38o 



NATURE 



[May 20, 1920 



and M. Polonowski : Determination of the total non- 

 amino organic acids of the urine. — H. Colin : The 

 diastatic hydrolysis of inulin. An account of some 

 unsuccessful attempts to isolate products of hydroly- 

 sis intermediate between inulin and the reducing 

 sugars. — J. E. Abelous and J. Aloy : Digestive hydro- 

 lyses by mechanical ionisation of water. Violent 

 agitation is sufficient to determine a partial hydrolysis 

 of solutions of starch, lactose, neutral fats, and fibrin. 

 The effects increase with rise of temperature. — J. 

 Chaine : Considerations on the paramastoid apophysis 

 of man. — A. Krempf : Observations on the develop- 

 ment of Pocillopora cespitosa and Seriatopora subti- 

 lata. Discovery of primitive stages revealing the 

 scyphostrobiliarv origin of the Anthozoa. — MM. Wein- 

 berg and Nasta : RSle of the haemolysins in microbial 

 intoxication and the therapeutic properties of normal 

 sera. — A. Marie, C. Levaditi, and G. Banu : Experi- 

 mental transmission of the triponeme of general para- 

 lysis (virus neurotrope) by sexual contact. 



Books Received. 



The Idea of Progress : An Inquiry into its Origin 

 and Growth. By Prof. J. B. Bury. Pp. xv + 377. 

 (London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 145. net. 



Nauka Polska. Tom ii. Pp. ix + 676. (Warszawa.) 

 Cena M.P. 25. * 



Dumbartonshire. By Dr. F. Mort. Pp. viii+155. 

 (Cambridge : At the University Press.) 4s. 6d. net. 



Orknev and Shetland. By J. G. F. Moodie and 

 H. and T. Mainland. Pp. xii+i67. (Cambridge: At 

 the University Press.) 4s. 6d. net. 



Report on the Quantum Theory of Spectra. By 

 Dr. L. Silberstein. Pp. iv4-42. (London : Adam 

 Hilger. Ltd.) 5s. net. 



Problems of Population and Parenthood : Being^ 

 the Second Report of and the Chief Evidence taken 

 bv the National Birth-Rate Commission, 1918-20. 

 Pp. clxvi + 423. (London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd.) 

 255. net. 



Diary of Societies. 



THURSDAY, May 20. 



Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 3. — A. P. Graves: Welsh and 

 Irish Folk Song. 



Royal Society at 4.30. — Prof. J. N. Collie: Some Notes on 

 Krypton and Xenon.— Sih l.i' g Ting: Experiments on Electron 

 remission from Hot BoHies, with a Preface by Prof. O. W. Richardson. — 

 Dr L. Silberstein: The Aspherical Nucleus Theoiy Applied to the 

 Balmer Series of Hydrogen.— ' <r. T. E. Stanton, Mi^^s D. Marshall, and 

 Mrs C. N. Kryant : The Conditions at the Boundary of a Fluid in 

 Turbulent Motion. 



Royal Society of Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30. — Brig.-Gen. Lotd 

 Montagu of Beaulieu : Roads and Transport in India 



Royal Socikiy of Medicine (Dermatology Section), at 5. — Annual 

 General Meeting. 



Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (at Geological Society), at 

 5.30.— G. Rigg: Roasting and Lead-Smelting Practice at the Port Pirie 

 fS.A.) Plant of the Broken Hill Associated Smellers Proprietary. 

 Ltd. — Capt. H. Tatham : Tunnelling in the Sand Dunes of the 



■ Belgian Coast. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers (at Institution of Civil Engineers), 

 at 5. 30. — (Annual General Meeting.) 



Numismatic Society, at 6. 



Optical Society, at 7.30. — B. K. Tohnson : The No. 7 Dial Sight, 

 Mk 11. — Lt.-i ol. Gifford: A Short High Power Telescope. 



Chemical Society (Ordinary Meeting; Informal Meeting), at 8.— D. J. 

 and Mrs. Matthews: Exhibit demonstrating the Methods of Controlling 

 Soil Organisms now being Investieated at the Rothamsted Experimental 

 Station. — Dr. Marie Slopes : Kxhibit Specimens and Microscopic Slides 

 of Fusain. Durain, Clarain, and Vitrain, the Four Main Constituents of 

 Banded Bituminous Coal. — E. R.Thomas: Experiments Illustrating the 

 Influence of temperature, Concentration, Solvent, Constitution, and 

 Catalyst on the Rate of Chemical Change. 



Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 



FRIDAY, May 21. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Otology Section), at 5. — Annual General 

 Meeting. 



Wirelp.ss SociKTV OP London (at Institution of Civil Engineers), at 6. — 



, P. Coursey: Some Methods of Eliminating Atmospherics in Wireless 

 Reception. 



Royal Socirty of Medicine (Electro-Therapeutics Section), at 8.30.— 

 Annual General Meeting. 



Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 9. — Prof. J. A. Fleming: 

 The Thermionic Valve in Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony. 

 SATURDAY, May 22. 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 3.— Frederic Harrison: The 

 Re-action and th;; Critics of the Positivist School of Thought. 

 TUESDAY, May 25. 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 3.— Major C. E. Inglis: 

 'i he Evolution of Large Bridge Construction. 



WEDNESDA Y, May 26. 

 Royal Aeronautical Society (at Royal Society of Art.s), at 8.— Sir 

 Richard T. Glazebrook : Some Points of Importance in the Work of the 

 Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. 



THURSDAY, May 27. 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 3.— William Archer : Dreams, 



with Special Reference to Psycho-Analysis 

 Linnean Society (.\nniversary Meeting), at 3. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. 

 Concrete Institute (Annual General Meeting, followed by an Ordinary 



Meeting), at 7.30. 



FRIDAY, May 28. 

 Royal Society of Arts (Indian and Colonial Sections, Joint Meeting), 



at 4. 30. — Prof. W. A. Bone: Lignite. 

 Royal Society of Medicine (Study of Disease in Children), at 4.30. — 



(Annual General Meeting.) 

 Physical Society of London, at 5.— Sir W. H. Bragg and Others. 



Discussion on X ray Spectra. 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 9. — Prof. W. L. Bragg: 



Crystal Structure. 



SA TURD A Y, May 29. 

 Royal In.stitutiov of Great Britain, at 3. — Dr. J. H. Jeans : The 



Theory of Relativity (Tyndall Lectures). 



CONTENTS PAGE 



The Officers Training Corps and the Universities . 349 



Relativity and Geometry. By E. Cunningham . . 350 



Colloidal Therapy . . 351 



Nature Pictures. By W^. E. C 352 



Our Bookshelf 352 



Letters to the Editor:— 



The Cost of Scientific Publications. — Prof. G. H. 

 Hardy, F.R.S. ; Dr. A. B. Rendle, F.R.S. ; 

 Dr. B. Daydon Jackson; Dr. Charles S. 



Myers, F.R.S 353 



The Indian Chemical Service. — Dr. M. W. Travers, 



F.R.S 354 



A New Method for Approximate Evaluation of 

 Definite Integrals between P'inite Limits. — A. F. 



Dufton . .... 354 



British and Metric Systems of Weights and Measures. 



M. E. Yeatman '355 



Scientific Apparatus and Laboratory Fittings. — 

 Conrad Beck; B. H. Morphy ; C. "^aker; 

 Bellingham and Stanley, Ltd. ; Wm. Taylor; 



H. W. Ashfield 355 



Naturally Fractured Eocene Flints — J. Reid Moir . 358 

 International Council for Fishery Investigations. — 



Prof. W. C. Mcintosh, F.R S. . . ... 358 



Sea and Sky at Sunset.— Lt. -Col. K. E. Edge- 

 worth; J. S. D. . . ..... 358 



Scientific Research. — Dr. John W. Evans, F.R.S. 358 



Imperial Air Routes. (Illustrated.) . . . . 359 



Helium : Its Discovery and Applications. (Illus- 

 trated.) By Dr. William J. S. Lockyer ..... 360 



New Conceptions of Psychology 363 



Obituary : — 



Principal R. M. Burrows 364 



Notes . . • • • .... 366 

 Our Astronomical Column : — 



A Bright Fireball . 370 



Conjunction of Mercury with € Geminorum . ... 370 



Longitude by Wireless Telegraphy 370 



Periodicity in Weather and Crops. By W. W. B. . 370 



The National Food Supply 371. 



The Research Association. By J. W. E. .... 372 



Solid Lubricants. By L. A 372 



Greek Science and Philosophy 373 



Life-history of the Periwinkle 373 



The Royal Society Conversazione 373 



University and Educational Intelligence 376 



Societies and Academies 377. 



Books Received 380 



Diary of Societies 380 



NO. 2638, VOL. 105] 



