I70 



NATURE 



[June 23, 1892 



to federate, existing institutions of academic rank, is the 

 only real solution of the problem. An academic body of 

 this character might well be organized, so far as teaching 

 is concerned, on the broad lines of a Scottish University. 

 Such a corporation may be conveniently spoken of as a 

 professorial University, to distinguish it from a federal 

 University. A federal University may be all that is 

 possible when the constituent Colleges are situated in 

 different towns, as is the case in the Victoria University ; 

 but it cannot be efficient in London, where these Colleges 

 would appeal to the same public for support. 



The scheme put forward by the Association for Pro- 

 moting a Professorial University for London is not open 

 to the objections urged against the Gresham scheme. It 

 would found a University on the same broad lines as 

 those of France, Germany, and Switzerland. It would 

 bring to the new University all the power and prestige of 

 the existing University. It will meet with no opposition 

 from the provincial Colleges ; on the contrary, it has the 

 active support of many of the leading provincial teachers. 

 It satisfies the demands of the Victoria University 

 that the medical degree shall carry the license to 

 practise, and that the medical representation shall 

 not preponderate. It has, for the first time in the history 

 of the movement, brought the most influential teachers 

 from a variety of London teaching bodies into close 

 and active sympathy, and animated them with a 

 desire for a University of definite type. It is significant 

 that the Council and staff of Bedford College are at one 

 in favour of a University on the general lines laid down 

 in the Association scheme. The Senate of University 

 College has carried a motion urging their Council to 

 adopt a similar resolution in favour of the scheme of ab- 

 sorption. The Association scheme makes full provision 

 for the recognition of work of the University Extension 

 character, and for the appointment of University lecturers 

 at minor and non-absorbed teaching institutions. Whilst 

 proposing central control and central University labora- 

 tories of the highest type, it provides for local teaching 

 such as is required for pass degrees or for the lower 

 stages of honours graduation. Lastly, it provides for 

 post-graduation courses and specialized instruction, such 

 as that of the College de France and of the greater 

 German Universities. 



As regards medicine, it recognizes that it is impossible 

 to " absorb " the medical schools owing to their close 

 relation to great public charities ; but at the same time 

 it endeavours to grant much of what the Medical Faculty 

 gained by the Gresham Charter. The Medical Faculty 

 will be elected by the medical teachers themselves. There 

 will be, as in every University of standing, medical pro- 

 fessors appointed by the Senate from the Medical Faculty 

 on the recommendation of the faculty. The existence of 

 such a medical professoriate will enhance the dignity of 

 the University and of the medical schools, whilst at the 

 same time it holds out a strong inducement to those 

 schools to select members for the Medical Faculty on the 

 ground of their scientific as well as their administrative 

 reputation. The limitation of the number of medical 

 professors on the Senate will safeguard the character of 

 the medical degree. The scheme, whilst giving very ex- 

 tended powers to the medical schools, meets the objec- 

 tions of the provincial opponents of the Gresham Charter. 

 NO. I 182, VOL. 46] 



Lastly, it provides for the due University recognition of 

 the pure science teaching of the medical schools. 



We have thus indicated as shortly as possible the main 

 features of the two schemes which are at present before 

 us. The one is essentially parochial in its conception,^ 

 and vestry-like in its character. The other has in it the 

 elements of a great teaching organization which shall be 

 both metropolitan and imperial in its aims and influence 

 —a University which shall be worthy of London, the 

 capital alike of Great Britain and of the Greater Britain 

 beyond the seas. 



THE ANAL YSIS OF WINES. 

 Analyse des Vins. Par le Dr. L. Magnier de la Source. 



(Paris: Gauthier-Villars et Fils, 1892.) 

 A LTHOUGH wine is gradually becoming more and 

 ^^ more important as an item in the national drink- 

 bill— last year we imported 16,782,038 gallons, valued at 

 ;^5>995>i33 — its analysis and the methods for the detec- 

 tion of its sophistication have received comparatively 

 little attention from the chemists of this country. On 

 the other hand, in France and Germany the subject has 

 been very thoroughly investigated in practically all its 

 many details, and carefully worked-out methods have 

 been prescribed for the guidance of the public analysts 

 of those countries. Indeed, there is probably no article 

 of food or drink, with the possible exception of milk, of 

 which the chemistry has been so well thrashed out. 

 Wine is in reality a highly complex fluid, and on account 

 of the character of certain of its proximate constituents 

 it is frequently liable to change. It contains various 

 alcohols, glycerin, acids, salts, "e.xtractive matter," ' 

 together with those principles which give to it its 

 particular colour, special flavour, smell, or " bouquet." 

 Whilst some of these constituents can be accurately 

 isolated and described, others can only be detected by 

 the sense of smell. The principal alcohol is, of course, 

 ethyl alcohol, but butyl and amyl alcohols, together with 

 ethylene glycol and isobutyl glycol are not unfrequently 

 present in greater or less quantity. The quantity of 

 alcohol in natural wines may be said to vary from 6 to 

 12 per cent., and the quantity of glycerin from 7 to 10 

 per cent, of the alcohol present. Tartaric, malic, suc- 

 cinic, glycollic, and oxalic, together with tannic and 

 acetic, are the chief acids in wine. These are said to 

 aid in its preservation, by preventing the formation of 

 fungi. Traces of other fatty acids, such as propionic, 

 butyric, and oenanthic acids are also present, as well 

 as acetaldehyde, and possibly its homologues. Tartaric 

 acid occurs mainly as the dextro variety : laevo-tartaric 

 acid is only of comparatively infrequent occurrence. If 

 tartaric acid is not found, as, for example, in certain 

 samples of sherry, its absence is almost certainly due to 

 its removal by " plastering." The amount of free acid 

 in sound wine, reckoned as tartaric acid, varies between 

 0-3 and 07 per cent. ; a greater amount than this im- 

 parts sourness to the wine. 



Old wines have an acid reaction in consequence of the 

 presence of a certain amount of free acid and potassium 

 bitartrate. A wine not exhibiting this acid reaction 

 tastes flat ; the acidity is its most important flavour. For 

 a long time it has been believed that the free acid of 



