336 



NATURE 



[February 2, 1893 



of substances capable of reducing Fehling's solution, and hardly 

 any sugar. If to this aqueous extract be added a small quantity 

 of peptone, and the whole be kept at S6°C. during an hour, a 

 certain quantity of sugar is formed, as proved by fermentation 

 and the phenylhydrazine test. Hence the aqueous or glycerine 

 extract contains a ferment which may be termed pepto-sacchari- 

 fiant. It is probable that the formation of sugar is not confined 

 to the liver, as ordinarily supposed, but that several organs play 

 a part in it. — Observations of the planet Charlois T (December 

 II, 1892), made at the Toulouse Observatory, by M. B. 

 Baillaud. — Contribution to the investigation of the solar corona 

 apart from total eclipses, by M. H. Deslandres (see Astrono- 

 mical Column). — Observations of the sun made at the Lyon 

 Observatory (Brunner equatorial) during the latter half of 1892, 

 byM. Guillaume. — On the limitation of degree for the general 

 algebraic integral of the differential equation of the first order, 

 by M. Autonne. — On Van der Waals's equation and the 

 demonstration of the theorem of the corresponding states, by 

 M. G. Meslin. — Magnetic properties of bodies at different tem- 

 peratures, by M. P. Curie. — The magnetic permeabilities of a 

 series of diamagnetic bodies, including, amongst others, bismuth, 

 antimony, phosphorus, sulphur, and some potassium salts, were 

 determined by enclosing them in an exhausted glass vessel ex- 

 posed to a magnetic field, and subsequently repeating the ex- 

 periment with the glass alone. Most of the substances showed 

 a remarkably constant coefficient. Water and quartz did not 

 show a perceptible variation with temperature, and potassium 

 nitrate had the same coefficient when solid and when fused. 

 That of bismuth, on the other hand, fell steadily up to the point 

 of fusion, and then (at 273° C.) abruptly from 0*957 to 0"038, 

 after which it remained constant. Electrolytic antimony had a 

 much feebler coefficient than the ordinary variety. — Contribution 

 to the study of equalisers of potential acting by flow, by M. G. 

 Goure de Villemontee. — Luminous phenomena observed at the 

 Lyon Observatory on the evening of January 6, 1893, by M. 

 Gonnessiat. — A method for measuring objectively the spherical 

 aberration of the living eye, by M. C. J. A. Leroy. — On the 

 atomic weight of palladium, by MM. A. Joly and E. Leidie. — 

 Action of the alkaline alcoholates on camphoric and other 

 anhydrides, by M. P. Cazeneuve.— Modification of arterial 

 pressure under the influence of pyocyanic poisons, by MM. 

 Charrin and Teissier. — On some cases of infectious arthrodentary 

 gingivitis observed in animals, by M. V. Galippe. — Primary 

 bedding of platinum in the Ural, by M. A. Inostranzefif. The 

 native platinum occurs embedded in a rocky matrix consisting 

 of the variety of peridotite known as dunite. It is found in 

 Mount Soloviefif, which consists of alternate layers of chrome- 

 iron and serpentine. — On the existence of overfolds in the Blida 

 Atlas (Algeria), by M. E. Ficheur. 



Berlin. 

 Physical Society, January 6. — Prof, du Bois Reymond, 

 President, in the chair. — Prof. Raoul Pictet gave an account of 

 experiments made by Messrs. Sarasin and De la Rive by which 

 the rate of the electric waves discovered by Hertz had been 

 measured, and their identity with waves of light in the ether 

 determined. By using large metallic surfaces sixteen metres in 

 diameter as reflectors, and by allowing the discharge of the 

 primary spark to take place under oil instead of in the air, it 

 was found possible to obtain stationary electric waves in a long 

 gallery and to determine their nodal points. In the discussion 

 which ensued Prof. Kundt stated that Dr. Zenker was the first 

 person who had explained the photographing of colours by 

 means of stationary waves ; that stationary light-waves were 

 first experimentally determined by Dr. Wiener, and that 

 Seebeck was the first to take photographs of coloured objects. 

