December 14. 1^93] 



NA rURE 



167 



as we leive the green and rises to a maximum in the bhie-violet 

 and violet, falling off as we pas? into the uUra-viole^. For the 

 solar spectrum a heliostat and glass lenses and prism were used ; 

 for the electric spectrum a quartz train, and quartz covering the 

 film. Even a thin plate of clear glass blocks out much of the 

 effective region of the spectrum, and especially ultra-violet rays. 

 The auth Tr recorded his thanks to Prof. O. Lodge, F.R.S., 

 for kindly exposini: the plates to the electric spectrum for him, 

 with most successful results. The author also found that the 

 water of the Thames, examined in August and October respec- 

 tively, showsthe following interesting results, (i) The number 

 of bacteria per c. c. was distinctly smaller in the bright August 

 weather than in the duller days of October, and differences were 

 observable in the aspect of the colonies on plate-culture.s. (2) 

 Suspecting that this was concerned with light action, experiments 

 showed that insolation not only kills off large numbers of the 

 bacteria in the water, but in some cases shows its effects in 

 diminishing the liquefying {i.e. enzyme action) power of certain 

 forms, and even in altering their mode of growth, so that the 

 aspect of the colonies is affected. These changes in aspect are 

 not a mere matter of preventing or increasing the production 

 of pigment, &c., but are due to effects on the growth of the 

 colonies. As regards pigment?, the author has examined a pig- 

 ment of one of these river species, which, though so resistent 

 as to bear solution in alcohol, evaporation and drying at 100° C. , 

 and re-solution, without apparent alteration, is destroyed in an 

 hour or two on exposure to light. — On gynodioecism (third 

 paper), with a preliminary note upon the origin of this and 

 similar phenomena, by Mr. J. C. Willis. The experiments 

 described in the two former papers have been continued, and 

 have s ill further shown the very variable nature of the pheno- 

 mena of gynodioecism. From the results, taken together with 

 those ol experiments upon dichogamy and cleistogamy, and the 

 observations of other writers upon these subjects, the author is 

 inclined to the conclusion that all these phenomena, together pro- 

 bably with andrcdioecism, andromonoecism, polygamy, dioecism, 

 &c., are closely allied to one another, depending largely upon 

 varying conditions of nutrition, these again depending on numer- 

 ous factors, such as soil, climate, temperature, ligh", season of the 

 year, moisture, anl internal coalitions in the plant itself. These 

 factors acting together or separately, may call forth, in a m irked 

 degree, any of the above phenomena. In the mos: marked cases 

 natural selection appears to have come into play, and the pheno- 

 mena have become hereditary, but in many cases they seem to 

 be only sporadic. A full review of the literature rel.ilinj to these 

 subjects is in preparation. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, December 4. — M. de Lacaze- 

 Duthiers in the chair. — Significance of the localisation of organs 

 in the measurement of the gradation of plants, by M. Ad. 

 Chatin. — Estimation of manganese oxides by oxygenated water, 

 by Harry C. Jones. — On ttie profound deformations of the 

 spheroid of Mars, by Djm Lamey.— On the observations made 

 by M. J. Vallot on the summit of Mont Blanc in 1887, by M. 

 Alfred Angot. From the barometric pressures and tempera- 

 tures observed by M. Vallot on the top of Mont Blanc, and 

 simultaneous observations made on the Saatis, Obir, and Puy- 

 de-D6me, and at Berne, Geneva, and Lyon, the height of the 

 former may calculated. The values thus obtained range from 

 48i0'4 m. to 4S24 m. The true height is 4S10 m., so that an 

 interesting confirmation of Laplace's law is obtained. The 

 temperature at the limit of the atmosphere has been calculated 

 by Voeikoff according to Mendelejeffs formula, which makes 

 the temperature of the air a linear function of the pressure. 

 The result obtained from numerous mountain observations is 

 -42°. A combination of the Mont Blanc observations with 

 those of the three mountain stations mentioned gives —47^, and 

 with the three town stations —45°. Since these values are ob- 

 tained from summer observations only, they are probably a little 

 too low. — On the complex acids which are formed by molybdic 

 acid with ti"anicacidand zirconia, by M. E. Pechard. — Researches 

 on the constitution of the albuminoid materials extracted from 

 the vegetable organism, by M. E. Fieurent. — On the stability 

 and the conservation of dilute solutions of corrosive sublimate, 

 by M. Le> Vignon. If a solution of sublimate of i grain to i 

 litre of distilled water is left to itself for a fe* days at the or- 

 dinary temperature, it gives rise, in a period varying from one 

 to three days, to a white precipitate whose quantity grailually 

 increases. Quantitative measurements of the amounts of mer- 

 cury thus precipitated under varying conditions gave the folio a'- 



NO. 1259, VOL. 49] 



ing results. When the solution was left in an open vessel, the 

 percentage of mercuiy left in solution after seven days was 0-57, 

 in a closed vessel 0-97, and 0-67 after 220 days. When colouring 

 matters were added to the solutions, the corresponding numbers 

 were, for fuchsine, 067, 0-97, and 077 ; and for indigo carmine, 

 076, 0-98, and o 80, the latter therefore giving the greatest sta- 

 bility. — Discovery of abrastol in wines, by M. Sangle-Ferricre. 

