94 



NATURE 



[May 23, 1895 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. 



Buttitiii of llu American Matheiiialual Society, vol. i. No. 7, 

 (April 1S95I. — '■ Kiemannand his .significance for the development 

 of modern mathematics," is the translation, by A. Ziwet, of an 

 address delivered by Prof. K. Klein at the general session of the 

 Versammlung Deutscher Naturforschcr und .-Verzle in X'ienna, 

 September 27, 1894. In it the author attempts to give an idea 

 of the life-work of Bernhard Kiemann, "a man who more than 

 any other has exerted a determining influence on the development 

 of modern mathematics." — I'rof Cajori contributes a note on 

 the multiplication of semi-convergent series, in which, following 

 up his work in a recent number of the Jhillctiii, he further 

 extends results arrived at by I'ringsheim [.Mat/i. Afni. \oi. xxi. 

 pp. 327-378) and by .\. Voss (Math. .inn. vol. xxiv. pp. 42-47). — 

 Mr. L. E. Dickson discusses Gergonne's Pile Problem \cf. Ball's 

 "Recreations," pp. 101-6), and jwints out one or two slight 

 inaccuracies in a proof given by Dr. C. T. Hudson in 

 Educational Times Reprints, vol. ix. pp. S9-91. — Prof. Ziwet 

 gives an account of the Ke[x^rloire bibliographique des .Sciences 

 Mathcmatiques, i.e. a card catalogue of mathematical literature 

 which has been widely circulated amongst mathematicians. 

 Notes, and new publications, as usual, close the number. 



Biilhlin de t Acctdi'mie Royale de Belgiquc, No. 3. — On 

 Chandler's formula;, by F. Folie. The author criticises the latest 

 formula enunciated by Chandler for the variation of latitude. Even 

 when compared with the Stra.ssburg obser\ations, which most 

 closely accord with the formula, it is evident that the periods are not 

 correctly renderctl. The constants in the formula require further 

 empirical research. — On the equations of the physical field, by 

 Ch. Lagrange. The form, i.e. the law of distriljution of a 

 quantity of matter round its centre of inertia, constitutes in 

 physics a principle as imix>rtant as the quantity of matter it.self, 

 or its mass. Besides the ))rinciple of concentration, there is a 

 principle of direction, and the latter is as important as the former. 

 The author investigates the ecjuations of motion in a medium 

 consisting of rigid |xiints, and introduce^ the conception of axial 

 matter (matiire a.xie), in which account is taken not only of the 

 mass of a point, but also of all the tpialities depending upon the 

 .shape of the mass. The density of a point is simply the intensity 

 of one of the parameters determining its action, but a large 

 numl)er of other parameters of known form remain to be con- 

 sidered. The consideration of axial matter leads in a manner 

 analogous to that which obtains in Kelvin's theory of the intensity 

 of magnetisation, to theorems ujjon wires, plates, and leaves of 

 simil.ar substance, and then U|H)n bodies made up of these 

 structures. — On the colour, density, and surface tension of 

 hydrogen peroxide, by W. Spring. This substance, which is 

 highly explosive in the anhydrous state, has a blue colour when 

 seen in a thickness of 100 cm. The colour resembles that of 

 water, but is I '83 times as intense. The density of the anhydrous 

 substance is I '4996. When 6o'0445 gr. of it are contained in 

 100 cc. of an aqueous solution, the density is 12540. The surface 

 tension is o"456, that of water being i. The addition of 6'4 per 

 cent, water raises the surface tension by 102-5 1'*-'^ cent. — .\ction 

 of certain hot gxscs U|X)n red phr>sphorus, by .•V. J. J. V'ande- 

 vcldc. kctger's sup|if)silion that phf)sphamine is produced by 

 passing hot hydrogen over red jihosphorus is not correct. \'apour 

 of phosphorus is formed ami carried ofl' by the hot gas, exhibiting 

 the phenomenon of sjiontaneous combustif>n on emerging into 

 the air. Other hot gases, such as nitrogen, COj, CO, .SHj and 

 dry MCI gave rise to the same phenomenon. 



M'icdcmann s Anna/en der Physik und Cheiiiie, No. 4. — On 

 luminescence, by Eilhard Wiedemann and G. C. Schmidt. An 

 important distinctii>n must be drawn between luminescence due to 

 physical and that due to chemical causes. A prolonged after- 

 glow makes the presence of chemical luminescence very ])robable. 

 Thermohiminescence occurs after the iKidy h.is been ex|)osed to 

 a tc»m|rt.*rature far l)elow incandescence. A phenomenon now 

 callcl " lyoluminescence " occurs with s*>nie substances during 

 M>lution, v\hcn they have l>een previously exjMtsed to strong 

 light. The authors show that luminescence under cathode 

 rays is always arcom|vinicd by chemical acticm. Mixtures of cal- 

 cium and manganese salts show luminescence phenomena of great 

 hrillianre under cathode rays, and when subsequently heate<l. 

 ^)n normal and anomalous dispersion of electric waves, l»y L. 

 (irartz and L. Komni. The dielectric constant anil the conduc- 

 tivity of a IkkIv are not |>erfect!y independent ({uanlities. but are 

 ronncclcfl by the cfmslilulion «>f the body in a manner similar to 

 that in which refraction and absorption arc connected in oleics. 



NO. 1334, VOL. 52] 



— Magnetisation of iron by ver)- small forces, by Werner Schniidl. 

