Feb. 28, 1889] 



NATURE 



431 



that the chief product of the reaction of chromyl dichloride on 

 urea is the dichlortetrachlorochromate of a base containing 

 the elements of urea with chromium to which the formula 



' (CON2H,)i2Cr., • 4Cr03C] 



assigned. This compound crys 



tallizes from hydrochloric acid in brown-yellow crusts, which are 

 immediately decomposed by water with formation of the dichlor- 

 ilichromate and hydrochloric acid. Among a large number of 

 other new salts described, of which the normal bromide, 

 (CONoll4)j2Cr2Br66H.,0, and iodide, (CON2H4),2Cr2T,.. may be 

 taken as typical, the base also forms a perbromide, (CONoH4)i„ 

 C;roBrg6Br2, and a periodide of similar composition, behaving 

 ill this respect like the organic bases. These substances, as 

 indeed all the salts hitherto obtained, crystallize with great 

 facility, and are as a rule sparingly soluble. 



Anthropological Institute, February 12.— Dr. John Bed- 

 doe, F. R.S., President, in the chair. — Dr. Beddoe read a paper 

 on human remains discovered by General Pitt-Rivers at Wood- 

 cuts, Rotherley, and Winkelbury Camp. —Mr. Bernard Hol- 

 lander read a paper on centres of ideation in the brain. The 

 object of this paper was to furnish the basis of a scientific 

 l)hrenology. The author took it for granted: (l) that all 

 mind manifestation is dependent on brain matter ; (2) that 

 the various elements of the mind have distinct seats in the 

 brain, which, however, have not been as yet determined ; 

 (3) that the recent researches by physiological experimenters 

 and pathological investigators, which have resulted in de- 

 fining distinct regions for motion and sensation, established the 

 physiological correlative of psychological actions. By apply- 

 ing galvanic currents to definite portions of the brain, or by 

 destroying certain areas, physiological experimenters caused 

 rnovements of certain limbs and muscles. In itself the distribu- 

 tion of motor areas in the brain would be of little value to the 

 psychologist, except that it proves to him the plurality of functions 

 of the brain. When, however, we observe that the movements 

 caused by excitation form the physical parallel of a mental action, 

 we may arrive at the psychological function of a certain portion 

 of brain by reducing the various faculties of the mind to their 

 elements, and watching their physical expression. To arrive at 

 the demonstration of centres of ideation : (i) we must observe 

 the physical expressions of our thoughts and feelings ; (2) we 

 must take the limbs and muscles, which are affected by definite 

 emotions, and see on what occasions they are made to move 

 by central excitation. Thus we find that in a definite part of the 

 frontal convolution (Ferrier's centre No. 7) the galvanic current 

 had the effect of elevating the cheeks and angles of the mouth 

 with closure of the eyes. On no other region could the same be 

 effected. Darwin points out ("Expression of the Emotions," 

 p. 202) that under the emotion of joy the mouth is acted on 

 exclusively by the great zygomatic muscles, which serve to draw 

 the corners backwards and upwards. The upper and lower 

 orbicular muscles are at the same time more or less contracted. 

 Duchenne and Sir Chas. Bell are of the same opinion, and Sir 

 Ctichton Browne, speaking of the general paralysis of the 

 insane, says that in this malady there is invariably optimism, de- 

 lusions as to wealth, rank, &c., and insane joyousness, while its 

 very earliest physical symptom is trembling at the corners of the 

 mouth. The effect produced by the galvanic current on Ferrier's 

 centre No. 7 is thus shown to be the physical expression of the 

 emotion of joy. Combe located there his "organ of cheerful- 

 ness " which he afterwards called "Hope"; and .there is no 

 doubt some relation between the effect of Ferrier's experiment 

 and the result of Combe's observation. Prof Sigmund Exner 

 says the centres for the facial movements extend from the gyrus 

 centralis anterior to the latter halves of the lower frontal con- 

 volutions, an area which corresponds with Gall's "centre for 

 mimicry" (afterwards named "Imitation.") Most marked, 

 however, is the harmony between the results of modern experi- 

 ments and the observations made by the early phrenologists 

 when we arrive at the demonstration of the " gustatory centre." 