 This gives a method of finding whether abrastol, a new antiseptic 

 for the preservation of wine, has been used in a given sample. 

 It is the sulphuric ether of /Snaphthol combined with calcium. 

 The method utilises the decomposition ensuing when abrastol 

 is heated with dilute H CI, calcium carbonate, sulphuric acid, 

 and /3-naphthol being formed.— On the sterilisa'ion of bread 

 and biscuit on coming from the oven, by MM. Balland and 

 Masson, This gives an answer to the question whether all 

 dangerous germs which may have been contained in the water 

 used for breadmaking, are destroyed during the process of 

 baking. Experiments show that microbes in general are incap- 

 able of resisting the acidity of the dough and the high tempera- 

 ture of baking. Certain spores notorious for their stability 

 are indeed capable of regaining their activity under favourable 

 circumstances, but all pathogenic bacilli, especially those of 

 typhoid and of cholera, are certainly destroyed. — Some chrono- 

 metric data relating to the regeneration of nerves, by M. C. 

 Vanlair. — On the termination of the motor nerves of striated 

 muscles in the Batrachians, by M. Charles Rouget. — On some 

 points relating to circulation and excretion among the cirrhiped.--, 

 by M. Gruvel. — On phosphaturic albu iiinuria, by M. Albert 

 Robin. The consatution of the group of phosphaturic album'n- 

 urias, shows that the morbid entity known as Brighi's disease, 

 is often nothing but the anatomical complication of an anterior 

 purely functional malady, and that, like a number of similar 

 cases, the cure should begin at this anterior functional disorder. 

 — Parasites in cancer, by M. G. Nepveu. — The shell cavity of 

 the Philinidte, by M. P. Pelseneer. — On a new gregarine of the 

 Algerian Acridians, by M. L. Leger.— On the exchanges of 

 carbonic acid, and oxygen between plants and the atmospher-*, 

 byM. Th. Schlcesing fils. —Observations on the coi stituti^nof the 

 membrane in mushiooms, by M. L. Man.;in.— On the primary 

 strata of Saint-Pons (Herault), by MM. P. de Rouville, Aug. 

 Delage, and J. Mique'. — On the Triassc and Jurassic form i- 

 lions of the Balearian Isles, by M. H. Nolan. 



Berlin. 



Physical Society, November 3. — Prof, du Bois Reymond, 

 Piesident, in the chair. — Dr. Rubens discussed the experiments 

 of Righi, who had succeeded in obtaining Hertz's oscillations 

 of much smaller wave length than had hitherto been found po^ 

 sible. Whereas the shortest waves obtained by Hertz were 55 

 cm. long, and those by Dijppler 20 cm., Righi had produced 

 waves only 7"5 cm. in length, and had repeated all Hertz's experi- 

 ments in a much more convenient form. Rubens hadsomewhu 

 modified Righi's experimental arrangements, and produced 

 waves 10 cm. long, which he intended to submit to further 

 investigation. 



November 17. — Dr. O. Fro'ilich explained a generalise I 

 form of Wneatstone bridge, and a series of applications of the 

 same for theoretical and technical purposes. Dr. Bllime 

 demonstrated a form of apparatus for showing refraction 

 suitable for use in schools, giving accurate results to the thiid 

 place of decimals with very little practice. 



Physiological Society, November 10. — Prof, du Bois 

 Reymond, President, in the chair. — Dr. Gumlich gave an 

 account of feeding experiments made on dogs with nucleic acid, 

 which showed an absorption of this substance by the animal 

 organism. The phosphates of the urine were increased, as also 

 the nitrogen of its extractives. There was no increase of uric 

 acid. — Dr. Gold-cheider made further communications on 

 leucocytosis. His experiments, carried on in conjunction with 

 Dr. Jacob, had shown that after the injection of hemialbumose, 

 or extract of spleen, and other substances with similar action, 

 there is a diminution (hypocytosis) in the number of leucocytes, 

 followed by a rapid rise in their number up to the normal and 

 then to a permanent increase above the normal (hypercytosi.-). 

 When the active substance was injected into the jugula', it was 

 found that during the brief period of hypocytosis the capillaries 

 of the lungs were abnormally filled wi:h leucocytes. Later on, there 

 was a still further increase in this region at the time of increase 

 of leucocytes in the blood generally. By using smaller doses of 

 the active substance the stage of hypocytosis could be lessened 



