May 14, 1903J 



NATURE 



43 



Instructions to Observers of the Sun. — In the April 

 issue of the Bulletin de la SocUti astronotnique de France 

 an abstract is given of the first chapter of " Instructions 

 pour rObservation du Soleil," which will be issued to any- 

 one desirous of systematically recording solar phenomena 

 by the " commission solaire. " The instructions give de- 

 tailed and valuable suggestions on the observation and re- 

 cording of the positions, size, nature and general details 

 of sun-spots and faculae, and also suggest the atmospheric 

 conditions which should be recorded concurrently. 



The object of the commission is to induce a large number 

 of amateur astronomers, possessing instruments not exceed- 

 ing 10 cm. in aperture, to participate in the collection of a 

 large quantity of material for the discussion of the eleven- 

 year period of solar variations. 



Stonyhurst College Observatory Report for 1902. — 

 This report contains a large amount of useful and detailed 

 information and data as to the observations of meteor- 

 ological and magnetical phenomena made at the Stonyhurst 

 and St. Ignatius (Malta) Colleges during 1902, together 

 with a report and some notes by Father Sidgreaves. 



The sun was observed, at Stonyhurst, on 217 days, and 

 on no days drawings of the solar surface were made. The 

 spotted area of the sun observed during 1902 shows a return 

 of solar activity, the figures (unity representing one-five- 

 thousandth of the visible disc) for 1900, 1901, and 1902 

 being o 55, o 29, and 033 respectively. 



Owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions the 

 stellar spectrographic work was not very fruitful during 

 1902, but 44 good spectrographs of j3 Lyrae were obtained, 

 and, as soon as circumstances permit, the results of an 

 investigation of the spectrum of this star will be published. 



OPENING OF THE JOHNSTON LABORA- 

 TORIES FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH IN 

 THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LIVERPOOL. 

 A WORKING alliance between the forces of science and 

 ■^^ commerce is a condition of things that has of late 

 been the prayer of many well-wishers to both. It is a 

 happy union which, as we are often told with perfect truth, 

 obtains less in this country than in many others. But in 

 notable degree an exception must be made among our own 

 communities in the case of Liverpool. The opening cere- 

 mony performed in Liverpool on Saturday last for the 

 inauguration of the William Johnston Laboratories of the 

 University College exemplified in a remarkable and memor- 

 able manner the strength of what is already in fact, and 

 will in a few weeks also be in name, a university of 

 municipal type. 



Mr. William Johnston, shipowner, of Liverpool, last year 

 munificently endowed a chair for biochemistry at the 

 College, and also three fellowships for research in physi- 

 ology, pathology and gynaecology. He has enhanced his 

 splendid and far-sighted gift by now providing a large and 

 well-equipped building for the laboratory purposes, not only 

 of biochemistry, but of tropical medicine, experimental 

 medicine, and comparative pathology. The large block 

 housing these four subjects is built so as to adjoin, and have 

 free internal communication with, the laboratories of 

 ,. physiology and pathology erected five years ago by the 

 Rev. Thompson-Yates. These Johnston Laboratories form 

 a building 90 feet long by from 35 feet to 50 feet wide. 

 They constitute four floors in the entire block, each floor 

 devoted to one separate department of research. It is note- 

 worthy that in this building we find a university building 

 in which there is not a single class-room or lecture-room 

 in the ordinary sense of those words. From basement to 

 roof it is devoted absolutely and exclusively to purposes of 

 research. Tropical medicine is housed in the ground-floor, 

 and is under the direction of Prof. Ronald Ross, F.R.S. 

 The first floor is allotted to experimental medicine, under 

 Dr. Albert Griinbaum, F.R.C.P., and a large proportion of 

 Its rooms are already occupied by cancer research. The 

 second floor is entirely given to Prof. Moore's department 

 of biochemistry, and its installation is nearly complete, two 

 workers availing themselves of its equipment and facilities 

 already. The basement, which is, in fact, only half-sunken 



NO. 1750, VOL. 68] 



and extremely well lighted, is entirely given to comparative 

 ; pathology, under the direction of Dr. Annett. 



