NA rURE 



[October 15, 1903 



equilibrium, and other papers treated of the ring formula 

 for benzene, the use of the spectroscope in the determin- 

 ation of atomic weight (Runge), fluorescence and chemical 

 constitution (Richard Meyer), &c. 



In the section of applied chemistry, Prof. Konig spoke of 

 the determination of fibre, cellulose, and lignin in plants, 

 and of the decomposition of fodder by microbes, and Dr. 

 Marquart, of Cassel, gave an account of Dr. Schenck's 

 red-phosphorus. This variety is produced at a compara- 

 tively low temperature — about i8o° — by heating a solution 

 of yellow phosphorus in phosphorous bromide. It is pre- 

 cipitated out of the solution, and must be filtered off and 

 washed with carbon disulphide to free it from yellow 

 phosphorus. Its point of inflammation is that of ordinary 

 red phosphorus, but it is in a state of such fine division 

 as to be readily set on fire by rubbing if it be mixed with 

 potassium chlorate ; at the same time it gives off no fumes, 

 and is therefore harmless to operatives who dip matches. 

 The light red powder is soluble in caustic soda (for it prob- 

 ably contains an atom of replaceable hydrogen), and is 

 reprecipitated by acids. Dr. Marquart spoke especially of 

 the future of this substance in the manufacture of matches 

 which ignite when rubbed on any surface, and which, at 

 the same time, are without danger to workpeople. 



In the section of geophysics. Dr. Mansing exhibited an 

 apparatus for determining the ebb and flow, and also the 

 direction and velocity, of currents, and likewise the pressure 

 in deep water. The apparatus is electrically connected with 

 a ship, and registers for thirty days. The advantage over 

 apparatus which registers only in shallow water is obvious. 

 Dr Nippolt read a paper on terrestrial magnetic variations, 

 citing observations made partly by himself, but mainly by 

 others. The curves which he obtained point to changes 

 which occur simultaneously at different spots of the earth's 

 surface; he interprets such changes as significative of 

 changes in the internal nucleus of the earth, and of dis- 

 placements of the relative positions of the earth's crust 

 and the magma which he believes to exist in the interior. 

 Prof. Krebs treated of subaqueous volcanic regions, and 

 suggested that they may be points of connection between 

 the sea-water and the earth's internal magma; he advo- 

 cated that their position and nature deserve careful in- 

 vestigation on account of danger to passing ships. In 

 another paper Dr. Krebs believed he had found an explan- 

 ation of the inundations in Silesian Austria, in certain long 

 areas of low barometric pressure from which regions of 

 low pressure in Silesian Galicia can be deduced. 



Dr. Wolkenhauer, in the geographical section, spoke of 

 the oldest German maps, which he ascribed to the fifteenth 

 and sixteenth centuries. The oldest maps are by Erhard 

 Etzlaub ; those of Cuza, which were formerly believed to 

 have been published in 1491, appear to be as late as 1530. 

 The attendance in this section was very small, owing to 

 the meeting this year of geographers at Cologne. 



In the botanical section the most important papers were 

 by Prof. Kohl, who offered a proof that the central bodies 

 of the Cyanophyceae cells possess the properties of cell 

 nuclei, and he expressed the belief that in the closely allied 

 Schizomyceta; a similar proof could be found. Numerous 

 experiments on Mycorrhizen, an account of which was given 

 by Prof. MoUer, proved that the existence of fungi on the 

 roots of plants must be regarded as a case of parasitic 

 existence, but not of symbiosis. Prof. Drude, who has 

 made numerous experiments in the botanic garden at 

 Dresden, contended that mutation cannot be sharply dis- 

 tinguished from variation, as De Vries believes, but that 

 the difference is only one of degree. To prove his conten- 

 tion, he exhibited living specimens of Oenothera 

 Lamarckiana, grown from seed which De Vries had given 

 him. 



In the zoological section only one meeting was held, at 

 which lectures were delivered by Prof. Klunziger, Dr. 

 Thilo, Dr. Eysell, and Dr. Basse'. They were illustrated 

 by demonstrations, but appear not to have contained any 

 specially new matter. 



The anthropological section excited a good deal of 

 interest. Among the more important papers was one by 

 Prof. Hagen, in which he demonstrated that the eight 

 months' foetus of the Malay and Melanesian races differed 

 from the European foetus by the shortness of the body com- 

 pared with the limbs, and the greater diameter of the body 

 :n the region of the false ribs, &c. The Melanesian foetus 



NO. T772, VOL. 68] 



showed peculiarities from which he deduced the conclusion 

 that the genus man became differentiated from other 

 mammals at a very early period of history. On the other 

 hand, Prof. Schwalbe, from investigation of the frontal 

 sutures of apes and their comparison with those of man, 

 contended that there is a close relationship to be observed 

 between man and old-world apes. Prof. Gojanovic-Kram- 

 berger had examined human remains recently discovered 

 in Croatia — the so-called Homo crapinensis — and con- 

 cluded from his researches that in the Ice age two races 

 were alive ; the differences in the form of the jaws and teeth, 

 the shape of the collar-bone, the upper arm and parts of 

 the skull, were adduced as proof of his view. One of these 

 races, he believed, showed analogy with the owner of the 

 Neanderthal skull and the skeleton from the grotto of the 

 Spy, so far as the morphological relationship could be 

 traced. 



One of the sections dealt with the teaching of mathe- 

 matics and science in schools, and there Prof. Grimsell 

 demonstrated the use of new apparatus designed to illus- 

 trate terrestrial magnetism and the mechanical equivalent 

 of heat, and he showed a lantern which gave good images 

 with an ordinary incandescent gas flame. Prof. Schotten 

 gave a lecture which was largely attended, and at which 

 much discussion took place on the suitability of zoology 

 as a school subject. While most of the speakers agreed 

 on its being easily taught and useful, doubt was expressed 

 whether it was wise to add another subject to the already 

 heavy load which a German boy is expected to carry. On 

 the whole, the latter opinion was the more widely held. 



After the meeting the members made excursions to objects 

 of interest in the neighbourhood of Cassel. About seventy 

 chemists arid physicists visited Gottingen and inspected the 

 laboratories of Profs. Nernst, Voigt, Rieke, and Wiechert ; 

 the last has been created only a few years, and is devoted 

 to the investigation of the problems of " terrestrial physics." 

 It is furnished with seismographs, instruments for investi- 

 gating terrestrial magnetism, atmospheric electricity, &c., 

 and good work is already being done in it. It is a hand- 

 some building at some distance from the town, and it may 

 be held up as an example of the way in which the Germans 

 leave no stone unturned to be first in the investigation of 

 natural phenomena of all kinds. Some of the associates, 

 chieflv medical, visited Marburg, in order to inspect Prof, 

 von Behring's institute for the study of tuberculosis. The 

 buildings and equipment must be characterised as magni- 

 ficent. Here, again, is an instance of the cooperation of 

 the scientific man and the manufacturer, for Dr. von 

 Behring was for long scientific adviser to the firm of 

 Hochst, which erected the laboratories, and undertook the 

 manufacture of the antitoxin serum. Would that a similar 

 spirit of cordial cooperation between English men of science 

 and '* practical " men could become more common ! 



W. R. 



FORTHCOMING BOOKS OF SCIENCE. 

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