5.S 



KNC)\vij;i)r,i:. 



I■"l:lll<|■\R^, 1912. 



has also been shown tliat ixrlaiii diseases are caused 

 by a larger species of micro-organism known as 

 jiroto/oa whicl) find tlieir way liy various means into 

 the blood of hunian beings or animals and 

 bring about pathological conditions. Drugs 

 which act by destroying such micro- 

 organisms are known as " specilics." and 

 to this class belong i|uinine, arsenic, 

 antimony, and mercury. ( Uiinine, the 

 specific for malarial fever, was introduced 

 to European ])harmaceutics soon after the 

 discovery of Peru, and has been gcnerallv 

 recommended since the successful treatment 

 of the Countess Cinchon (1640), hence the 

 name, " Cinchona," of the tree from 

 which the drug is extracted. Of very 

 great medical importance is arsenic, 

 especially those organic compounds 

 which contain this element. An arsenic j 

 compound known as "Atoxyi" lias i)een | 

 successfully used in the treatment of 

 sleeping sickness. It is chemically known 

 as Para-amino-phenyl-arsenic acid, and 

 is represented by the constitutional 

 formula. (See Figure 62.) 



The isomeric " ortho " compound has I-iclk 



no effect on the slee[iing sickness parasites 



(Trypanosomes) ; these are shown in I'igure 61, 



in which they are seen in the form of elongated 



flagellated structures between red and 



^ ,, white blood cor|)Uscles. 



mi The elaborate investigations of 



I'hrlich, Bertheim, Nierenstein and 

 others on the action of atoxvl have led to 

 the discovery of SaKarsan. commonly 

 know II as " 606," which it is hoped ma\' 

 I prove a specific for s\|)hilis. 



Mercury and antimony have a similar 

 "specific" action, and the effects of 



■■^"■•i some of the aniline dyes are ver\- 



interesting, one of which, .Methy- 



__-j^-^^ lene Blue, is used in the treatment 



""-- — OH "f Malaria, in cases where the 



protozoa have been rcfractorv to 



quinme. 



It is to be li()i)etl that as scien- 

 tilic research proceeds other specifics will 

 lie introduced into the practice of medicine. 

 / M\ thanks are due to Mr. J. Ouick. 



curator of the Bristol .Art Galler\\ for [ler- 

 mission to photograph the amulets which 

 K bZ. are in his care. 



II". ASTkOXO.MU'.AL S()Cli:r\' Ol' n.ARCELOX.A. 

 A GENMROl S DONOK. 

 I-ORTHCOMING LLXAK i:\Hir.ITION. 



MM I. receiving the Koyal favour a year af;o tliis Society li.is 

 considerably increased in numbers. The roll now contains 

 four hundred names, and the Society is entering upon its 

 second winter season with very rosy prospects. One of the 

 objects of the Society, upon which special stress was laid at its 

 foundation in January, 1910, was the provision of a public 

 observatory where members might meet on fine evenings to 

 study celestial phenomena, and to discuss points of astro- 

 nomical interest. This, indeed, is the primary object of most 

 societies of this nature, but it is seldom that it is realised. In 

 the case of the Barcelona Society, as a matter of fact. 

 although a reserve fund was accumulating with considerable 

 rapidity, it w-as felt that it would be a very long time before 

 the Society could acquire a suitable observatory. It is 

 pleasant to record, however, that the primary object of the 

 promoters has been realised very imexpectedly, and without 

 cost to the Society, in such a manner that within the next few 

 weeks the members will be in absolute possession of a 

 well-equipped observatory. 



Seftor Rafael Pat.xot y Jubert. one of Spain's illustrious 

 men of science, and a fomidation membi r of the Society, has 

 been so greatly impressed by the valu.ible work which is 

 being carried on that he has offered to present his observa- 

 tory and instnmients to the Society, and, needless to say, the 

 ofler has been eagerly accepted. This establishment. "The 

 Observatori Catala," is situated at San Feliu de Gui.\ols. in 

 the province of (ierona, and in importance stands next to the 

 observatories of Madrid and San Fernando. It has accom- 

 plished much valuable astrophysical work under the director- 

 ship of its owner during the past ten years, chiefly in the 

 direction of the measurement of multiple stars. The whole 

 establishment will be removed immediately to Barcelona, where 

 it will be re-erected on the roof of one of the public buildings 



in a jiosition easy of access to all members of the Society. 



The dome, which is constructed of steel, has an internal 

 diameter of seventeen feet, and was made by Messrs. (.jilon, of 

 Paris. It covers a fine double e(|uatorial by Mailhat. visual and 

 photographic, with apertures of eight and three-quarter inches, 

 and focal lengths of ten feet and seven feet nine inches 

 respectively. A complete set of accessories of precision is 

 included in the gift, spectroscope, micrometer, camera, electric 

 pendulum, and azinuithal theodolite. .Annexed to the observa- 

 tory in its new position will be a room for meetings of the 

 Society, library, photographic laboiatory. and so on. The 

 Society realises that the best way to thank so generous a 

 donor as Senor Patxot is to prove to him that his gift is 

 appreciated to the fullest extent, and therefore one may con- 

 fidently look for great things from Barcelona in the early future. 

 One cannot speak too highly of disinterested generosity 

 such as this, and whilst congratulating the Society on its good 

 luck, one must also congratulate the donor, not only on his 

 beneficence, but on his wisdom in choosing so deserving a 

 body upon which to exercise his generosity. The value of the 

 gift must not be expressed in terms of £ s. d., but nmst be 

 reckoned by the amount of pleasure and instruction which it 

 will aflbrd to the thousands of people who will be privileged 

 to use the instruments henceforward. 



Preparations for the public Lunar Exhibition which will be 

 held in Barcelona in Nlay, 1912, are being pushed forward 

 rapidly, and .ilready many promises of assistance have been 

 received from all parts of the world. The following gentlemen 

 have accepted invitations to serve upon the honorary Executive 

 Conunittee: — Messrs. Flammarion, Pickering, Frost. Campbell, 

 Aitken. Hale. Ritchey, .'\ntoniadi. Baillaud. Piiisieux. tioodacre. 

 CeruUi, Bolton. Diseilligny, de .-\/carate, R. P. Cirera, Ricart y 

 Giralf, Stroobant. and Weinek. The success of the Exhibi- 



