April 29, 1922] 



NATURE 



;67 



of aerial photography and the photo - restitution 

 apparatus. — H. Chaumat : A new wattmeter. — O. 

 Lievin : The kinetic study of alkaline solutions of 

 iodine. In alkaline solutions, iodine is transformed 

 into iodate by different reactions depending on the 

 degree of alkalinity.— E. Toporescu : The preparation 

 of sodium bicarbonate. An experimental study of 

 tlie reaction NaCl+NH^HCOj ^NaHCOa +NH4a. 

 riie solubilities of the salts at 15° C. were taken first 

 singly, then in pairs, and finally omitting one con- 

 stituent only. The results are plotted on the square 

 diagram due to M. H. le Chatelier (see above). — A. 

 Maiihe : The catalytic decomposition of oleic acid. 

 The vapour of oleic acid passed over copper-aluminium 

 pellets contained in a copper tube maintained at 

 6oo°-650° C. gives a gas rich in olefines (10 per cent.) 

 and an acid liquid. The hydrocarbons, freed from 

 acids, commenced to distil at 40° C. (amylene) and 

 contained about 50 per cent, of olefines. These were 

 removed by hydrogenation over nickel at i8o°-2oo° C, 

 and hexane, heptane, benzine, toluene, metaxylene, 

 'd nonane were identified in the resulting hydro- 

 iibon mixture. — A. Schoep : Stasite, a new mineral, 

 dimorphous with dewindite. This was obtained from a 

 chalcolite from Kasolo (Katanga, Belgian Congo), and 

 anah-ses led to the formula 4PbO-8U03-3P20j-i2H20. 

 which is identical'with the composition of dewindite, 

 from which, however, the new mineral differs in its 

 density, colour, and the form of its crystals. Its 

 radioactivity is a little less than that of dewindite. — 

 L. Blaringhem : Abnormal heredity of the colour of 

 the embryos of a variety of pea, Pisum sativum. 

 Certain strains of pea, like hordeum and flax, present 

 striking irregularities in the transmission of discon- 

 tinuous characters. — H. Ricome : The elongation of 

 roots. — IM. Molliard : A new acrd fermentation pro- 

 duced by Sterigmatocvsiis nigra. The products can 

 be made to vary by changing the constituents of the 

 culture fluid. If the nitrogen is deficient i-glucosic 

 acid is the main acid produced ; if the phosphates 

 are reduced, then citric and oxalic acids preponderate. 

 — J. Pellegrin : A new blind fish from the fresh waters 

 of western Africa. This belongs to a new genus 

 named Typhlosynbranchus by the author. The char- 

 acter of the branchial apparatus places it in the 

 familj^ of Synbranchus. — A. Lecaillon : The char- 

 acters of a male hybrid arising from the union of a 

 male duck {Dafila acuta) and female wild duck {Anas 

 Boschas). — P. Cristol : Zinc and cancer. The pro- 

 p>ortions of zinc in various forms of cancerous tumours 

 have been estimated. The preliminary results show 

 that the high proportion of zinc found in cancerous 

 tumours is a function of the proliferation and the 

 cellular and nuclear activity. — J. Mawas : The 

 limphoid tissue of the middle intestine of the Myxin- 

 oides and its morphological signification. — C. Bour- 

 guignon : The treatment of contraction by electrical 

 stimulation of the non-contracted muscles in the 

 lesions of the pyramidal bundle and in the secondary 

 contraction of peripheral facial paralysis. Evolution 

 of the chronaxy in the course of the treatment. — 

 ( . Levaditi and A. N. Martin: The preventive and 

 curative action in syphilis of the acetyl derivative 

 of oxyaminophenylarsinic acid (sodium salt). This 

 salt has been shown to be stable, very soluble, rich 

 in arsenic and relatively shghtly toxic, and has been 

 used with effect in the cure by injection of experi- 

 mental syphilis of the rabbit. The present experi- 

 ments deal with administration by the mouth and not 

 by injection, and it was proved that this salt would 

 cure experimental syphilis rapidly in the rabbit and 

 the ape. Two cases in man were successfully cured 

 in the same way, and its preventive action was also 

 shown on the human subject. 



NO. 2739, VOL. 109] 



Official Publications Received. 



The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain 

 and Ireland. Vol. 51, July to December 1021. Pp. .\ii +289-462 

 + 13+27. (London: Koyal Anthropological Institute.) 15«. net. 



Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa. Vol. 24 : 

 Containing the Papers read during 1921. Pp. iv+252 + 13 plates. 

 (Johannesburg : Geological Society of South Africa.) 42«. 



Madras Fisheries Department. Administration Report for the 

 Year 1920-21. (Report No. 1 of 1922. Madras Fisheries Bulletin, 

 Vol. 15.) Pp. 44. (Madras : Government Press.) ,4 annas. 



Proceeding.s of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. 

 Vol. 7, Parts 1 and 2. Pp. 59. (Calcutta.) 4 rupees ; 6«. 



