

 (Section I.) would have been rendered more easily acces- 

 sible to students. This is, however, but a trifling fault — 

 if a fault it happens to be — but the really important fact 

 remains that we can point students to the volume before us 

 for a clear and detailed account of someof^he most remark- 

 able researches of our time in synthetic-chemistry. It is 



difficult to over-estimate the importance of inducing senior 

 students to consult original memoirs rather than abstracts 

 of researches. The temptation to rest content with a state- 

 ment of results is great, but we have no hesitation in 

 expressing the opinion that the careful experimental study 

 of a single good memoir, on a subject suited to the capa- 

 city of the student, is of far greater value to him than the 

 immediate knowledge of the contents of a volume of the 

 "Abstracts" given in the Journal oi the Chemical Society, 

 useful though these are when properly employed. The 

 publication of such groups of researches as Dr. Frank- 

 land's will, we believe, do much to promote the kind of 

 higher chemical education referred to, and to foster a 

 taste for research amongst senior students of chemistry. 



J. Emerson Reynolds 



{To be continued. ) 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Bericht iiber die Thiitigkeit der botanischeii Section der 

 schlesischen Gesellschaft iin yahre 1876. Erstattet 

 von Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Cohn, zeitigem Secretair der 

 Section. 

 This is a journal of the proceedings of the ten ordinary 

 and one extraordinary meetings of the Silesian Society 

 held during the year 1876. The chief contributors are 

 Professors Goeppert and Cohn, and their communications 

 relate to a great variety of subjects. The most important 

 paper of Goeppert's is on the effects of the cold of 

 December, 1875, on the vegetation in the Breslau Botanic 

 Garden, much interesting information being given on the 

 action of cold on plants, the effects of snow in protecting 

 vegetation, and the action of frost on roots. Another 

 interesting paper, by the same author, is on Plant Meta- 

 morphoses. The indefatigable industry of Prof. Cohn is 

 well shown in this journal, as he contributes a large 

 number of valuable papers. His recent visit to Britain 

 affords materials for two papers, while a short communica- 

 tion on Spontaneous Generation is interesting on account 

 of the ingenious form of the tube in which the experi- 

 ments were made, the shape being that of a capital N 

 turned upside down. The other papers of interest are 

 chiefly connected with the newly-published " Cryptogamic 

 Flora of Silesia," noticed a short time since in our 

 columns. The last paper is by Uechtritz on the Phanero- 

 gams of the Silesian Flora, and occupies a large part of 

 the whole Bertc/tt. 



A List of Writings Relating to the Method of Least 

 Squares, 7uith historical and Critical Notes. By 

 Mansfield Merriman, Ph.D. (From the Transactions of 

 the Connecticut Academy, vol. iv., 1877, pp. 151-232.) 



Mr. Merriman is already favourably known as the 

 author of a good text-book on the " Elements of the 

 Method of Least Squares." In this work he gave a short 

 " list of literature," and said he could easily have extended 

 its limits ; indeed he hoped some time to publish an 

 extended list. All students of this branch must be greatly 

 indebted to Mr. Merriman and to the Connecticut Academy 

 for this excellent critical list of writers. There are 408 

 titles, classified as 313 memoirs, 72 books, and 23 parts of 

 books, dating from Cotes (1722) down to 1876. Of the^e 

 408, 312 are described from actual inspection. We could 

 wish for similar lists in other branches, for then much 

 time would be saved and students could easily determine 

 what books would be most advantageous to them, and 

 also get an idea of what had already been done by previous 

 investigators. There are numerous clerical errors, easily 

 to be corrected, but we are surprised that so well-informed 

 and painstaking a writer should call Sir W. Thomson, 

 Thompson, and Dedekind, Dedakind, as he does on all 

 occasions when their names occur. 