 Steel obeys very small magnetising forces more rapidly than iron. 

 The limit of proportionality between m.ignetising forces and mag- 

 netic moment may with practically sufficient accuracy be placed 

 at a field intensity of 0'o6. — Otto von Guericke's original air 

 pump, by (.;. Berthold. The pump in the Royal Library at 

 Berlin cannot be considered as Guericke's original air ]«imp, 

 since the latter w.ts bought by the .Vrcbduke of Saxony, and 

 taken to Sweden by Dr. lleraeus, where it was used as late as 

 1726 as a lecture instrument. When last heard of, in 1734,11 

 was in charge of the Professor of .Mathematics at Lund. — 

 Remarks upon Mack's paper on the double refraction of electric 

 rays, by Wilhelm von Bezold. The dift'erent behaviour of wood 

 towards electric radiation along and across the fibre may be 

 shown in a variety of ways. Lichtenlterg's figures on wooden 

 plates cut along the fibre show an elliptical shape, like doubly 

 refracting crystals. .\ similar phenomenon isexhiliited by a plate 

 of ebonite rendered anisotropic by sticking strips of tinfoil 

 parallel to e.ich other on the other side. The ]iroduction of a 

 doubly refracting or even a circularly polarising body for electric 

 rays by embedding conilucting rods in a suitable dielectric does 

 not appear to be ho|x;less. 



The only article of general interest in the A'uoro Giornak 

 Botanico Italiano for .Vpril is one by Dr. L'. Brizi, on the disease 

 of the vine known as fininissure or blackening. The ]ilasuiode 

 founil in the diseased cells of the leaves cannot, he considers, be 

 projierly referred to Plaifnodiophora, as has been done by most 

 authorities hitherto. It belongs to an organism which aiipears 

 rather to present characters intermediate between the Myxoniy- 

 cetes and the Amoelxe. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 London. 



Chemical Society, April 25. — Mr. .\. G. Vernon Ilarcourt, 

 PresidcEit, in the chair. — The following papers were read : — 

 -Action of nitroxyl on amides, by W. A. Tilden and Ivl. (J. 

 For.ster. The interaction of nitroxyl chloride and amides usually 

 results in the exchange of the amidogen group for an atom of 

 chlorine, -.\clion of nitrosyl chloriile on asparagine and aspartic 

 acid ; formation of kevorotatory chlorosuccinic acid, by W. .\. 

 Tilden and B. M. C. Marshall. .Vsparagine and nitroxyl chloride 

 interact with formation of la-vo-chlorosuccinicacid. — Apro|KTtyof 

 the non-luminous atmospheric coal-gas flame, by L. T. Wright.— 

 Diortho-sulistituted benzoic .acids. (l) Substituted benzoyl 

 chlorides, by J. \. Sudbor<iugh. — Diortho-sulistitutcil benzoic 

 acids. (2) Hydrolysis of aromatic nitriles and acid amides, by 

 I. T- Sudborough. In these two papers the author describes a 

 number of new nitro- and l)romo-iienzoyl chlori^s and benzoic 

 acids. — Note on the action of soilium ethylale on deoxybenzom, 

 by T. J- Sudborough. When deoxybenzom .and sodium ethoxide 

 are heated togetlier, stilbene and hydroxydi-benz.yl are pro- 

 duced. — \ constituent of Persian berries, by .\. (".. I'crkin anil 

 J. Geldard. In addition to the substances previously isolated 

 from Persian berries, the authors have obtained aquercitin liiim-lhyl 

 ether which they term rhanmiizin. — Potas.sium nitro.sosulpliale, 

 by L. Divers and T. Haga. The potassium nitrososulphales, 

 by described Hantzsch, and by Raschig, seem to be identical with 

 that first prepared by Pelouze. -— The milk of the gamoose, \\., 

 by H. I). Richmond. 



May 2.— Studies on the constitutions of the tri-derivalives of 

 naphthalene. No. 10, the dichloro-o-naphthols and trichloro 

 naphthalenes from 3 ; 4-ilichloroplu-Tiyll-isocrotonic acid. No. II, 

 the trirhloronaphthalene derivable from Cleve's I : 2 : 2 

 o-nitrochloronaphthalenesulphonic chloride. No. 12, the tri 

 chloronaphlhalene, deriv.able from .Men's a-nitronaphlhalene- 

 2 : 2'-disulphonic chloride. No. 13, the a-naphthylamine-2 : 2'- 

 disulphonic acid of I'reuml's German Patent, 27346. No. 14, 

 the fourteen isomeric Irichloronaphlhalenes. The nonexistence 

 of a triihloronapbl'ialene uielliiig at 75'5': the fornialioii ol 

 chloro-derivatives from .sulphimic chlorides, by H. K. .\rnistrong 

 and W. P. Wynne. In these six papers the authors describe 

 thirteen out of the fourteen |X)Ssiblc isomeric trichloronaph- 

 thalenes, together with a large number of compounds obtained 

 daring the preparation of these halogen derivatives.— The 

 solubilities of gases in water under varying pressure, by K. P. 

 I'erman. Henry's law holds for ( hlotine, l)roniine, carbon 

 dioxide, und hydrogen sulphide, but large deviations are observed 

 with ammimia, hydrogen chloride, and sulphur dioxide. — 'The 

 existence of hydrates and of double compounds -in solution 



I 



