NATURE 



[July 23, 1903 



Faraday Society, June 30. — Mr. J. Swinburne, vice- 

 president, in the chair. — Mr. W. C. Dampier Whetham, 

 F.R.S., gave an abstract of his paper on the present posi- 

 tion of the theory of electrolysis. The fact that the products 

 of electrolysis appear at the electrodes only led to the 

 Grotthus chain hypothesis. Faraday's laws suggest 

 opposite convective streams of anions and cations. Hittorf's 

 observations on the unequal concentration of the solution 

 lead to the conception either of complex ions, dragging 

 along salt or solvent, or else unequal velocities of the ions 

 the ratio of which can be measured. Kohlrausch's measure- 

 ments of the resistance of electrolytes enable the absolute 

 velocities to be measured. The fact that electric conduc- 

 tion in solutions obeys Ohm's law shows that the E.M.F. 

 is merely directive, and that the ions have migratory 

 freedom. The fact that ionic mobilities only vary slowly 

 with dilution, while the conductivity of a dilute solution 

 is proportional to the first power and not the cube of the 

 concentration, shows that the ions must be free of the 

 solute molecules — not necessarily of those of the solvent. 

 The osmotic properties of electrolytes lead to the same con- 

 clusion. A short consideration of conduction in non-aqueous 

 solution and in fused salts completes the paper. — Mr. 

 Swinburne gave a short account of his paper on chlorine 

 smelting, with electrolysis, an abstract of which we print 

 elsewhere (p. 285). — A paper by Dr. R. A. Lehfeldt, on 

 the total and free energy of the lead accumulator, was taken 

 as read, and the discussion adjourned until the next meet- 

 ing. — Dr. Perkin exhibited and explained several novel 

 pieces of electrolytic apparatus devised by him for laboratory 

 work. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, July 13. — M. Mascart in the chair 

 — On the stability of a particular mode of flow of a sheet 

 of water of infiltration, by M. J. Boussinesq. — On the 

 torsional movements of the eye during the rotation of the 

 head, by M. Yves Delagre. — Remarks by M. Alfred Picard 

 on the third volume of his " Rapport g6n6ral sur 1 'Exposi- 

 tion universelle de 1900." — On the deformation of surfaces, 

 by M. M. Servant. — On the measurement of coefficients 

 of self-induction by means of the telephone, by M. R. 

 Dong^ier. A special telephone invented by M. Mercadier 

 was used in this work. It only reinforces sounds of a 

 determined period, and remains insensible to the harmonics 

 caused by capacity or by magnetic substances in the core 

 of the bobbin. Measurements of self-induction of the order 

 of 10-^ Henry were made with an accuracy of one-half 

 per cent. — A combination of ferric sulphate with sulphuric 

 acid, by M. A. Recoura. A ferrisulphuric acid has been 

 isolated, possessing an analogous composition to the 

 chromosulphuric acid previously described ; unlike the latter, 

 however, it is immediately decomposed by water. — On the 

 action of carbon monoxide upon iron and its oxides, by 

 M. Georges Charpy. Ferric oxide, heated in a current of 

 carbon monoxide, is completely reduced to metallic iron, 

 containing carbon, at all temperatures between 200° and 

 1200°, the velocity of reduction increasing with the tempera- 

 ture. Metallic iron takes up carbon at all temperatures 

 between 560° and 1190° C, the metal remaining 

 free from deposited carbon at temperatures above 

 750° C. — On the so-called colloidal silver, by M. 

 Hanriot. The conclusion is drawn that the albu- 

 minoid material in collargol, the oxide of iron in the 

 preparation of C. Lea, and the silica in the silicargol are 

 not to be regarded as impurities, but as integral portions 

 of the molecule, not only because it is impossible to separate 

 them without destroying the colloidal silver, but also 

 because these bodies have then lost their characteristic 

 properties. — The action of hypophosphorous acid on diethyl- 

 ketone and on acetophenone, by M. C. Marie. Acids con- 

 taining phosphorus have been obtained analogous in com- 

 position with acids derived from other ketones; the oxida- 

 tion products are also similar.— On the chloride of phenyl- 

 propargylidene, C.Hs.CfC.CH.Cl,, by MM. Ernest Charon 

 and Edgar Dugroujon. Phenylpropargylic aldehyde was 

 treated with phosphorus pentachloride, and the chloride 

 separated by fractional distillation. Its stability is greater 

 than that of cinnamylidene chloride. The addition products 

 with chlorine and bromine were isolated, and also proved I 

 ro be very stable towards air and water.— The preparation of | 

 NO. 1760, VOL. 68] 



