350 



NATURE 



[August i r, 



of Hypnotism, its phenomena and theories. An in- 

 teresting feature in this discussion was a speech by Mr. 

 Myers, of Cambridge, on the psychological side of hypno- 

 tism. Mr. Myers contrasted hypnotism with hysteria, 

 sleep, and somnabulism. The author concluded his 

 remarks with discussing the probable nature of " sug- 

 gestion." Did the hypnotiser by suggestion merely 

 infuse power or evoke it .^ Mr. Myers held the view that 

 in some cases there was an actual transmission of power 

 from operator to subject, a kind of telepathy. In other 

 cases the hypnotiser merely taught the subject to start 

 self-suggestion of his own, and he cited the miracles 

 performed at Lourdes as an instance of the latter method. 

 Prof. Benedikt, of Vienna, made some interesting remarks 

 on this subject. 



In the Section of Neurology Dr. Ferrier opened a 

 discussion oii the treatment, curative and palliative, of 

 intracranial tumours. The discussion was continued by 

 Drs. Dercum, Collins, Sir William Broadbent, and others. 

 Dr. Buzzard introduced a discussion on the influence of 

 micro-organisms and toxins on the production of disease 

 of the cerebral and peripheral nervous system. Accord- 

 ing to the author miicro-organisms in this connection 

 acted in two ways: directly by their actual effect on the 

 nervous tissue, and indirectly through the agency of 

 chemical substances produced by their action on the 

 blood or other tissues of the body. The author mentioned 

 in this connection the so-called infective diseases of the 

 central nervous system. The paper provoked a lively 

 discussion. 



The Section of Pharmacology and Therapeutics com- 

 menced its business with an address from Dr. Affleck. 

 The lecturer sketched the progress of therapeutics, 

 including under this term balneo-therapeutics. Con- 

 cerning actual pharmacology not much was said. Dr. 

 Herschell introduced a discussion on the treatment of 

 diseases of the stomach ; the Section had the advantage 

 of the presence and opinions of Prof. Ewald, of Berlin, 

 and Dr. Lauder Brunton. Prof. Turck, of Chicago, gave 

 a demonstration of the various methods he employed in 

 the diagnosis and treatment of gastric disorders. 



A new feature of this year's meeting was the inclusion 

 of a Section dealing with Medicine in relation to Life 

 Insurance, with Dr. Claud Muirhead as President. The 

 points discussed in their relation to life assurance were 

 cardiac disease, middle-ear disease, and pregnancy. 



The Section of Pathology, under the presidency of 

 Prof. Greenfield, proceeded to discuss the nature and 

 treatment of Leucocytosis. The subject was introduced 

 by Dr. Robert Muir. Papers were also read by Dr. 

 Lazarus Barlow on Irritation of Pleura and Pleurisy, 

 and by Dr. Durham on the Agglutinating and Sediment- 

 ing Properties of Serum, and their relation to Immunity. 

 Prof. Stockman contributed a paper on the Pathological 

 Effects of Dead Tubercle Bacilli. Many other papers 

 followed, giving rise to considerable discussion. 



The Section of Physiology was opened by a lecture 

 by Prof. Rutherford on Tone Sensation. Dr. Waller 

 read a paper on the Action of Ani^sthetics on Vegetable 

 and .Animal Protoplasm. Dr. Waller seems to have 

 turned his attention from nerve fibres to nerve cells. 

 His paper included the description of some interesting 

 experiments upon the action of alcohol and ether vapour 

 upon the spinal cord of the frog. He further showed 

 that ana?sthetics exerted the same paralysing influence 

 upon vegetable as upon animal cells. The paper was 

 illustrated by lantern slides and diagrams. Dr. Wey- 

 mouth Reid joined in the subsequent discussion. Dr. 

 A. C. Sturrock read a paper on the Selective Affinity of 

 the Tissues, especially as regards the Mammary Gland. 



In the Section of Anatomy, Prof. Cunningham opened 

 a discussion on Anatomic Variations, dividing them into 

 two great classes, prospective and retrospective. The 

 former were indicative of changes that might yet become 



NO. 1502, VOL. 58] 



normal in the history of the species, while the latter 

 were of two kinds : first, simple arrest ; and, secondly, 

 development along lines which had once been normal 

 for the species. The address was illustrated by lantern 

 slides of the brains of apes and microcephalic idiots. 

 The President closed the meeting with some remarks on 

 the teaching of anatomy. F. W. Tunnicliffe. 



PROFESSOR GEORG BAUR. 

 "DORN on January 4, 1859, at Weisswasser (Bohemia), 

 ^ where for a time his father was Professor of 

 Mathematics, Georg Baur passed his youth in Hessen 

 and Wiirttemberg. He went through the Gymnasium at 

 Stuttgart, and in 1878 entered the University at Munich, 

 taking up especially the study of palaeontology, geology, 

 zoology, and mineralogy. In 1880 he went to Leipzig, 

 where he studied under Credner and Leukhart. Two 

 years later he returned to Munich, and there obtained 

 the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He remained in 

 Munich from 1882 to 1884 as assistant to Prof, von 

 Kupffer, to whom he was much attached, and who in 

 turn honoured him with his friendship. In 1884 Dr. 

 Baur accepted a call to New Haven, Conn., as assistant 

 to Prof. O. C. Marsh. He relinquished this position in 

 1890 to accept the post of docent at the Clark University 

 of Worcester, Mass. A year later he succeeded, after 

 great difficulties, in getting up an expedition to the 

 Galapagos Islands, leaving in May and returning in 

 October with a valuable collection of the flora and fauna 

 of these interesting islands. In 1892 he went to Chicago 

 University as Assistant Professor of Comparative 

 Osteology and Palaeontology, and was made Associate 

 Professor in 1895. 



It was in September 1897 that a serious break-down of 

 his health gave the first indication of mental overwork. 

 From the beginning of his career Dr. Baur had been 

 so intensely devoted to his studies and researches, that 

 almost no leisure remained to him for recreation ; no 

 fewer than 143 separate papers testify to his industry. 

 A vacation of a few months, mostly spent at one of the 

 Wisconsin lakes, seemed to benefit him. Returning to 

 Chicago in December, the physicians recommended 

 either a sojourn in California or in Germany. The wish 

 to be near his relatives made him decide for his old 

 home, and together with his family he left for Europe, 

 the University generously granting a further leave of 

 absence. The gravity of his illness (paralysis), already 

 suspected in America, was at once recognised at Munich. 

 The disease made such rapid progress, that not many 

 weeks after his return from a short stay in Southern 

 Tyrol his transfer to an asylum was found to be necessary. 

 The end came on June 25. 



The family have received many touching expressions 

 of sympathy. At the grave Prof, von Kupffer spoke 

 feelingly, referring to the great talents, the keen per- 

 ception, the untiring industry of the deceased by which 

 he had created himself an honoured place in anatomy 

 and paleontology. " Though young in years," he said, 

 " Prof. Baur was an authority in many a field. In remem- 

 brance of the time we worked together, of the friendship 

 which united us, I lay down in deep sorrow this laurel 

 wreath." 



THE BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORIES. 



WITH reference to the announcement in Nature of 

 July 28, intimating that, unless means were pro- 

 vided, the Observatories at Ben Nevis would be closed 

 in October next, we are glad to be able to state that it 

 will not be necessary to take that step this year. The 

 subjoined letter explains how this threatened mis- 



