i68 



NA TORE 



[December 15, 



ration, might produce a lowering of temperature sufficient to 

 cause the local decrease of brilliance known as a sun-spot, M. 

 Faye points out the improbability of an electric discharge in a 

 mobile medium lasting for a whole month, with the vapours 

 constantly condensing on every portion of the sun's surface. — 

 Chemical study of opium smoke, by M. Henri Moissan. 

 Samples of the preparation of opium for smoking purposes, 

 known as chandoo, were subjected to fractional distillation 

 between the temperatures of 250° and 400°. At the former 

 temperature a bluish smoke was given off, carrying with it 

 certain agreeable perfumes and a small quantity of morphine. 

 This ceased after a while, and the temperature had to be raised 

 to 300°, when a more whitish smoke was liberated, which was 

 less odorous and more acrid, and contained a small quantity of 

 morphine, together with more or less poisonous bases. The 

 latter reaction was also the only one obtained from the combus- 

 tion of " dross " and adulterated opium, which give off poisonous 

 compounds, such as pyrrol, acetone and hydropyridic bases. — Ob- 

 servations on the preceding communication, by M. Arm. Gautier. 

 — On stereochemical notation, by M. C. Friedel (reply to the 

 second note by M. Colson). — Calculation of continuous beams ; 

 a method in accordance with the new regulations of the minis- 

 terial order of August 29, 1891, by M. Bertrand de Fontvio- 

 lant. This is a method of graphic statics applicable to all cases 

 of moving loads, based upon the construction of the " lines of 

 influences" of the bending moments, shearing stresses, re- 

 actions of supports, and elastic yieldings respectively. The 

 problem is the following : Given two points in a plane, A and 

 B, and a system of parallel continuous forces whose intensities 

 are linear functions of the abscissae of their points of appli- 

 cation, to trace a funicular curve of these forces with polar dis- 

 tance equal to \ the projection of A B on a direction per- 

 pendicular to these forces. — Observations of Wolf's periodic 

 comet, made with the great telescope of the Toulouse Obser- 

 vatory, by MM. E. Cosserat and F. Rossard. — Observations of 

 Holmes's new comet, made at the Algiers Observatory, by MM. 

 Rambaud and Sy. — Observations of fJrooks's comet (discovered 

 November 21, 1892), made at the Marseille Observatory, by 

 M. Esmiol. — Observations of the same, made by M. Fabry 

 (see Astronomical Column). — On infinite groups of transfor- 

 mations, by M. A. Tresse. — On an indeterminate problem of 

 analysis connected with the study of hyperfuchsian functions 

 resulting from hypergeometrical series with two variables, by 

 M. Levavasseur. — On the fusion of carbonate of lime, by M. H. 

 Le Chatelier. — Remark on a note by M. Barthe concerning the 

 volumetric estimation of the alkaloids, by M. P. C. Plugge. — 

 Physiological researches on opium smoke, by MM. N. Grehant 

 and Ern. Martin. Experiments performed upon a dog under con- 

 ditions analogous to those observed by opium-smokers failed to 

 produce any perceptible effect. One of the experimenters then 

 smoked twenty pipes himself, the quantity of opium amounting 

 to four grains. The experiment lasted for an hour. After the 

 fourth pipe a frontal headache supervened, which became 

 general after the sixth. At the tenth he felt giddiness, especially 

 in walking ; but these effects were not aggravated up to the 

 close of the experiment, and had disappeared an hour after- 

 wards. The respiration showed a lesser amplitude towards the 

 end, the beating of the heart was slightly less frequent, and 

 the curves of pulsation were more flattened at the summits. — 

 On the measure of the permeability of soils and the determination 

 of the number and the surface of the particles contained in i cc. 

 of soil, by MM. F. Houdaille and L. Semichon. — On the ex- 

 changes of carbonic acid and oxygen between plants and the 

 atmosphere, by M. Th. Schloesing, jun. — The artificial produc- 

 tion of rutile, by M. L. Michel. The following is a new pro- 

 cess : Heat during several hours in a graphite crucible, at a 

 temperature of about 1200°, an intimate mixture of i part 

 titaniferous iron and 2\ parts pyrites. On cooling, a crystalline 

 mass is found, which breaks easily, and exhibits all the physical 

 and chemical characteristics of pyrrhotine. This mass is riddled 

 with small holes, to the walls of which are attached crystals, 

 which possess the composition and thecrystallographic and optical 

 properties of rutile. They can be easily separated by means of 

 hydrochloric acid. — On a new ellipsometer, by M. Jannettaz. — On 

 the existence of inversion phenomena in the neighbourhood 

 of Greoulx ( Basses- Alpes), and on the age of these dislocations, 

 by M. W. Kilian. 



Berlin. 

