January 26, 1922] 



NATURE 



127 



on the 52 and 72 per cent, lines. — W. A. Richardson : 

 A simplification of the Rosiwal method of micro- 

 analysis. A method by which, using a drawing ap- 

 paratus, the lengths of component minerals of a rock 

 can be projected on to separate strips of paper and 

 directly summed is described. — Dr. A. Schoep : The 

 absence of cobalt in cornetite from Katanga, Belgian 

 Congo. Microchemical tests made on carefully selected 

 crystals from the original locality (Star of the Congo 

 Mine) prove that cobalt is present only in associated 

 black six)ts of heterogenite. The mineral is thus a 

 . hydrated phosphate of copper, agreeing completely 

 with that recently described from Northern Rhodesia. 



^; Paris. 



? Academy of Sciences, January 9. — M. Emile Bertin 

 in the chair. — C. Laliemand : The genesis and present 

 <tate of the science of the abacus. — T. Varopoulos : A 

 riass of increasing functions. — P. Humbert : The pro- 

 duct of Laplace relative to certain hypercylinders. — 

 (i. Dumas : A normal table relating to unilateral sur- 

 faces. — .A. Denjoy : Functions defined by series of 

 r ational fractions. — B. Gambier : Surfaces and varie- 

 i( > of translation of Sophus Lie. — C. Nordmann and 

 \\. Le Morvan : Observation of an abnormal star by 

 the heterochrome photometer of the Paris Observa- 

 tory. The star 13 Cepheus presents some singular 

 anomalies. It belongs to the spectral type A 

 (hydrogen stars), but has a yellow coloration. The 

 colour photometer shows that the light intensity is 

 distributed in the spectrum in such a manner that 

 the more refrangible rays are proportionally less 

 intense than in any of the stars hitherto studied, not 

 only of this type, but also of typves F and G. It is 

 l>ossible that the atmosphere surrounding this star 

 po'ssesses exceptional absorbing power. — E. de Mar- 

 tonne : The massif of Poiana Ruska and the cor- 

 K lation of the erosion cycles of the southern Car- 

 pathians. — E. Carvallo : The principle of relativity in 

 dielectrics.— P. Clievenard : The expansion ' of 

 rhromium and the chrome-nickel alloys over a wide 

 temperature interval. A differential dilatometer was 

 tni ployed in which the standard bar was a nichrome 

 (with 10 per cent, of chromium), the law of expan- 

 sion of which had been carefully determined by direct 

 methods. A diagram is given of the results on com- 

 mercially pure chromium (983 per cent.) and five 

 chrome-nickel alloys. The diagram gives the co- 

 efficients of expansions as functions of the tempera- 

 ture over the range 0° C. to 900° C— M. Faillebin : 

 \ mixed organo-metallic compound of aluminium. 

 Aluminium and methylene iodide in dry ether in the 

 presence of a little iodine react in two ways, the prin- 

 cipal reaction giving CH.-.AII and .All,, the subsidiary 

 n action .MI, and ethylene.— J. Barlot and Mile. M. T. 

 Brenet : The determination of fatty acids by the forma- 

 tion of complex compounds with uranyl and sodium. 

 Streng's reagent (acid solution of uranyl nitrate) is 

 known to give a precipitate of a double salt with 

 - xlium acetate. Similar precipitates are obtained with 

 tlie sodium salts of higher fatty acids, but only if the 

 icid contains an even number of consecutive carbon 

 atoms. Thus formates, propionates, wobutyrate, and 

 normal valerates give no precipitate, but the reaction 

 is obtained with acetic, normal butyric, fermentative 

 valeric and normal caproic acids.— Y. Milon and L. 

 Dangeard : A Redonian formation (Upper Miocene) 

 forming ravines with the Eocene clays to the south 

 of Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine) containing iron minerals. — 

 1:. Zaepffel : The mechanism of the orientation of 

 leaves. The movements of the leaf are connected with 

 the distribution of water, and this distribution is in- 



\ fiuenced by the mobile starch. — C. Douin : The gameto- 

 phyte of the Marchantia?. — L. Plantefol : The toxicity 

 NO. 2726, VOL. 109] 



of various nitrophenols for Sterigmatocystis nigra. 

 Experiments were carried out with three isomeric 

 nitrophenols, dinitrophenol, and trinitrophenol. All 

 these proved more toxic to the mould than phenol 

 itself. The three mononitrophenols differed in toxicity, 

 the para-compounds being the most toxic. The di- 

 nitrophenol had the greatest effect in inhibiting the 

 growth of the mould of any of the substances tried ; 

 it is nearly 300 times more toxic than phenol. — E. 

