454 



NA TURE 



[September 6, 1894 



at. In this connection, it may also be noted that in the 

 year lSS6 the Thames water at Hampton contained 

 twenty times as many microbes in the winter as were 

 found in the summer months. Here again the con- 

 sideration of other agencies also tending to influence the 

 bacterial condition of the river water cannot be excluded, 

 but sunshine undoubtedly assisted in the banishment of 

 the microbes. G. C. Frankland. 



NOTES. 

 The Municipal Coancil of Paris has opened competitions 

 for the best means of suppressing or diminishing the smoke of 

 cities, and of purifying water. To the author of the best 

 memoir on the former subject, the sum of ten thousand francs 

 will be given, and two other prizes will be awarded of five 

 thousand and two thousand francs respectively. The memoirs 

 must be sent in before November i. Prizes varying from one 

 thousand to three thousand francs will be awarded for the pro- 

 cesses of water purification which give the best results. Papers 

 relating to this must reach the Council before September 15. 



The death is announced of Dr. Karl Neumann, Professor of 

 Chemistry in Zurich Polytechnic School, at the age of forty- 

 three. 



We learn from the Alhentium that Father Epping, S.J., 

 died on August 22. He was one of the highest authorities 

 on Assyrian astronomy and chronology, on which subject he 

 published, in conjunction with Father Strassmaier, a valuable 

 treatise some years ago. 



The tenth International Congress of Orientalists was opened 

 at Geneva on Tuesday. Fourteen Governments, and ninety- 

 seven Universities or learned societies, have sent delegates to 

 the meeting. 



The International Congress of Hygiene and Demography 

 is now being held at Budapest. We hope to give a report of 

 the proceedings after the meeting has ended. 



The .\ssocialion Geodcsique Internationale met at Inns- 

 bruck ycsteiday. M. Fayc, M. Bouquet de la Grye, and .\I. 

 Tisserand were delegated by the Paris Academy of Sciences 

 to attend the meeting. 



The International Meteorological Committee held its meet- 

 ing, as arranged, at Upsala, August 20-24. M- Wild, the 

 president, was unfortunately prevented from attending, owing 

 to indisposition. M. Mascart was elected president for the 

 meeting, and Mr. .Scott, as usual, secretary ; the other members 

 present were Prof. v. Bezold (Berlin), Dr. Blllwlller (Zurich), 

 Mr. W. G. Davis (Cordoba), Dr. Hann (Vienna), M. Ilepites 

 (Bucharest), Dr. Illldebrandsson (Upsala), Prof. Mohn (Chrlsti- 

 ania), Dr. Paulsen (Copenhagen), M. Snellen (Utrecht), and 

 Prof Tacchlni (Rome) ; the absentees were. In addition to the 

 president. Admiral de Brilo Capello (Lisbon), owing to health, 

 and .Messrs. Eliot (Simla), Ellery (Vlelbaurne), and Harrington 

 (Washington), owing to distance. The principal points dealt 

 with at the meeting were as follows: — (l) The establishment 

 of an International Meteorological Bureau was recognised as 

 impracticable, (z) It was resolved to publish In the report of 

 the meeting a r/f/<Wnf the measures adopted in all countries 

 to communicate to agriculturists meteorological results likely 

 to be useful to them. (3) The acceleration of meteorological 

 (elegrami. It was decided to address the Inlcrnational Tele- 

 graphic Bureau at Berne on this subject. (4) The scintillation 

 of stars ai an indication of weather. A paper by M. C, Dufour 



NO. 1297, VOL. 50] 



will be reproduced in the report. (5) The study of clouds. 

 This was the pihe de rHistamt at the meeting. The Cloud 

 Committee, appointed at Munich in iSgi.held a meeting at the 

 same time as the International Meteorological Committee, and 

 presented a report dealing with definitions for the ten classes 

 (Hildebrandsson and Abercromby) adopted at Munich, and 

 with instructions for cloud observations. They also proposed 

 to prepare and Issue an authoritative cloud atlas. This report 

 was carefully discussed and, after modification, adopted. The 

 members of the Cloud Committee who were present at the 

 meeting, were Prof Hlldebrandsson, Dr. Hann, Prof Mohn, 

 Mr. A. L. Rotch (Blue Hill Observatory), M. Teisserenc de 

 Bort. In addition, the following gentlemen were admitted, 

 but without votinJ power : Prof v. Bezold, Dr. Billwiller, and 

 Mr. Davis (of the International Meteorological Committee), 

 and Prof Broounof (Kieff), Dr. Fineman and Dr. H.igstnim 

 (Upsala), Prof Riggenbach (Basle), Prof Sprung (Potsdam), 

 and M. Philip Weilbach (Copenhagen). (6) The subject of 

 the treatment of the wet bulb below the freezing point was 

 discussed, and the use of Ekholm's formula was recommended 

 ad interim. (7) It was decided to arrange for a conference of 

 the same character as that at Munich in 1891, which was not 

 an official congress, to be held in Paris In September 1S96. 

 M. Mascart and Mr. Scott were requested to make ihe 

 necessary preparations, such as Ihe arrangement of the pro- 

 gramme, &c. 



The great pine forest region in the .States of Minnesota 

 and Wisconsin has been devastated by fire. There had been 

 no rain in the district for nine weeks, and the trees had there- 

 fore become very dry and inflammable. Forest fires occurred 

 in the early part of List week, but their advance was checked. 

 On Friday, however, several fires broke out almost simul- 

 taneously, and the (lames spread with al.irming rapidity. Many 

 towns and villages were entirely destroyed, and it is estimated 

 that nearly one thousand lives were lost. 



A RECENT number of the official organ of the National 

 Department of Hygiene in Buenos .\yres, a copy of which has 

 been sent to us, calls attention to a hygienic exhibition which is 

 to be held in that city at the close of this month. The 

 authorities hope that it may render important service in helping 

 to establish a permanent museum of practical hygiene, besides 

 stimulating public Interest in sanitary (juestions generally. The 

 journal also contains many useful notices of original work 

 published in various foreign papers. 



The current numbers of the British Medical yournal and 

 the Lancet should be obtained by everyone desirous of entering 

 the medical profession. They are almost entirely devoted to 

 descriptions of the universltie'*, corporations, and colleges 

 which grant Ihe degrees and diplomas required by a meiiical 

 practitioner. Prospective students will find our contemporaries 

 complete guides to the medical calling. They will also find 

 that to succeed in this noble profession It is necessary that a 

 man " should be imbued with a love of humanity and a love of 

 science, and should be indifferent to the worship of Ihe god of 

 the modern world — the golden calf. No man whose aim is to 

 make a fortune should dream of entering the medical profession. 

 Let him learn the grocery business or the drapery business ; he 

 will not only fall in medicine, but will help to degrade it. 

 These remarks are applicable to students of most branches of 

 science. 



Some years ago, an observatory was established on Ihe Saint- 

 Jacques tower In Paris, under the direction of M. J. Jauberl. 

 The institution is of a private nature, but it is furnished with 



