May 



1898] 



NATURE 



45 



mented upon himself and inoculated his arm each time with 

 some of the same lymph he used for the mice and guinea-pigs 

 respectively, but in no case did any reaction svorthy of record 

 follow. 



In order to determine more particularly the qualitative 

 bacterial character of these various samples of calf lymph, 

 plate-cultures were also made and pure cultures obtained of 

 different bacteria, which were subsequently inoculated both into 

 mice and into his own arm. In two. cases coccus forms proved 

 fatal to mice, whilst in the other inoculations no symptoms of 

 importance followed. As regards the inoculations practised 

 upon himself with these pure cultures, nothing more significant 

 than a slight abscess resulted, except on one occasion when an 

 affection of the adjoining lymphatic glands was experienced. 



In commenting upon these results, Dr. Dreyer states that it 

 should be borne in mind in connection with those instances 

 where fatal results followed the introduction of the lymph into 

 mice, that, in the first place, the mode of inoculation obliged to 

 be adopted was not really comparable to the simple incision 

 made in the case of human vaccination, and that, secondly, the 

 quantity of lymph employed relative to the size of the animal 

 was far greater than is the case in ordinary inoculations. More- 

 over, the two pathogenic results which followed the inoculation 

 of a pure culture of a coccus form do not constitute any 

 justifiable plea for the abolition of calf-lymph vaccination. It 

 must be remembered that the conditions of such pathogenic 

 infection are very different from those which may be present in 

 ordinary inoculations, should pathogenic bacteria originally be 

 present in the lymph, for, in employing a pure cultivation of a 

 particular micro-organism, the latter is introduced into the 

 system in immeasurably larger numbers than would be the case 

 were it introduced direct with the lymph. 



We would, in conclusion, recommend the closing paragraph 

 of Dr. Dreyer's memoir to the consideration of that noisy 

 section of unreasoning obstructionists who may, even in his 

 experiments, endeavour to find some support for their crusade 

 against the vaccination laws : " I consider, therefore, that I may 

 conclude from my investigations that the latter afford no support 

 which justifies the fear that animal lymph as at present pre- 

 pared can produce any serious injury to those inoculated 

 with it." G. C. Frankland. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 Oxford. — The Junior Scientific Club held its i88th meeting 

 at the Museum on May 4. After the Treasurer's balance-sheets 

 had been read and carried, Mr. A. E. Tutton discoursed on 

 the Cilaciers of the Pennine Alps, illustrating his remarks by 

 numerous lantern slides. Mr. H. E. Stapleton (St. John's) 

 read a paper on turpentine extraction in the Southern 

 States. — The Officers for this term are : President, Mr. W. 

 K. Moss (Trinity). Chem. Sec, Mr. F. Soddy (Merton). 

 Biolog. Sec, Mr. E. Gurney (New Coll.). Editor, Mr. H. E. 

 Stapleton (St. John's). Treasurer, Mr. W. E. Blackall (Non. 

 Coll.). Committee, Mr. W. B. Billinghurst (St, John's), Mr, 

 C. E. A. Wilson (Ch. Ch.), Mr. F. P. Nunneley (B. N. C), 

 The conversazione will be held on May 24 — Tuesday in Eights' 

 Week — at 8 p.m. 



Cambridge. —A University lectureship in applied mathe- 

 matics will be vacant at the end of the academical year by the 

 resignation of Mr. R T. Glazebrook, F.R.S. Applications are 

 to be sent to the Vice-Chancellor by May 17. 



The Smith's prizes are awarded (l) to Mr. E. W. Barnes, 

 Trinity, and (2) to Mr. W. A. Houston, St. John's. 



Dr. Kanthack proposes to hold, during the Long Vacation, 

 courses of instruction in general pathology, morbid anatomy 

 and histology, bacteriology, and clinical pathology. The courses 

 begin on July 8. 



The University tables at Naples and Plymouth are about to 

 be vacant. Applications for facilities for zoological research 

 are to be sent to Prof. Newton by June i. 



Twenty-four candidates have passed the half-yearly examin- 

 lion in sanitary science just completed, and have received the 

 I niversify diploma in public health. 



Twenty-eight additional freshmen, including one advanced 

 indent, were matriculated on May 5. 