 Ferrier's experiments on the lower extremity of the temporo- 

 sphenoidal convolution caused movements of the lips, tongue, 

 and cheeks — indications of gustatory sensation. Looking up the 

 Edinburgh Phrenological Journal {yo\. x. p. 249), we find that 

 many men claimed the discovery (in 1824) of the organ for 

 gustatory sensation, as afterwards called " Gustativeness " or 

 "Alimentiveness," and that they located this centre in exactly 

 the same region. As this organ is difficult to be observed on 

 account of the zygomatic arch and the temporal muscle, phreno- 

 logy was much abused at the time. Prof, Ferrier's experiments 



on his centre No. 11, on the lower extremity of the ascending 

 parietal convolution, resulted in retraction of the angle of the 

 mouth. The action is that of the platysma myoides muscle, 

 which, as Sir Chas, Bell ("Anatomy of Expression," p. 168) 

 states, is strongly contracted under the influence of fear, and which 

 he calls the muscle of fright. Phrenologists (Gall and Spurzheim) 

 located in this region their organ of "Cautiousness," which they 

 found largely developed in persons known for their timidity. 

 Prof. Ferrier's centre No. 7 is said to cause " raising of the 

 shoulders with extension of the arms," a movement which 

 Darwin and Mantegazza refer to the expression of patience, sub- 

 mission, and the absence of any intention to resist. Gall's organ 

 of "Veneration," which corresponds with this centre, is said to 

 produce an instinctive feeling of respect, and when defective in 

 children, Combe says, it has the effect of making them regard- 

 less of authority, prone to rebellion, and little attentive to 

 command. Though the work, as described, is far from complete, 

 it rnay have the effect of causing Gall's theories to be re-ex- 

 amined, and of pointing out a sure method for the demonstration 

 of centres of ideation. 



Mathematical Society, February 14.— J. J. Walker, 

 F.R.S,, President, in the chair,— Mr. H, F. Baker was admitted 

 into the Society. — The following communications were made : — 



On the diophantine equation y"- 



m 



square. Prof. Cayley, 



F.R.S, — Sur la transformation des equations algebriques, 

 Signor Brioschi. — On projective cyclic concomitants or surface 

 difTerential invariants, E. B. Elliott. — On secondary invariants. 

 Prof. L. J, Rogers, — Remarks upon algebraical symmetry, with 

 particular reference to the theory of operations and the theory of 

 distributions. Major Macmahon. 



Royal Meteorological Society, February 20. — Dr. W. 

 Marcet, F.R.S., President, in the chair. — The following papers 

 were read : — Report on the helm wind inquiry, by Mr. W, 

 Marriott. The helm wind is peculiar to the Cross Fell Range of 

 mountains in Cumberland, which runs from north-north-west to 

 south -south-east. This range is high and continuous, and is not 

 cut through by any valley. Cross Fell is 2900 feet above sea- 

 level. From the top of the mountains to the plain on the west 

 there is an abrupt fall of from 1000 to 1500 feet in about a mile 

 and a half. At times when the wind is from some easterly point 

 the helm forms over this district ; the chief features of the 

 phenomenon being the following : a heavy bank of cloud rests 

 along the Cross Fell Range— at times reaching some distance 

 down the western slopes, and at others hovering just above the 

 summit ; while at a distance of two or three miles from the foot 

 of the Fell a slender roll of dark cloud appears in mid-air and 

 parallel with the helm cloud ; this is the helm bar. The space 

 between the helm cloud and the bar is usually quite clear, while 

 to the westward the sky is at times completely covered with cloud. 

 The bar does not appear to extend further west than about the River 

 Eden. A cold wind rushes down the sides of the Fell, and blow, 

 violently till it reaches a spot nearly underneath the helm bars 

 when it suddenly ceases. The observations that have been made 

 in the district during the past three or four years show that the 

 helm wind is not such a rare occurrence as it was popularly sup- 

 posed to be, the bar having been observed on forty-one occasions 

 in 1885, sixty-three in 1886, and nineteen in 1887. The 

 phenomenon takes place usually when the sky to the eastward is 

 covered with cloud, — An atmospheric sketch, by Mr. F. A. 

 Velschow.— The drought in New South Wales in 1883-84, 

 and rainfall at Corella, 1879-88, by the Ven. Archdeacon 

 Wynne, 



Royal Microscopical Society, February 13. — Annual 

 Meeting.— Dr. C. T. Hudson in the chair.— The Report of 

 the Council was read, showing an increase in the number of 

 Fellows, and in the revenue of the Society. This will probably 

 be the last annual meeting in the present library, which is re- 

 quired by King's College, and the Society will have to seek a 

 new habitation. — Dr. Hudson delivered his annual address, 

 taking as his subject, " Rotifers and their Distribution." 



PARIS. 

 Academy of Sciences, February 18. — M. Des Cloizeaux, 

 President, in the chair. — On the vaccinal properties of patho- 

 genic microbes transformed to simple saprogenic microbes 

 destitute of all virulent properties, by M. A. Chauveau. These 

 researches have been undertaken for the purpose of estimating 