 After. Prof. H. W. Vogel, pictures due to the action of li^ht 

 were first taken by a doctor named Schulz, in Halle. In 1727 

 this observer treated a solution of nitrate of silver in a small 

 box with calcium chloride and obtained a greyish precipitate. 

 He then covered the box with a lid in which was a hole the 

 shape of some letter, and on subsequently examining the pre- 

 cipitate he saw a dark image of the letter on it. The experi- 

 ment was found to fail in the dark. Schulz hence concluded 

 that the image of the letter was due to the action of light. 



Meteorological Society, January 10. — Prof. Schwalbe, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. Kremser spoke on the imperfec- 

 tion of the means available for the study of atmospheric 



NO. 



1214, VOL. 47] 



currents, which, even in the most elevated stations, are pro- 

 foundly modified by the topography of the neighbourhood. The 

 direction and rate of these currents can only be ascertained 

 by observing the motion of a small pilot-balloon of some one 

 cubic metre capacity, a specially constructed theodolite being 

 used for this purpose.— Prof. Hellmann exhibited a series of 

 photographs of snow-crystals taken by Dr. Neuhauss, together 

 with the oldest existing figures of these crystals, due to Olaus 

 Magnus in 1455. The chief points of interest shown by these 

 photographs were the not infrequent asymmetry of the crystals 

 and the occurrence on them of small ice lumps. 



Physiological Society, January 13.— Prof, du Bois Rey- 

 mond, President, in the chair. Dr. Behring gave an account 

 of the present state of affairs as regards what may be called 

 the blond-serum therapeutists, illustrating his remarks by 

 experiments he had made with serum from an immune horse 

 on mice inoculated with tetanus-bacilli. A number of mice 

 were inoculated with more or less strong doses of the bacilli. 

 Those which had previously been treated with the horse-serum 

 did not die, and in many cases where the serum was injected 

 after the inoculation death did not ensue. Observations on 

 man are in progress, and will be published as soon as sufficient 

 data are to hand on the treatment of tetanus and diphtheria by 

 the use of serum from immune animals. — Dr. Hahn, of St. 

 Petersburg, gave an account of experiments made in conjunc- 

 tion with Profs. Pawlow and Nencki on the action of an Eck's 

 fistula, and the conducting of blood from the poital vein directly 

 into the inferior vena cava. Among the various results of the 

 operation he stated that the output of urea was lessened and that 

 of uric acid increased, a result which the experimenters attributed 

 to a cessation in the conversion of carbamic acid into urea due to 

 exclusion of the liver. They further found that carbamic acid 

 produced symptoms similar to those exhibited by the animals 

 on which they had operated. — Prof. Kossel and Dr. Raps ex- 

 hibited an automatic mercurial pump for blood-gas analysis. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Tropical Agriculture. By D. M 313 



Cells: Their Structure and Functions 314 



Theoretical Mechanics. By G. A, B 315 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Stewart: " Magnetism and Electricity." — H. S.J. . 315 

 Nadaillac : "Manners and Monuments of Prehistoric 



Peoples" 316 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Two Statements.— Right Hon. T.H.Huxley,F.R.S. 316 



A Meteor.— W. L. Distant 316 



"Hare-lip" in Earthworms. {With Diagram.) — 



Rev. Hilderic Friend 316 



The Zero Point of Dr. Joule's Thermometer. — 



Prof. Sydney Young 317 



The Appruactiing Solar Eclipse, April 15-16, 1893. 



By A. Taylor 317 



Measure of the Imagination. By Francis Galton, 



F.R.S 319 



Protoceras, the New Artiodactyle. {Illustrated.) By 



Prof. Henry F. Osborn 321 



Henry F. Blanford, F.R.S 322 



Notes . 323 



Our Astronomical Column:— 



The Nautical Almanac for 1896 326 



Eclipse Photography 326 



Comet Holmes 326 



Comet Brooks (November 19, 1892) 326 



The Andromedes 326 



A New Method of Photographing the Corona . . . 327 



Geographical Notes 327 



The Growth of Electrical Industry. By W. H. 



Preece, F.R.S 327 



Yezo and the Ainu Zl'^ 



University and Educational Intelligence 331 



Societies and Academies 331 