The University grant of 100/. a year for three years, made to 



NO. 1489, VOL. 58] 



the British School of Archaeology at Athens in 1895, is to be 

 renewed for another period of three years. 



The Frank Smart studentship in botany, of the annual value 

 of 100/. for two or three years, will be vacant on June 20. 

 Candidates must be B.A.s who have taken honours in the 

 Natural Sciences Tripos. Application is to be made to the 

 Master of Caius College by June 11. 



A combined examination for entrance scholarships and ex- 

 hibitions in natural science will be held by Pembroke, Caius, 

 King's, Jesus, Christ's, St. John's, and Emmanuel Colleges 

 next term, Vjeginning on November i. A large number of 

 major and minor scholarships and exhibitions, varying in annual 

 value from 80/. to 30/., will be offered. The subjects include 

 chemistry, physics, elementary biology, physical geography, 

 animal physiology, zoology, and botany ; and candidates may 

 offer from two to four of these. In all branches the candidates' 

 practical work will be tested. Full particulars may be obtained 

 from the Tutors of the respective colleges. 



The Duke of Devonshire stated in the House of Lords on 

 Monday that, as soon as the Committee stage of the Irish Local 

 Government Bill was disposed of, the London University 

 Commission Bill would have a prominent place among those 

 measures which the Government intended to pass during the. 

 remainder of the Session. 



During the past fifteen months, says the Paris correspon-- 

 dent of the Chemist and Druggist, the sums subscribed by- 

 manufacturers and bankers in the district of Nancy for promoting-, 

 the study of chemistry and physics, as applied to industry, in-, 

 connection with the University of that town, have reached^ 

 400,ooof (16,000/.). The Lyons University has been authorised"' 

 to contract a loan of 626,50of. (25,000/.), to be applied (l) to . 

 completing the Chemical Institute, (2) extending the laboratories . 

 of experimental and comparative medicine and physiology, (j) 

 completing the laboratory of maritime physiology at Tamaris,^ 

 Var. 



The following items concerning endowments of higher 

 scientific education in the United States are recorded in Science : — 

 The West Virginia University has established eleven fellowships- 

 yielding 300 dollars yearly and free tuition. The fellows are ex- 

 pected to teach one hour a week or give two hours' supervision. . 

 in the laboratory. Among the eleven subjects for which the 

 fellowships have been awarded are chemistry, physics, geology, , 

 zoology, botany, mathematics, mechanical engineering and civil, 

 engineering. — The estate of Mrs. Julia W. James, of Boston, 

 divided by her will between the Museum of Fine Arts and the 

 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, amounts to over 500,000' 

 dollars. — The John Tyndall Fellowship of Columbia University 

 for the encouragement of research in physics has been awarded 

 to R. B. Owen, a graduate of the School of Engineering and 

 professor of engineering in the University of Nebraska. Among 

 the twenty-four fellowships annually awarded are the following : 

 T. E. Hazen, Iwtany ; B. II. Owen, philosophy ; J. D. Irving, 

 geology ; E. Kasner, mathematics ; W. C. Kretz, astronomy ; 

 J. W. Miller, jun., mechanics; F. C. Paulmier, zoology; F. J. 

 Pope, chemistry ; C. E. Prevey, statistics ; R. S. Woodworth, 

 psychology. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 London. 

 Geological Society, April 20.— W. Whitaker, F.R.S.,, 

 President, in the chair. — Note on an ebbing and flowing, 

 well at Newton Nottage (Glamorganshire), by H. G. Madan. 

 This well lies in a direct line drawn north and south fron> 

 the church of Newton Nottage to the sea, about 80 yards 

 south of the church and 500 yards from the sea. Sand-hills 

 about 20 or 30 feet high lie between it and the sea. A range of 

 carboniferous limestone cliffs runs east and west to the north of 

 the church, while the same formation crops out in the sea at 

 half-tide level. Between the two there is a band of Keuper con- 

 glomerate covered in one place at least by 7 feet of brown loamy 

 clay with pebbles. At the shore-junction of conglomerate and- 

 limestone numerous springs occur, and it is in the conglomerate- 

 that the well is sunk, its bottom being 8 feet above Ordnance 

 datum. A series of about forty observations made at intervals, 

 of an hour (and in many cases at the intermediate half-hours), 

 during three consecutive days, enabled the author to construct a^ 



