September 5, 1S95] 



NATURE 



445 



the effect of such temperatures on the virulence of the typhoid 

 bacillus, 0r. Mtiller states, but only as the result of very limited 

 ■experiments, that he could detect no difference in the behaviour 

 in this respect of those kept at 37° and 40' C. respectively. 



A MODIFIED centesimal system of subdividing time and 

 angular measures is advocated by M. H. de Sarranton, in the 

 Keviie Siienlifiqiie. He proposes to retain the hour as a funda- 

 mental unit of lime, on account of its universal acceptance, its con- 

 venience, and the hopelessness of the task of altering it. But the 

 hour should be divided into 100 minutes, and the minute into 100 

 seconds. Thus each new minute would be three-fifths of an old 

 minute, or thirty-six seconds, while the new second would be a 

 little over a third of the present second. Two of the new seconds 

 would cover the time cf a brisk step, like the accelerated pace 

 used in the French army. The new second is the time taken by 

 one semi- vibration of a simple pendulum 1 2 "9 cm. long. Time 

 could then be consistently expressed in hours and decimals. 

 Thus 8'334S h. might be read 8 hours 33 (new) minutes 48 (new) 

 seconds, and calculations involving time would be much sim- 

 plified. Clock and watch dials would be subdivided into hours, 

 as usual, but the smaller divisions for the minute and seconds 

 hands would be hundredths of the circle instead of sixtieths, 

 and every tenth division would have to be slightly marked. 

 For angular measurement, M. de Sarranton proposes 240°, 

 subdivided into 100 minutes of 100 seconds each, so that they 

 could be converted into hours by shifting the decimal point one 

 place to the left. 



A FEW particulars of the new mouth of the Vistula are given 

 in the Globus. It was made by regulating the old branch going 

 into the Baltic, which was straightened and shortened from ten 

 miles to four and a half, while the channel was broadened by 

 shifting the dyke on the left bank six miles to the west. At 

 the same time, the Danzig branch was cut off by a lock. This 

 useful piece of work will not only make the Vistula more acces- 

 sible, but will prevent the disastrous floods which caused far- 

 reaching destruction in winter and spring, near the mouth of the 

 river. The work cost a million pounds, half of which was 

 borne by the districts concerned, and half by the (ierman 

 Treasury. 



The current number of the British Medical founial has a 

 note on the vision of School Board children, based upon a report 

 of Dr. James Kerr, medical superintendent of the Bradford 

 School Board. The tests employed were designed to detect 

 •every child who had not good distant vision with one eye at 

 least, the list of children thus obtained including those with 

 defect of distant sight from all causes, remediable or otherwise. 

 Such a list having been made, it was an easy matter to more 

 fully examine all the children thus tabulated, and to classify and 

 deal with them as might be necessary. In the report, tables 

 are given 'showing the number of children examined, and the 

 percentage of defective eyesight in the different standards from 

 one to seven. A perusal of Dr. Kerr's report will, in the 

 opinion of our contemporary, well repay those who have to 

 conduct similar examinations of large numbers of schoolchildren. 



We have received from the Deutsche Seewarte (Hamburg) the 

 report of its labours during the year 1S94. The duties of this 

 institution differ materially from those of the German Meteor- 

 ological Institute (Berlin), whose report we lately noticed, inas- 

 much as the former deals specially with weather prediction and 

 marine meteorolog)-. In both of these branches great activity is 

 shown, and we have frequently referred to the useful work 

 carried on. The detailed discussion of the meteorology of the 

 various oceans, for the benefit of seamen, the preparation of 

 synoptic weather charts of the North .\tlantic Ocean, for the 

 Jidvancement of practical meteorology, and the publication of 



NO. 1349, VOL. 52] 



observations taken in remote parts of the world, are noteworthy 

 instances of the industry of the institution. For the purpose of 

 obtaining information relating to maritime meteorology, it has 

 not only established many agencies in German ports, but the 

 Consuls in several foreign ports, including English, also take part 

 in enlisting observers and supplying the necessary registers ; the 

 result being that about 450 voluntary observers were co-operating 

 at the end of the year in the mercantile marine alone. 



The annual report of the Department of Mines and .Vgricul- 

 ture, New South Wales, for the year 1894, has come to hand. 

 In it reference is made to the resignation of the position of 

 palteontologist of Mr. Robert Etheridge, occasioned by his 

 accepting the curatorship of the Australian Museum. Mr. 

 Etheridge will, however, we are pleased to notice, still retain 

 connection with the department, having, the report says, volun- 

 teered to act as honorary consulting palaiontologist. 



We have received from the Keeper of the Manchester Museum, 

 Owens College, a new handy guide to the museum, which has 

 been compiled for the purpose of indicating cursorily the principal 

 objects in the building and its general arrangement, for the 

 benefit of visitors whose time is limited. To those who can 

 afford time to pay several visits, the illustrated guide is recom- 

 mended as being more complete and useful. 



The new part of the Asclepiad, Sir B. Ward Richardson's 

 quarterly, contains articles on " Cycling and Heart Disease," 

 "The late prevailing Epidemic," and, with portrait, "John 

 Abernethy, F. R. S." 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include two Macaque Monkeys {Macactis cyno- 

 inolgus, i 9 ) from India, presented by Mr. Hugh H. CoUis ; a 

 While-tailed Sea-Eagle {Haliislus alhicilla) from Northern 

 Russia, presented by Mr. Robert Ashton ; two Red-backed 

 Shrikes (Lanius colliirio), British, presented by Mr. C. Ingram ; 

 a Natterjack Toad (Biifo calamita) from Surrey, presented by 

 Mr. Hanley Flower ; a Melodious Jay Thrush (Leucodioptroii 



canorum), deposited, a Capuchin (Cebus ^ 6), a. Porto 



Rico Pigeon ( Columba corensis) , a Vinaceous Pigeon ( Coltimha 

 vinacea), a Barn Owl (Sirix Jlammea), seven Adorned Cera- 

 tophrys (Ceratophrys ornata) from Brazil, purchased ; a Great 

 Kangaroo {Macropus gigantus, ij ), a Rufous Rat Kangaroo 

 {ffypsiprymniis rufescens, <5 ), a short-headed Phalanger 

 {Belideiis breviceps), bred in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The Forms of Jihmter's S.^tei.lites. — A paper, by Mr- 

 S. I. Bailey, on the forms of the discs of Jupiter's satellites, i^ 

 communicated by Prof. E. C. Pickering to the current Astro- 

 physical foiinial. .\ number of observations of the satellites 

 has been made with the Ihirlecn-inch refractor at the Arequipa 

 Observatory ; and the results were : " Under the best conditions, 

 that is, with the instrument in perfect adjustment and good 

 seeing, satellites II., III. and IV. were always seen round. 

 Satellite I. was twice seen having an apparent elongation in the 

 same direction as Jupiter. In both cases the satellite was near 

 the planet. On the second occasion, I., when off the disc, but 

 near Jupiter, appeared elongated, but an hour later, plainly seen 

 on the disc of Ju(>iter, it appeared jierfectly round. On the 

 other hand, the shadows of I. and HI. on other nights were 

 seen elongated. Several occultations and transits were observed, 

 but the limb of Jupiter was not seen when, to me, it gave any 

 indication of transparency. . . . During the hours given, we 

 failed to delect any systematic change of form in any of the 

 satellites. These observations, scattered through the cloudy 

 season, may not be the best possible, for the same observers and 

 instrument in .Arequipa, nevertheless it does not seem probable 

 to me that any frequent periodic recurrence of an ellipticity, 

 approximating in amount that of Jupiter itself, would have 

 escaped detection." 



