July 19, 191 /] 



NATURE 



41, 



equal to the force N. But the inertia coefficient m 

 is not a constant, but a function of velocity, ""pre-- 

 cisely as the familiar transversal mass of an electron." 



He proceeds to investigate a formula that will 

 account for the whole of Mercur\'s excess. Putting 

 )8 = velocitv of planet /velocity of light, and 7 = (i-^*)-*j 

 i.e. i+h0-, then if l\Io, "'„ be rest-masses of sun and 

 planet, »«=»io7. Assuming for the law of force 

 Mom»7"-V*'^ or its equivalent, M.my^-^/r'', where n 

 fs an arbitrary constant, he shows that the value 6 

 for n gives the centennial excess 43" for Mercury and 

 8-6" for Venus. "Why n is just 6 I do not know. 

 But as little do we know whv the exponent of r is 

 -2." 



Anomalous Dispersion. — By the use of the electric 

 furnace Dr. .-V. S. King has found it possible to inves- 

 tigate the anomalous dispersion of the more refractory 

 elements, under conditions which can be kept well 

 controlled (Astrophysical Journal, vol. xlv., p. 254). 

 The amount of anomalous dispersion shown by a line 

 is proportional to its intensity m absorption, provided 

 the vapour absorbing the line in question has the 

 requisite non-uniform distribution equivalent to a 

 prism. Lines which show a strong anomalous dis- 

 persion at a low temperature frequently show refrac- 

 tion in the opposite direction when the temperature is 

 raised, thus indicating that the vapour prism absorb- 

 ing such lines has been inverted. When two elements 

 with different melting points are mixed, the direct and 

 inverted effects may occur simultaneously, and a simi- 

 lar result has been found in the case of a single 

 element for lines which require different temperatures 

 for their production. Thus the blue line of calcium, 

 A 4227, may show the inverted effect, while at the same 

 time the H and K lines show anomalous dispersion 

 of the regular type. Each element thus has the capa- 

 city to give its own anomalous dispersion independently 

 of other vapours which may be present, and a similar 

 relation holds for particles of the same element emit- 

 ting lines of different character. No evidence was 

 found for mutual repulsion of close lines, one of which 

 is in a condition to show large anomalous dispersion, 

 and it would anoear that the theoretical effect is too 

 small to be detected by laboratorj- methods now avail- 

 able. 



The* Variable Star « Herculis. — The conclusion 

 that II Herculis is a variable of the p Lyrae type has 

 been verified by W. Dziewulski, from observations 

 made with a 4-in. comet-seeker at the Cracow Observa- 

 tory (Astronomische Nachrichten, No. 4887). The ob- 

 servations indicate no correction to Hertzsprung's 

 period of 2-051027 days. At principal and secondary 

 minima the magnitudes are 5-51 and 5- 17 respectively, 

 while at the two maxima the magnitude is 501. The 

 light-curA^e is slightly unsymmetrical. 



THE FUTURE OF THE DISABLED. 



'T'HE problem of the disabled sailor and soldier is 

 * one of great magnitude. Fortunately, it is only 

 a small minority of the sick and wounded that is 

 doomed to total disablement and to become the help- 

 less subjects of their neighbours' loving care for the 

 rest of their lives. For the majority hope and antici- 

 pation remain in vani-ing degree — hope of restora- 

 tion, more or less complete, of the maimed body, and 

 anticipation of a life of some amount of independence 

 and usefulness in the future. The latter is to be 

 sought in a course of adequate treatment and train- 

 ing which is now receiving careful attention. 



The disabled are frequently under the mistaken ap- 

 prehension that if they again become industrially 

 efficient the pensions awarded to them as disabled 

 men will be taken awav or diminished. This idea is 



NO. 2490, VOL. 99] 



quite devoid of foundation ; the pension, once awarded, 

 can never be withdrawn or reduced. 



Those who wish to help the disabled man can often 

 best aid him by enabling him to obtain a clear idea 

 of the various openings tliat lie before him. The 

 organisation now in being for training the disabled 

 man, for opening to him a satisfactory place m life, 

 and incidentally for carrying his cure a stage further, 

 is not yet complete, but for some time past it has 

 been far more effective than is commonly known, and 

 it is steadily growing. 



In a new periodical entitled Recalled to Life,"- the 

 first number of which was issued in June, the problem 

 of the disabled is, and will be, considered in all its 

 aspects 



Among the contents there is a memorandum pre- 

 pared bv Sir Alfred Keogh, Director-General, Army 

 Medical' Service, on the treatment of the disabled. 

 Col. Sir Robert Jones discusses orthopaedic surgery in 

 its relation to war. With regard to treatment, it is 

 important to note that when surgery, massage, exer- 

 cises, electrical treatment, and other curative measures 

 have carried the cure so far as it will go, manual 

 training will frequently carry it a stage further, and 

 when the patient find's that he is really capable^ of 

 doing some useful and remunerative work he acquires 

 a new zest for life. 



The after-care of the blind is provided for at St. 

 Dunstan's under the guidance of Sir Arthur Pearson. 

 In the education of the blind two cardinal factors have 

 to be appreciated. First of all, thos<L- who have lost 

 their sight must be taught to be blind, and, having 

 realised their state, they must be re-educated and 

 trained. The principal occupations and industries 

 taught at St. Dunstan's are the reading of Braille, 

 tvpewriting, cobbling, mat-making, basket-making, 

 and joinery. The men acquire these industries in a 

 quarter the time that is generally supposed to be 

 necessary to teach a blinded man a trade. The ex- 

 planation of this speedy training is to be sought, 

 first, in the employment of blind teachers, and, 

 secondlv, in the adoption of short working 

 hours (9.30 to 12 and 2.30 to 4.30). The 

 whole outlook of a man becomes different when he 

 finds himself in the hands of a teacher who labours 

 under the same disability as himself. Working unde* 

 the handicap of blindness imposes a mental strain very 

 much greater than might be imagined, and the short- 

 ness of the working day, paradoxical as at first it may 

 seem, is one of the principal reasons for the remark- 

 able speed with which handicrafts are acquired at St. 

 Dunstan's. The subject of pensions is dealt with very 

 fully in another article by Capt. Basil W'ilUams, and 

 other important papers and reports appear in this 

 journal, which is illustrated by many plates showing 

 disabled men practising the handicrafts they have 

 learnt. Finally, a tabulated list is given of training 

 classes for the disabled. 



We commend Recalled to Life to the serious atten- 

 tion of all those who are aiding in the great work of 

 succouring the disabled and of helping them to become 

 again useful members of the State. 



REFRACTORIES USED IN THE IRON AND 

 STEEL INDUSTRY. 



ALTHOUGH the Faraday Society held a general: 

 discussion on refractories so recently as Novem- 

 ber last, prominence was given to this matter 

 in so far as it affects the requirements of 

 the iron and steel industry at the Mav meet- 

 ing of the Iron and Steel Institute. The sub- 

 ject was very ably introduced by Mr. Cosmo 



1 Editor : Lord Charnwood. .\ssistant Kditor : Everard Cotes. (London 

 John Bale, Sons, and Danielsson, Ltd.) Price 2s. net. 