 Chatton : Polymorphism and maturation of the spores 

 of Syndinium.— R. Sazerac and C. Levaditi : The use 

 of bismuth in the prophylaxy of syphilis. Sodium 

 potassium tartarobismuthate, administered in intra- 

 muscular injection, acts preventively against syphilitic 

 infection, and the same salt applied locally in the form 

 of salve acts preventively even after infection. The 

 conclusions were arrived at after experiments on 

 rabbits. 



Diary of Societies. 



THURSDAY. Januaht 26. 



RoTAL Institution of Great Britain, at 3—8. Gordon : Sea Birds 

 and Seals. 



RorAL SociKTY, at 4.30.— W. B. Hardy and Ida Doubleday : 

 Boundary Lubrication : The Paraffin Series.— Prot. W. A. 

 Bone, A. R. Pearson, K. Sinkinson, and W . E. Stockings: 

 Kesearclirs on the Chemistry of Coal. Part 2 : The Resinic 

 Constituents and Coking Propensities of Coals.— Dr. J. A. 

 Crowther and B. J. Schonland : The Scattering of /3-rays. — 

 Ann C. Davies : The Minimum Electron Energies associated with 

 the Excitation of the Spectra of Helium. — C. N. flinshelwood, 

 H. Hartley, and B. Topley : The Influence of Temperature on 

 Two Alternative Modes of Decomposition of I'ormic Acid. — 

 Prof. C. T. Raman : The Molecular Scattering of Light in 

 Water and the Colour of the Sea. 



RorAL Aeronavtic.al Societt (Students' Meeting) (at Royal Society 

 of Arts), at 7. — C. Daniel : Practical Points in Fuselage Con- 

 struction. 



Institution or Locomotive Engineers (London) (at Caxton Hall)> 

 at 7.15. — C. J. Allen : The Influence of Design on Express Loco- 

 motive Performance. 



Concrete Institute, at 7.30— E. B. Moullin : Capillary Canals in. 

 Concrete, and the Percolation of Water through Them. 



Roial Microscopical Society (Metallurgical Section), at 7.30. — 

 H. Wrighton : Demonstration of Polishing Metal Specimens. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Urology Section), at 8.30. 



Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 



FRIDAY, January 27. 



Association or Economic Biologists (in Botanical Lecture- 

 Theatre, Imperial College of Science and Technology), at 2.30.— 

 Prof. B. P. Stebbing and others : Discussion : The Importance 

 of Scientific Research in Forestry and its Position in the 

 Empire. 



Royal Society of Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30.— A. L. Howard: 

 The Timbers of India and Burma. 



Physical Society of London (at Imperial College of Science and. 

 Technology), at 5.— T. H. Littlewood : The Diffusion of Solutions. 

 — H. R. Nettleton : A Special Apparatus for the Measurement at 

 Various Temperatures of the Thomson Effect in Metals.— J. J. 

 Manley : A Defect in the Sprengel Pump : its Cause and the 

 Remedy. 



Royal College of Surgeons or England, at 5.— Sir Arthur Keith : 

 Hunterian Lecture : The Facial Characteristics of the Races 

 native to India. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Study of Disease in Children Section), 

 at 5. 



Junior Institution or Engineers, at 8.— L M. Jockel : Fuels- 

 and the Boiler-house. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Epidemiology and State Med'cine Sec- 

 tion), at 8.— Dr. S. M. Copeman, Dr. R. A. O'Brien, Dr. A. J. 

 Eagleton, and A. T. Glenny : Experiences with the Schick Test, 

 and .\ctive Immunisation against Diphtheria. 



Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 9.— Viscount Burnham : 

 Journalism 



SATURDAY, January 28. 



Essex Field Club (in Physical Lecture Theatre. West Ham 

 Municipal College), at 3.— C. Nicholson: The Rosy-Marbled Moth- 

 (Erastria venmtula) in Britain (with special reference to Essex). 

 — G. Morris : Some Neolithic Sites in the Valley of the Essex 

 Cam. 



Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 3.— Dr. C. Macpherson : 

 The Evolution of Organ Music (2). 



MONDAY. January 30. 



IN.STITUTE or Actuaries, at 5.— G. King: K Short Method of Con- 

 structing Select Mortality Tables : Further Developments. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8— C. Ainsworth Mitchell : Inks (Cantor 

 Lectures) (2). 



Medical Society or London, at 9.— Sir Leonard Ropers : Amoebic- 

 Liver Abscess: Its Pathology, Prevention, and Cure (Lettsorainnt 

 Lectures) (1). 



TUESDAY, January 31. 



Royal Korticultubal Society, at 1. 



Royal Institution of Gre.at Britain, at 3.— Prof. H. H. Turner r 

 Variable Stars (1) ; Short Period Variables. 



