644 



NATURE 



{Oct. 30, 1879 



future proper state of society. lie showed that even under the 

 most favourable conditions of physique and surroundings popula- 

 tion would so increase that migration would be an absolute 

 necessity, the emigrants thus finding themselves in conditions 

 totally dilTerent from those they left. They would stand face to face 

 with the stern reality of change ; a change so great they could 

 not realize it. Help is called for ; and science like a good genius, 

 extends her hand. The dreamer and the dream are gone. Large 

 as our world may be, it never has been, and we have no grounds 

 for believing it ever will be, a universal paradise : and without it 

 becomes so, the people of the dream can never become realities. 

 We find not a single writing in the stones that records evidence 

 of either uniform climate, uniform soil, or unifornr. conditions of 

 any kind whatever conducing to the perfection of existence either 

 among the lower or the higher classes of animals. The very 

 factor so necessary to the perfection of type, viz., health, is the 

 great factor of productiveness ; and this productiveness is the 

 factor of destruction by overcrowding.. Over and over again 

 has this been recorded on the rocks. 



Man has not only spoiled many of the sites which his ancestors 

 wisely selected as vantage grounds against the foe, the flood, and 

 the drought ; but is hourly spoiling his own form by his artificial 

 habits, and laying at the same time the foundation for a still 

 further departure from a natural standard in his offspring. He 

 is polluting the soil on which his habitations stand, he is befouling 

 his water-courses and springs, and he is poisoning the air he 

 breathes. He has thus created surroundings from which he can 

 with difficulty escape. "Now I hold," Mr. Ilaviland said, 

 " that any institute established for the purpose of teaching 

 us the science of living in a cleanly and wholesome manner 

 — as regards water, air, and soil — should first of all teach in 

 its schools what has already been taught by such men as 

 I have mentioned, as a wholesome restraint against the pride 

 which a little knowledge engenders. Before we can boast of 

 any sanitary science, let us be able to point to our researches 

 on the climates, the soils, the diseases we find at home and 

 abroad in our vast colonies. Let the crust of the earth in 

 various parts of the globe be thoroughly examined in its relation 

 to diseases — recollecting that had not man been born, there are 

 certain spots in this earth that produce certain specific poisons, 

 the chemical constitution of which we know nothing. Such 

 spots should be mapped, after having been thoroughly investi- 

 gated as to soil and climate, for the use of emigrants, colonists, 

 and those in command of our expensive but necessary soldiery." 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 

 Cambridge.— During Prof. Maxwell's illness, Mr. W. 

 Garnett is lecturing for him at the Cavendish Laboratory, on 

 Voltaic Electricity, Electro -magnetism, and Electric Measure- 

 ments ; the lectures are experimental. Mr. Garnett is also giving 

 a more elementary experimental course of lectures on Mechanics 

 and Hydrostatics, adapted to candidates for the First M.B. and 

 First Part of the Natural Sciences Tripos. Prof. Stuart's work- 

 shop will be open for pupils this term at the New Museums. 

 Practical instruction in the use of tools in wood or metal is 

 provided, and further practical instruction for those who already 

 have a sufficient knowledge of the use of the tools. During the 

 present term his lectures will be on Mechanism. Mr. \V. J. 

 Lewis, M.A., Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, has been 

 incorporated as M.A. of Cambridge, and entered at Trinity 

 College. Prof. W. H. Miller, F.R.S., Professor of Mineralogy, 

 being in ill-health, Mr. W. J. I^ewis has been appointed his 

 deputy for twelve months, and Prof. Miller has assigned two- 

 tliirds of his whole anmial stipend to his deputy. Mr. Lewis has 

 for some time been working very assiduously in the Mineralogical 

 Museum, and is now lecturing on Mineralogy, while in the 

 Easter Term he intends to lecture on Crystallography and 

 Crystallographic Physics. Next term Prof. Stuart's lectures will 

 be on the Theory of Structures. Prof. Challis's lectures on 

 Practical Astronomy are postponed on account of ill-health. Prof. 

 Cayley will lecture this term on Differential Equations. 



The City and Guilds of London Institute for the Advance- 

 ment of Technical Education, announce the opening of their 

 technical classes, at Cowper Street School, Finsbury. In the 

 section of applied physics, Mr. W. E. Ayrton will deliver a 

 course of twelve lectures on "Some of the Practical Applica- 

 tions of Electricity and Magnetism," commencing on Monday, 

 November 3, at 7 p.m. In that of applied chemistry. Dr. H. 

 Armstrong, F.R.S., will deliver a similar course on " The First 



Principles of Chemistry," commencing Wednesday, November 

 5, at 8 p.m. An inaugural lecture wU be delivered by Mr. 