The character of the arrangement of the fixtures and 

 fittings of the laboratories deserves some notice. The lead- 

 ing idea has been to break up the internal space of the 

 large area enclosed on each floor with the external walls 

 as little as possible by permanent walls. The main floor 

 is therefore cut up into compartments by wooden screens 

 that do not reach the ceiling. These screens serve in many 

 cases to carry, as walls, both shelves and cupboards, but 

 they allow the twelve large windows to distribute light over 

 every nook and corner of the whole. By this arrangement 

 the laboratory is practically divided into bays, in which 

 investigators can work separately, and surrounded on all 

 sides by their working benches or shelves, and yet not 

 obstructing the light of work going on elsewhere. A novel 

 feature is that the floor of the rooms and the tops of the 

 benches are made of polished lito-silo, a material which has 

 resiliency, smoothness, and non-absorbent qualities, en- 

 abling it to be easily cleaned and disinfected. On all the 

 floors there is a complete supply of water, gas, electric 

 light, electric power, and steam. A lift, as well as a stair- 

 case, connects the floors together. The building is warmed 

 by hot water and ventilated by the upper parts of the 

 windows and by extraction shafts arranged down the centre 

 of the rooms. 



In the department of experimental medicine, some of the 

 beautiful and costly apparatus provided has been furnished 

 by the fund of io,oooZ. recently given by Mr. Sutton 

 Timmis for the prosecution of investigation into cancer, 

 Dr. Albert Griinbaum, as the director of the cancer research, 

 has already commenced experimental inquiries in this field 

 on this floor of the laboratories. One of the rooms on the 

 same floor is very fully equipped with electrical therapeutic 

 apparatus of the most modern design. 



The whole building forms a set of laboratories giving 

 probably unsurpassed accommodation to the studies which 

 it was raised to house. Certainly we have in the United 

 Kingdom no other so fine laboratories of biochemistry or 

 of tropical medicine. Their erection marks an era in the 

 history of these studies in this country. That these subjects 

 and other kindred direct extensions of physiology and 

 pathology should now demand and obtain spacious accom- 

 modation is but one of the many indications that the trend 

 of medical study, and therefore of medical education, has 

 really entered upon a new route. The narrow and facile, 

 but unfruitful and mentally circumscript ways of mere 

 human anatomy are being exchanged for studies of more 

 scientific character, and physical, chemical, zoological, or 

 physiological in method and basis. This will demand, of 

 course, better education in those entering the profession 

 of medicine. It further inevitably connotes a closer associa- 

 tion than at present between the art of medicine and pure 

 science. Just as inevitably does it also presage an era prob- 

 ably even more fertile in achievements of biological study 

 than that which we already couple with the names of Darwin 

 and Pasteur. 



The formal opening of the nev/ laboratory was presided 

 over by the Right Hon. Walter Long, President of the 

 Local Government Board. A distinguished company 

 attended. In addition to the staff and students of the 

 University College, Mr. William Johnston, the donor, the 

 Lord Mayor of the city, Mr. E. K. Muspratt, Sir John 

 Brunner, Sir Alfred Jones, and many other well-known 

 citizens were present. A large number of visitors, not only 

 from various parts of the United Kingdom, but also from 

 the Continent and America, had gathered to take part "in 

 the ceremony. Among these were Sir Michael Foster, 

 Profs. Clifford Allbutt, Armstrong, Halliburton, Schafer. 

 Waller, Gotch, Stirling, Botazzi, Hausemann, Weigert, 

 Nocard, Griitzner, Blanchard, Uhlworm, Eulenberg, 

 Perroncito, Del^pine, Woodhead, Ravanel, Steegmann, 

 Lorrain Smith, Macdonald, W. H. Thompson, Trevelyan. 

 Drs. Rose Bradford, Monckton Copeman, Dawson Williams, 

 Seaton, Bulstrode, and many others. In the evening Mr. 

 William Johnston entertained a distinguished company to 

 dinner at the Adelphi Hotel. The President of the Local 

 Government Board, in the course of a vigorous speech on 

 the necessity of progress being maintained in the advance 

 of natural science by research in this country, declared that 



