68 



NATURE 



[Nov. 15, 1888 



M. Kouznetoff has pursued zoological and physical geography 

 researches on the Sea of Azov. This little basin, of which the 

 length does not exceed 350 kilometres, and its breadth 170 

 kilometres, and its depth scarcely 14 metres, abounds in fish, and 

 attracts continually to its shores crowds of fishermen. Its water 

 is brackish rather than salt, for its percentage of salt is only I'lg, 

 while that of the Black Sea is 175, and the Mediterranean more 

 than 2 "3 per cent. ; and consequently the real sea-fish are not to 

 be found in the Sea of Azov. Gotn-mets, however, would find 

 that the sturgeon is very numerous here, and has delicious flesh. 

 We can see by this short account that the study of geography is 

 making great strides in Russia. Three years ago, General Tillo, 

 in drawing up his magnetic charts of Eastern Europe, discovered 

 certain anomalies in the distribution of the magnetic elements 

 around Koursk and Kharkov. During the summer of 1887, M. 

 Piltchikoff, Professor at Kharkov, made inquiries into these 

 anomalies, and he has just published a book in which the theory 

 of terrestrial magnetism started by Gauss is developed. 



RESEARCH LABORATORY OF THE ROYAL 

 COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, EDINBURGH. 



T7OR some years the question of equipping a research labora- 

 tory occupied a very prominent position in the discussions 

 of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, and last year the 

 Committee appointed by the College was able to throw the plans 

 into a feasible and at the same time thoroughly acceptable shape. 

 Within a very short time suitable premises were acquired, the 

 necessary structural alterations were at once commenced, a 

 Superintendent was appointed, and apparatus was orde.ed and 

 fittings were put in hand to be ready for use as soon as the 

 building should be prepared for their reception. The premises 

 are well adapted for the purpose for which they were acquired. 

 They consist of a three-storied house. No. 7 Lauriston Lane, 

 near the Royal Infirmary, to which had been added a large 

 detached room in the back court. There are also commodious 

 out-houses and a plot of ground of considerable size at the rear of 

 the building. 



The room in the back court is set apart for experimental 

 physiology. It is 32 feet in length, 18 feet in breadth, and 14 

 feet high, and is well lighted by seven windows, three of which, 

 facing to the west, are fitted with tables for microscopic work. 



32 n 

 EXPERIMENTAL ROOM 



Fig. 1. 



Near the south end of this room is a stone pillar bedded in the 

 ground, so arranged as not to be affected by movements in the 

 room. (There being no thoroughfare in the lane, no dis- 

 turbance can arise from wheel traffic.) Around it is fixed a 

 table to which the galvanometer wires are attached. The 

 galvanometer is placed on the stone pillar in a glass case with a 

 hinged door, and is always kept ready for use, short wires being 

 carried from the table to the instrument. A hinged lamp table 

 and brass rods over which curtains are hung complete the 

 galvanometer fittings. Work-tables occupy the remainder of the 

 centre of the room. Electrical, time-marking, and other 

 apparatus, tuning-forks, perfusion apparatus, shunts, compen- 

 sators, constitute the greater part of the instruments in this room. 

 The sink and drainage apparatus in the room may be taken as a 

 type of those throughout the whole house. It consists of a large 

 earthenware sink, on one side of which is a grooved draining- 

 board covered with lead, the grooves all leading to the sink. 

 A swan neck tap supplies the water ; to this tap are two nozzles, 

 to one of which is wired a piece of india-rubber tubing, used to 

 connect the Geissler exhaust-pump, and similar apparatus ; the 



other nozzle gives a steady unbroken jet of water three-eighths of 

 an inch in diameter. The wall behind the sink is leaded for 

 about 3 feet up ; at the upper part of this are a couple of shelves, 

 the upper one perforated, for draining flasks and bottles, the lower 

 one grooved, and with a gentle slope to carry all moisture to the 

 sink. Below these shelves are a couple of rows of wooden pegs 

 fixed into the wall at an angle of 45 . These are very useful 

 for draining all kinds of glass vessels. In the main building in 

 the lower flat is a large entrance lobby, to the left of which is a 

 part of the laboratory assistant's quarters. 



A large room on the first floor, set apart for Committee meet- 

 ings, is used as a library and museum. On the second floor is the 

 chemical room, fitted with a good supply of water and gas. On 

 the top floor are three splendidly-lighted rooms, all of which are 

 devoted to microscopic work. In the south room the apparatus 

 necessary for bacteriological research is collected. Two large 

 projecting roof or dormer windows face east and west respectively. 

 Each is fitted with a table covered with a sheet of plate-glass, on 

 the under surface of which are painted three strips, the first, 4 

 inches broad, black ; then a similar white band, and then a 



broad black band extending to the back of the table. On each 

 side are shelves from the floor for about 5 feet up. These are 

 within reach of anyone sitting at the table. On each side is a 

 drawer 3^ inches deep ; but the remainder of the space under the 

 table is left quite open, in order that earthenware jars for the 

 reception of chemicals, washings, and debris may be accommo- 

 dated. On the left side is fitted a rack for test-tubes, and in front 

 and to the right are stands for ordinary histological reagents. 

 Above the level of the table in front are four small shelves, on 

 which are placed covered vessels for clean and dirty slides and 

 cover-glasses. A syphon arrangement for distilled water, a bell- 

 jar with counterpoise running on a brass rod, a Bunsen burner, 

 and a lamp, complete the fittings at this table. One of Brown- 

 ing's microspectroscopes has also been fitted up in this room. 

 Racks, for series of Hesse's tubes, and shelving complete the 

 fittings here ; but opening out from it is a small room with a 

 sink and large sloping drainer, at which most of the glass 

 apparatus is washed. The other two rooms in this flat are fitted 

 up for histological work, with window tables, sinks, cupboards, 

 spirit vessels, and shelving, each for two workers. In connection 

 with the histological department, apparatus formicro-photography 

 has been fitted up by Mr. Forgan. 



