552 



NATURE 



[i\PRIL 6, 1893 



the principles could be isolated by dissolving them in alkalies, 

 and reprecipitating by acids. These were found to contain 

 55 '2 per cent, of carbon, 6 8 of hydrogen, 3*0 of nitrogen, 

 35 'o of oxygen, 3*5 of ashes. A repeated treatment with 

 hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acids left in one instance 

 I "4 per cent, of insoluble matter of a constitution 

 similar to the preceding. This insoluble matter acted 

 upon solutions of potassium salts in much the same manner 

 as artificial humic acid obtained from sugar. It forms potassium 

 compounds which are capable of resisting even prolonged wash- 

 ing by rainwater. This explains the "absorbing" action of 

 the soil upon the alkalies, and er.pecially upon potash. — On the 

 interference fringes of grating spectra on gelatine, by M. A. 

 Crova.^ — Researches on samarium, by M. Lecoqde Boisbaudran. 

 — Remarks on the native iron of Ovifak and the bitumen of the 

 crystallised rocks of Sweden, by M. Nordenskiold. Among 

 the blocks of native iron brought from Ovifak in 1870 there was 

 one of about 40 kgr. which it was impossible to saw or to cut. 

 It is now supposed that this is due to black diamonds dis- 

 seminated through the iron. Considerable masses of bitumen 

 are found in the crystalline rocks of Sweden, notably near 

 Norberg and Dannemora. One of the two kinds found gives a 

 large number of distillation products and leaves hardly any 

 ashes. The other resembles anthracite. It yields little on dis- 

 tillation, and leaves much residue on combustion. This residue 

 contains, besides silica, iron, lime, magnesia, &c., some oxide 

 of nickel, uranium (3 per cent.), cerium, and yttrium, the three 

 last in the form of carbon compounds resembling nickel carbonyl. 

 These also occur in carbon forming large nodules in the oldest 

 sedimentary strata of Sweden, the alum schists. — Observations 

 of small planets made at the Toulouse Observatory, by M. B. 

 Baillaud.— The Bielids, by P. Fran9ois Denza.— On orthogonal 

 correspondance of elements, byM. Alphonse Demoulin.— On the 

 possibility of defining a function by an entire divergent series, by 

 M. H. Fade. — A new sclerometer, byM. Pauljannettaz. — On the 

 indications of water-level in boilers by a glass tube, and their 

 influence upon explosions, by M. Hervier. — On initial capacities 

 of polarisation, by M. E. Bouty. The electricity absorbed in 

 virtue of capacity of initial polarisation is entirely recoverable, 

 on the condition of employing for the discharge an external 

 circuit of negligible resistance. — On the distillation of mixtures 

 of water and alcohol, by M. E. Sorel. — A general method for 

 the calculation of atomic weights according to the data of 

 chemical analysis, by M. G. Hinrichs.— On the formation of 

 gallanilide, and on its triacetyl and tribenzoyl derivatives, by 

 M. P. Cazeneuve —On the lakes of Sept-Laux (Isere) and La 

 Girotte (Savoie), by M. A. Delebecque.— On a means of pre- 

 serving beetroot plants and economic or ornamental young 

 vegetables against the attacks of grey worms {Chenilles d'Agrotis) 

 and other insect larvae, by M. A. Laboulbene ; with remarks 

 by M. Chambrelent. 



Berlin. 

 Physiological Society, March 3.— Prof, du Bois Reymond, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. J. Munk gave an account of one 

 part of the experiments on the nutrition of fasting-men, which 

 he had carried out in conjunction with Messrs. Lehmann, 

 Miiller, Senator, and Zuntz. The same observers having some 

 years ago made experiments on the fasting-man, Cetti, whose 

 outcome was not in accord with the results of experiments made 

 on dogs, they had more recently experimented again over a 

 period of six days on another fasting-man, Breithaupt. This 

 man's nutrition was followed for several days, on an ordinary 

 ■diet, before the period of fasting, and again after the latter had 

 ended. During the fast the patient was at liberty to consume 

 as much water as he pleased, the amount taken being carefully 

 noted. The following were the results of the experiments. The 

 output of nitrogen sank slowly and continuously during the 

 whole period of fasting. The urinary phenol increased in 

 amount up to the fourth day (the sixth day in Cetti's case) and 

 then sank to a minimum. Indol was only found in traces, and 

 acetone \yas absent altogether. The amount of chlorine, as of 

 alkali, diminished progressively, and continued below the 

 normal even after food was once more taken. The urine con- 

 tained a large quantity of phosphoric acid, as also of lime and 

 magnesia. Prof. Zuntz reported on the respiratory interchange 

 of the above man. When at rest the intake of oxygen was the 

 same as that of a normally fed person twelve hours after a meal. 

