October 27, 1892] 



NATURE 



615 



violently the gelatine would froth, and the surface become 

 covered with small bubbles, which would greatly inter- 

 fere later with the counting of the colonies) all the organ- 

 isms attached to the surface of the sponge would be 

 removed. Now the sponge being left in the tube must 

 necessarily obscure part of the gelatine surface ; more- 

 over, the interstices becoming soaked with gelatine, 

 colonies would certainly develop within the sponge itself 

 and escape detection, whilst it is quite inconceivable 

 that gentle rotation would suffice to detach even all those 

 organisms which are adherent even to the surface of the 

 sponge. 



Wall surfaces deprived of micro-organisms in the 

 manner described above were subsequently sprayed 

 with distilled water infected with different pathogenic 

 bacteria, and after sufficient time had elapsed for these 

 surfaces to dry, the effect of various disinfectants was 

 tried. Numerous investigations are also recorded of the 

 use of creolin, carbolic acid, and mixtures of the latter 

 with solutions of corrosive sublimate. The effect of ex- 

 posure to high temperatures, in apparatus specially con- 

 structed for the purpose, has also been tried, whilst the 

 disinfection of sewage matters with lime is also carefully 

 considered, and a large number of experiments recorded 

 with the typhoid and cholera organisms. 



The following interesting account is given as an illus- 

 tration of the success which can be achieved in disinfec- 

 tion on a large scale. An epidemic of diphtheria broke 

 out in a small village in Germany and proved particularly 

 fatal amongst the children, indeed so alarming was its 

 progress, that the Burgomaster was led to suggest 

 the disinfection of the whole village. A public meeting 

 was held and the inhabitants were instructed as to the 

 nature of the epidemic, and the possibility of checking 

 it by the combined action of every household. Public 

 funds were devoted to the purchase and distribution 

 of the requisite disinfectants, and during three days 

 the whole place is described as smelling of carbolic, 

 whilst in all directions windows and doors were to be 

 seen wide open, a very unusual sight in the country, and 

 more especially in the month of February when this 

 occurred. The work of disinfection was carried on most 

 systematically, every article which could not be either 

 washed or baked was treated with a 5 per cent, solution 

 of carbolic acid. In short, no efforts were spared to 

 thoroughly disinfect everything, and the result was that 

 although the epidemic before the commencement of this 

 disinfecting crusade was steadily gaining ground, it sud- 

 denly stopped. This must be considered as a tribute to 

 the sagacity and energy of the inhabitants ; for, as Prof. 

 Maschek points out, experience teaches us to expect a 

 gradual decline, due to the possible weakening of the 

 virus, so that towards the end of an epidemic the 

 number of bad cases is lessened and recoveries are more 

 frequent. 



In conclusion the words of M. Duclaux may be 

 appropriately quoted : " Les dtudes sur les antiseptiques 

 n'ont gagnc que de s'encombrer de resultats qui se 

 contredisent les uns les autres, et entre lesquels on ne 

 peut faire un choix, prdcisdment parcequ'ils ont dtd 

 souvent obtenus en dehors des conditions d'une dtude 

 precise. 11 faut done abandonner cette methode, scruter 

 avec de plus en plus de soin la phdnom^ne, faire de la 

 science, en un mot." This ''faire de la science " is pre- 

 cisely the spirit in which Prof. Maschek has carried out 

 his experiments ; the immense care with which they have 

 been conducted, the ungrudging labour bestowed upon 

 them should render his results a most valuable contri- 

 bution to the subject of disinfection. It is only to be 

 regretted that they are not published in a form in which 

 they would be more likely to become known and appre- 



A 



ciated. 



Grace C. Frankland, 

 NO. 1200, VOL. 46] 



AN ETHNOGRAPHICAL SURVEY OF THE 

 UNITED KINGDOM. 



CIRCULAR letter, which we have been asked to 

 print, has just been issued on behalf of the Com- 

 mittee appointed by the British Association to organize 

 an ethnographical survey of the United Kmgdom. The 

 Committee consists of Francis Galton, F.R.S , J. G. Gar- 

 son, M.D., and E. W. Brabrook, F.S A., representing the 

 Anthropological Institute ; Edward Clodd, G. L. Gomme, 

 F.S.A., and Joseph Jacobs, iM.A.. representing the Folk- 

 lore Society ; H. S. Mdman. Director S.A., George 

 Payne, F.S.A.,and General Pitt-Rivers, F.R.S. .represent- 

 ing the Society of Antiquaries of London ; Joseph Ander- 

 son, LL.D., Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of 

 Scotland ; and A. C. Haddon, M.A., Professor of Zoology 

 at the Royal College of Science of Dublin. The following 

 is the circular letter :— 



Sir,— The above-named Committee, in pursuance of 

 the object for which they have been delegated by the 

 Society of Antiquaries of London, the Folk-lore. Society, 

 and the Anthropological Institute, and appointed by the 

 British Association, propose to record for certain typical 

 villages and the neighbouring districts — 



(i) Physical Types of the Inhabitants. 



(2) Current Traditions and Beliefs. 



(3) Peculiarities of Dialect. 



(4) Monuments and other Remains of Ancient Cul- 

 ture ; and 



(5) Historical Evidence as to Continuity of Race. 



As a first step, the Committee desire to form a list of 

 such villages in the United Kingdom as appear especially 

 to deserve ethnographic study, out of which a selection 

 might afterwards be made for the Survey. The villages 

 suitable for entry on the list are such as contain not less 

 than a hundred adults, the large majority of whose fore- 

 fathers have lived there so far back as can be traced, and 

 of whom the desired physical measurements, with photo- 

 graphs, might be obtained. 



It is believed by the Committee that such villages may 

 exist in the districts with which you are acquainted, and, 

 as you are eminently capable of affording help in this 

 preliminary search, we have to request that you will do 

 so by kindly furnishing the names of any that may occur 

 to you, with a brief account of their several characteristics ; 

 mentioning at the same time the addresses of such of 

 their residents as would be likely to support the Committee 

 in pursuing their inquiry. 



They would also be glad to be favoured with the names 

 of any persons known to you in other districts to whom 

 this circular letter might with propriety be addressed. 



We are, Sir, 

 Yours faithfully, 



Francis Galton, Chairman. 

 E. W, Brabrook, Secretary. 



All communications should be addressed to " The 

 Secretary of the Ethnographic Survey, British As- 

 sociation, Burlington House, London, W." 



NOTES. 

 The Board of Trinity College, Dublin, on October 22 

 elected Dr. Arthur A. Rambaut, M.A., Royal Astronomer of 

 Ireland, on the foundation of Dr. Francis Andrews. The election 

 was made under the provisions of Letter Patent 32 George III., 

 dated in 1792. The new Professor of Astronomy in the 

 University of Dublin, graduated in 1881 as a Senior Moderator 

 and Gold Medallist in Mathematics, since which period he has 

 acted until now as Assistant at the Observatory at Dunsink 