 Physical Society, November 4. — Prof, du Bois Reymond, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. du Bois described and explained 

 the phenomena he had observed during the passage of polarized 

 NO. 1207, VOL. 47] 



light through gratings, and dealt with the polarizing effects of 

 the latter. He also discussed the relation of the phenomena to 

 those described by Guy, as accompanying the deflection of light 

 at metallic edges, and to those observed by Hertz during the 

 polarization of long electric waves by wire gratings. Dr. Gros^! 

 made a further statement on entropy, criticizing Clausius's 

 proofs and advancing a general theorem from which the principle 

 of entropy can be deduced. His views were opposed by Prof. 

 Planck. Prof. Erdmann exhibited excrescences 3 cm. in length 

 attached to an aluminum penholder which had lain in contact 

 with mercury ; they consisted of hydrate of alumina. 



Note.—\n the report of the meeting of October 21 (Nature, 

 vol. xlvii. p. 24), column one, last line, for "lime-spectrum" 

 read "line-spectrum," and in last line of column two, for 

 "amalgams" read "alloys." 



Meteorological Society, November 8.— Prof, von Bezold, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. Lachmann spoke on temperature, 

 extremes in the United States (North America), based on the 

 recently published results of observations extending over 

 twenty years. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLET, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books.— -Child-Life Almanac, 1893 (Philip).— An Elementary Text-Book 

 of Physiology : J. M'Gregor-Robertson, 2nd edition (Blackie). — Reformed 

 Logic : D. B. McLachlan (Sonnenschein). — The Naturalist on the River 

 Amazons : H. W. Bates ; with a Memoir of the Author, by E. Clodd 

 (Murray). — Elements of Agriculture : Dr. W. Fream, 4th edition (Murray). 

 —Our Earth— Night to Twilight : G. Ferguson (Unwin).— Report on the 

 Meteorology of India in i8qo : J. Eliot (Calcutta) —Carl Wilhelm Scheele, 

 Nachgelassene Briefe und Aufzeichnungen : A. E. fJordenskold (Stock- 

 holm, Norstedt). 



Pamphlkt.— Columbus and his Discovery of America: H. B. Adams 

 and H. Wood (Baltimore). 



Sbrials — Journal of the Marine Biological Association, new series, 

 vol. ii.. No. 4(Dulau). — Engineering Magazme, December (New York).— 

 Himmel und Erde, December (Berlin. Paetel).— Journal of the Straits 

 Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, December 1891 (Singapore). — .Actes 

 de la Societ<i scientifique du Chili, tome ii, lere livraison (Santiago). 



CONTENTS. pIge 



Criticism of the Royal Society 145 



The Elements of Physiology. By L. E. S 146 



Applied Mechanics. By G. A. B 147 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Wright: " Man and the Glacial Period " 148 



Kapple and Kirby : " Beetles, Butterflies, Moths, and 



other Insects " . . . . 148 



" Ostwald's Klassiker der Exakten Wissenschaften " . 149 

 Letters to the Editor :— 



"Amino!, a True Disinfectant." — Dr. E. Klein, 



F.R.S 149 



"Tracery Imitation." — Prof. J. Mark Baldwin . . 149 

 Difficulties of Pliocene Geology. By Sir Henry H. 



Howorth 150 



Meteors.— Prof. C. A. Young 150 



Comparative Sunshine.— Bishop Reginald Courte- 



nay 150 



Quaternions. By Alex. McAulay 151 



Animals' Rights.— The Reviewer 151 



The Height and Spectrum of Auroras. — T. W. Back- 

 house 151 



The Teaching of Botany.— A. H 151 



Egyptian Figs.— Rev. George Henslow . . 152 



APalaeozoicIce-Age.- Dr. W. T. Blandford, F.R.S. 152 



Scheele. By Prof. T. E. Thorpe, F.R.S 152 



Werner von Siemens. {Illustrated.) By E. F. B. . 153 



Notes 15s 



Our Astronomical Column : 



Comet Holmes (November 6, 1892) 159 



Comet Brooks (November 20, 1892) 159 



The New Brooks' Comet 159 



Nova Aurigse ... 159 



Astronomy at Columbia College, U.S. A • 159 



Companion to the Observatory for 1893 159 



Geograptiical Notes 159 



The Destruction of Immature Fish 160 



The New Telephotngraphic Lens. By W. . . . 161 

 Arborescent Frost Patterns. {Illustrated.) By G. J. 

 Symons, F.R.S.; Rev. T. G. Bonney, F.R.S.; 

 Dr. J. H. Gladstone, F.R.S. ; D. Wetterhan ; J. T, 



Richards; J. J. Armitage 162 



The Making of Rifles 163 



University and Educational Intelligence 163 



Societies and Academies 164 



Books, Pamphlet, and Serials Received ..... 168 