the secondary amides, by M. J. Tarbouriech. Two 

 methods were used, the action of the acid on the correspond- 

 ing nitrite, and the action of the acid chloride upon the 

 primary amide ; the latter gave better yields. The proper- 

 ties of dibutyramide, diisobutyramide, divaleramide, and 

 diisovaleramide are described. — The action of ammonium 

 persulphate upon metallic oxides, by MM. A. Seyewetx 

 and P. Trawritx. — The action of bromine upon pinene in 

 the presence of water, by MM. P. Genvresse and 

 P. Faivre. — The influence of the nervous system on the 

 ontogenesis of the limbs, by M. P. Wintrebert. From the 

 experiments described the conclusion is drawn that the 

 nervous system is not necessary in the production of the 

 limb, neither for its growth, general morphogeny, nor for 

 its differentiation. — The geographical distribution of the 

 Coleoptera (Bostrychides) with respect to the food require- 

 ments of these insects, by M. P. Lesne.— On a lactic 

 diastase capable of hydrolysing salol, by MM. A. Miele 

 and V. Willem. The authors regard the existence in milk 

 of a ferment capable of hydrolysing salol as doubtful. — On 

 the modifications in respiration due to age, with especial 



reference to the guinea-pig, by M. Leopold Mayer On 



the variation of Bornetina Corium according to the nature 

 of the medium, by MM. L. Mangin and P. Viala.— The 

 influence of common salt on the transpiration and absorp- 

 tion of water in plants, by M. H. Ricdme. — On a bud graft 

 on the lilac, by M. Lucien Daniel. — The presence of 

 cordierite in the eruptive products from Mont Pel6e and 

 Mont Soufriere at St. Vincent, by M. A. Lacroix. — The 

 origin of the folds in the Pyrenees, by M. Joseph Roussel. 

 — Experimental researches on dreams. The relation 

 between the depth of sleep and the nature of the dreams, 

 by M. N. Vaschide. In light sleep the dreams have 

 reference to things which occurred immediately preceding 

 sleep, but in profound sleep the dreams have no reference 

 to recent events. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Experimental Morphology. By Francis Darwin, 



„F-R-S 265 



Nitrogen and its Compounds. By A. F 266 



Prospecting . 267 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Hollander: "The Revival of Phrenology. The 



Mental Functions of the Brain " 268 



Wiglesworth: "St. Kilda and its Birds."- R. L. . 268 



Snow : " The Principal Species of Wood " 268 



Kaiserling: " Lehrbuch der Mikrophotographie "— 



J. E. B 269 



Letters to the Editor :— 



The Source of Radium Energy. — Ch. Lagrange . . 269 

 A New Case of Phosphorescence induced by Radium 



Bromide. — William Ackroyd 269 



Tables of Four-figure Logarithms.— M. White 

 Stevens; C. E. F. ; Prof. John Perry, 



F. R.S 270 



A Multiple Lightning Flash.— Dr. William J. S. 



Lockyer 270 



The Lyrids, 1903. — Alphonso King 270 



The Wild Horse. ^.Illustrated.) By Prof. J. C. Ewart, 



F-R-S 271 



Higher Technical Education in Great Britain and 



Germany. By Prof J. Wertheimer 274 



The Tenth "Eros" Circular. By Prof. H. H. 



Turner, F.R.S 276 



Notes 277 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Bright Spots on Saturn 279 



Spectroscopic Observations of Nova Geminorum . . 279 

 Measurement of the Intensity of Feeble Illuminations 279 



The German Royal Naval Observatory 280 



Recent Advances in Stereochemistry. {With 



Diagrams.) By Prof. William J. Pope, F.R.S. . . 280 

 Chlorine Smelting with Electrolysis. By M. S. . . 285 

 The Royal Institute of Public Health. By Prof 



R. T. Hewlett 285 



University and Educational Intelligence ..... 286 

 Societies and Academies 287 