 The respiratory quotient varied from 066 to o'69, and was thus 

 less than that due to the oxidation of fats alone (o'y), or of 

 proteids alone (oS). During the fast the patient's power in 



NO. 1223, VOL. 47] 



turning a wheel against friction was the same as that observed 

 when feeding, but fatigue set in much sooner, and was most 

 marked in the cardiac muscles. During the earlier days of the fast, 

 the consumption of oxygen when working was the same as for a 

 normal person, but later on it became greater. The after-effects 

 of work lasted longer than when food was taken. The speaker 

 regarded the above extremely low respiratory quotient during 

 the fast, as due to the possibility that the proteids split up into 

 glycogen and some other substance, which was then oxidised 

 and gave rise to the small quotient observed. In support of this 

 view experimentswere made by Dr. Vogelius on the construction 

 of carbohydrates in the fasting body. In the fasting animals 

 on which the experiments were carried out, all glycogen was 

 removed by moderately strong doses of strychnine. After this 

 they were sent to sleep for eighteen hours by means of chloral- 

 hydrate, and at the end of this period glycogen was found in 

 considerable quantity both in their liver and muscles — glycogen 

 which must presumably have been formed from the metabolism 

 of their own proteids. 



Meteorological Society, February 7.— Prof, von Bezold, 

 President, in the chair. — The President gave a short account 

 of a paper he had recently published in the Sitzungsberichte of 

 the Berlin Academy on the thermal exchanges of the atmos- 

 phere, and entered into details as to the general propositions 

 therein put forward. The latter are as follows: — i. The total 

 radiant heat received by the whole earth in a year is equal to 

 the total amount given off by radiation in the same period. 

 2. The total heat received by any portion of the earth or the 

 atmosphere is on the average equal to that given off by the 

 same portion. 3. The total heat received and given off" in the 

 course of a year is not the same for different portions of the 

 earth or atmosphere : in some parts the amount received is 

 greater than that given off, zx\Avice versa. 4. The heat received 

 by given portions of the earth or atmosphere during any given 

 period of the year is in general not equal to that passed off 

 during the same period. 5. The total amount of heat taken in 

 at the surface of the whole atmosphere during a given portion 

 of the year is not necessarily equal to that given out at the 

 same surface during the same period. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Mathematical Elasticity. By Prof. A. G. Greenhill, 



F.R.S. 529 



Biology and the Medical Student. By G. B. H. . 53c 

 The Morphology of Bacteria. By Dr. RubertBoyce 532 

 Our Book Shelf :— 



Smith: " Introductory Modern Geometry of Point, 



Ray, and Circle " 532 



Wright : " Primer of Horticulture." — Walter Thorp 533 

 Watson: "Ornithology in Relation to Agriculture 



and Horticulture." — Walter Thorp 533 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Vectors versus Quaternions. — Oliver Heaviside, 



F,R.S 533 



Severe Frost at Hongkong.— W. T. Thiselton- 



Dyer, F.R.S 535 



Mr. Preece on Lightning Protection.— Prof. Oliver 



Lodge, F.R.S 536 



The Author of the Word " Eudiometer." — Prof. 



Herbert McLeod, F.R.S -536 



Blind Animals in Caves.— J. T. Cunningham ... 537 

 The Value of the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat. — 



E. H. Griffiths 537 



The Sensitiveness of the Eye to Light and Colour. 

 ( With Diagrams.) — Captain W, de W. Abney, 



C.B., F.R.S 538 



" The Epiglottis " 542 



Notes 542 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet Swift (a 1892) 546 



Paris Observatory in 1892 546 



The Large Nebula near I Persei (N.G.C. 1499) . . 546 



Minor Planets . • 547 



Geographical Notes 547 



Graphical Solutions of Problems in Navigation . . 547 

 Anthropological Uses of the Camera. By E. 



F. im Thurn 548 



Societies and Academies 551 



