638 



NATURE 



[July 22, 1920 



Appendix III. mentions, in addition to the 

 observations of physical quantities like wind, 

 pressure, temperature, and humidity, no fewer 

 than seven kinds of weather phenomena (fog, 

 clouds, precipitation, visibility, etc.), and only 

 as additional and facultative do we find wind, 

 temperature, and humidity in the upper air, in 

 spite of the fact that knowledge of the latter 

 data is essential for a real prediction of weather 

 phenomena, whereas the most minute description 

 of present weather does not form a guarantee 

 against sudden changes. Some years ago it might 

 have been urged that sufficiently recent upper- 

 air data were not available — we have shown, how- 

 ever, in Holland that the aeroplane is an excel- 

 lent substitute for the kite or the cable balloon in 

 almost any weather, and hence this excuse is no 

 longer permissible. In this respect Appendix III. 

 almost looks like a step backwards. 



Certainly the multitude of codes introduced 

 by European meteorological institutes since the 

 war is a nuisance, but it may be taken as a 

 symptom of the general dislike of the codes 

 prescribed in Appendix IV. These include units, 

 like the millibar, unfamiliar to the majority of 

 Continental meteorologists (unless in purely 

 scientific work), and change codes for the trans- 

 mission of the usual elements without any real 

 gain for practical purposes, and they do not use 

 sufficient economy with the room available in the 

 telegrams. A few specimens may illustrate this. 

 Wind direction is given in two figures as usual, 

 but in a scale of i to 'j2 instead of i to 32 ; this 

 means that an accuracy of 5° is claimed. Every 

 meteorologist knows that such accuracy is 

 imaginary — the exposure of the anemometer, the 

 turbulence of the winds, etc., cause larger varia- 

 tions with space and time. No fewer than four 

 figures are allotted to past and present weather. 

 The result is that the observer is puzzled as to the 

 number he is to choose out of 50 or 100, five or 

 six numbers applying equally well, or he gets into 

 the habit of reporting some favourite phenomenon 

 — the very slightest degree of haze, for instance. 

 The multitude of phenomena reported makes one 

 lose sight of the distribution of any particular 

 class. 



In our view. Appendix IV. is a mistake, and 

 ought to be deleted as soon as possible; it 

 may prevent some States from joining the con- 

 vention. Article 34 of which allows a minority of 

 one-fourth or even less to prevent any modifica- 

 tion of the annexes. General rules ought to be 

 given in the convention, details being left 

 to a competent body like the "Comite Meteor- 

 ologique International," reconstituted at Paris in 

 NO. 2647, VOL. 105] 



October, 1919, which certainly is fully aware of 

 the need for reforms, and will choose the best way 

 to ensure general approval. 



In the meantime, reforms are not being post- 

 poned ; the majority of the Continental countries 

 have already their wireless collective reports, and 

 others will soon follow- — special route reports for 

 flying purposes are being exchanged, for example^ 

 between England, France, Belgium, and Holland. 

 Meteorologists are thankful for the stimulus 

 which aerial navigation has given to their weather 

 services ; they admire the desire for organisation 

 and centralisation apparent in the convention; 

 but they cannot overlook the fact that meteor- 

 ology has other important applications. Theoretic- 

 ally it might be argued that these may look after 

 themselves ; practically it is impossible to main- 

 tain an independent system of information, say 

 for agricultural purposes. In following up the 

 historical line, the Comite International will try 

 to serve all purposes equally well. 



E. VAN EVERDINGEV. 



Child Physiology. 



The Principles of Ante-Natal and Post-Natal 

 Child Physiology : Pure and Applied. By W. M. 

 Feldman. Pp. xxvii + 694 + 6 plates. (London: 

 Longmans, Green, and Co., 1920.) Price 305. 

 net. 



DR. FELDMAN 'S work is a notable addition 

 to the books which deal with physiology. 

 As in them, so in this volume, the reader is im- 

 pressed by the great change which the past decade 

 has wrought in the content of physiological 

 science, and especially in the predominance of 

 physics, of mathematics, and of chemistry which 

 is so noticeable. Here and there one comes upon 

 pages occupied almost entirely with mathematical 

 formulae. Dr. Feldman 's book has all these char- 

 acters ; but it has also another feature, which 

 is novel : it brings to the study of the physiology 

 of the child (up to puberty) a consideration of the 

 conditions of life which exist before birth, and an 

 evaluation of the effect which the process of birth 

 itself has upon these conditions. It has in this 

 respect and for this reason what one might term 

 a fructifying novelty. It sweeps into the scope 

 of child physiology not only the vital processes of 

 foetal life, which differ merely in details from 

 those which prevail after birth, but also those of 

 embryonic life, which are so manifestly unlike 

 physiology that we commonly call them " embryo- 

 logy," as if they were something apart; and it 

 travels still further back towards the origins of 