 Ayrton, on Saturday, November i, at 8 p.m., on "The 

 Improvement Science can Effect in our Trades, and in the Con- 

 dition of our Workmen." A cla's in connection with this for 

 the study of blowpipe analysis and assaying, will be commenced 

 next week at the Birkbeck Institution, by Mr. G. Chaloner, 

 F.C.S. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, October 20. — M. Daubree in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Researches showing 

 the power, the rapidity of action, and the varieties of certain 

 inhibitory influences of the brain on itself or on the spinal cord, 

 and of this latter centre on itself or on the brain, by M. Brown- 

 Sequard. — Discoveiy of a small planet, by Mr. Peters (telegram 

 from the Smithsonian Institution).— Observation of the .planet 

 206, Peters, at the Paris Observatory, by MM. Henry. — 

 Observations of declination, inclination, and horizontal intensity 

 in the basin of the Mediterranean, by M. de Bernardiere. These 

 observations were made during a voyage of the training-ship. 

 La Flore, in 1878-79. The numbers for some twenty-six places 

 are tabulated. — On who'e functions, by M. Picard. — On the 

 Laurent saccharimeter, by M. Laurent. Two improved models 

 were presented, giving more light and distinctness, while the 

 reflections in the tubes are suppressed. — New researches on the 

 mode of union of cells of the mucous bodies of Malpighi, by 

 M. Ranvier. These cells, formed of masses of protoplasm -.vith 

 nuclei, are united by protoplasmic filaments, which are common 

 to them and each of which does not result from junction of two 

 filaments placed end to end, nor is the nodule occupying theur 

 middle the mark of a junction or juxtaposition ; it is an elastic 

 organ, which allows of easy enlargement of the spaces dest-ned 

 for circulation of nutritive juices between the cells. — On asphyxic 

 glyca:mia, by M. Dastre. CI. Bernard affirmed that a prolonged 

 asphyxic state destroyed the glycogen of the liver, and made the 

 sugar disappear from the blood. Some physiologists hold, on 

 the contrary, that in accordance with Lavoisier's theory, sugar 

 accumulates in the blood when the oxygen (for its combustion) is 

 diminished. M. Dastre considers we must dislingtiish between 

 the effects of rapid asphyxia, immediately consequent on with- 

 drawal of oxygen, and the consecutive effects of slow asphvxia 

 (such as wasting of tissues and exhaustion of reserves). Rapid 

 asphyxia may be realised in two ways, making an animal breathe 

 air confined in a closed vessel, or making it breathe in rareSed 

 air constantly renewed. He tried both on dogs, and found the 

 quantity of sugar in the blood to vary in contrary direction to 

 the quantity of oxygen (less oxygen, more sugar). 



CONTENTS p*GB 



Sterrv Hunt's Chemical AND Geological Essays 621 



The Philosophy OF Music 622 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Ro5coe's " Treatise on Chemistry."— H. Watts 623 



Lodge's " Elementary Mechanics, including Hydrostatics and 



Pneumatics'* ^3 



Tiberi's " Conchiglie Pompeiane."— Dr. J. Gwvn Jeffreys, 



F.R.S 624 



Reyer's " Banka und Biliton."— J. W. J 624 



Letters TO THE Editor: — - „ , 



Greenwich Meteorological Observations. — William Ellis . . . 624 

 Sun-Spots in Earnest— W. H. M. Christie; G. M. Whipple; 



Rev. S. J. Perry, F.R.S «2S 



Wallace's •' Ausualasia."— Alfred R. Wallace 625 



Climatal Effects of Eccentricity.— Rev. O. Fisher; E.Hill. . 626 



The Weather .and the Sun.— E. Douglas Archibald .... £26 



Col-iur-Blindness.— John AlTKHN 627 



Subject-Indexes to the Royal Society Catalogue of Scientific 



Papers.— Henry B. Wheatley 627 



Solar Halo. — Howard Grudb ((KiM Z>/«;ra»() 628 



Karl Friedrich Mohr.— Pr,if. J. P. O'Reilly 628 



Suicide of Scorpions.— F. Gillman ^29 



Superfici.-il Earthquakes.— E. B»RKB, Jun 629 



Coloured Lightning.— A Constant Readur 029 



Our Astrono.mical Column: — 



The Satellites Mimas and Hyperion 029 



Anuario del Observatorio de M.idrid 029 



A New Private Observatory ^^9 



Geographical Notes "^9 



Kew Gardens. By Rev. M. J. Berkeley, F.R.S. 630 



Nokdenskjold's Arctic Voyages {\Vith Illustrations) . . . . . 03' 

 Hering's Theory of the Vision of Light and Colours, IL By 



Dr. William Pole, F.R.S.. °37 



Notes *° 



The Sanitary Congress ^^^ 



U.sivekeity and Educational Intelligence °44 



Societies and Academies °^* 