The South African Journal of Science. Vol. 18, Nos. 1 and 2 : 

 Comprising the Report of the South African Association for the 

 Advancement of Science, 1921, Durban. Pp. xxxviii + 200. 

 (Johannesburg.) 15s. 



Canada. Department of Mines : Mines Branch. Summary Report 

 of Investigations made by the Mines Branch during the Calendar 

 Year ending December 31, 1920. Pp. 87. (Ottawa : F. A. Acland.) 



Reports of the Department of Conservation and Development, 

 State of New Jersey. Annual Report for the Year ending June 30, 

 1921 : Department of Conservation and Development, Administering 

 Geology, Soils, Water Resources, Forestry, Forest F'ire Service, State 

 Museum, Testing Laboratory, State Parks, Land Registry. Pp. 105. 

 (Trenton, N.J.) 



Sudan Government. Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratones, 

 Khartoum. Report of the Government Chemist for the Year 1921. 

 (Chemical Section : Publication No. 22.) Pp. 38. (Khartoum.) 



Jahrbuch der Geologischen Staatsanstalt. Jahrgang 1921, 71 Band. 

 1 und 2 Heft. Pp.100. 3 und 4 Heft. Pp. vii + 101-224. (Wien : 

 Geologischen Staatsanstalt.) 



Verhandlungen der Geologischen Staatsanstalt. Jahrgang 1921. 

 Nr. 1 bis 12 (Schluss). (Wien : Geologischen Staatsanstalt.) 



Diary of Societies. 



FRIDAY, Amu. 2%. 

 Zoological Society of London, at 4.— Anniversary Meeting. 

 Royal Society of Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30.— F. G. Royal- 



Dawson : The Need of an All-India Gauge Policy. 

 Physical Society of London (at Imperial College of Science and 



Technology), at 5.— T. Smith : The Position of Best Focus in the 



Presence of Spherical Aberration. — F. Twyman and J. Perry : The 



Determination of the Absolute Stress-variation of Refractive Index. 



— C. J. Smith : An Experimental Comparison of the Viscous Pro- 

 perties of (a) Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide, and (b) Nitrogen 



and Carbon Monoxide. — F. Twyman : Demonstration of the 



Optical Sonometer. 

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



Demonstration of Museum Specimens illustrating the Forms of 



Inguinal Hernia. 

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



at 5. — Sir Robert Jones : Presidential Address. 

 Institution of Aeronautical Engineers (at Engineers' Club, 



Coventry Street, W.l), at 6. — Capt. Sayers : Some Unsettled 



Problems of Aeroplane Design. 

 Institute of Marine Engineers, at 6. — ^Annual Meeting. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 6.— Prof. E. G. Coker 



and Dr. K. C. Chakko : An Account of some Experiments on the 



Action of Cutting Tools. 

 Junior Institution of Engineers, at 8. — Capt. H. Whittaker : 



Some Notes on the Utilisation of Water Power. 

 Royal Society of Medicine (Epidemiology Section), at 8.— Dr. F. 



Dittmar : Outbreaks of Enteric Fever associated with Carrier 



Cases. 

 Royal Institution op Great Britain, at 9. — Dr. A. Harden : 



Vitamin Problems. 



MONDAY, MkY\. 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 5. — Annual Meeting. 

 Institute of Actuaries, at 5. — E. H. Brown : The Valuation of 



Endowment Assurances by Select Tables. 

 Royal College of Surgeons of England, at 5. — Prof. Shattock : 



Demonstration of Maseum Specimens illustrating Sarcoma. 

 Society of Engineers (at Geological Society) at 5.30.— Dr. C. V. 



Drysdale : The Testing of Small Electrical Plant. 

 Royal Institute of British Architects, at 8. — Annual General 



Meeting. 

 Aristotelian Society (at University of London Club, 21 Gower 



Street, W.C.I), at 8.— Miss M. MacFarlane : Prof. Alexander's 



Theory of Values. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 8. — F. F. Renwick : Modern Aspects of 



Photography (1) (Cobb Lectures). 

 Society of chemical Industry (at Chemical Society), at 8. 

 Royal Society op Medicine (Tropical Diseases and Parasitology 



Section), at 8.30. — Annual General Meeting. 



TUESDAY,^ay2. 

 Royal Institution op Great Britain, at 3.— Sir Arthur Keith : 



Anthropological Problems of the British Empire. Series II. : Racial 



Problems of Africa (2). 

 Royal College op Physicians of London, at 5.— Prof. E. Mellanby : 



Some Common Defects of Diet and their Pathological Signiflcance 



(Oliver Sharpey Lectures) (1). 

 Institution of Civil Engineers (Extra Meeting), at 6. — Sir John A. 



F. Asplnall : Some Post- War Problems of Transport (James Forrest 



Lecture). 

 Royal Photographic Society op Great Britain, at 7. 

 ROntgen Society (at Institution of Electrical Engineers), at 8.15. 



