20 



NATURE 



[May 29, 1890 



surrounded by nebulosity, and connected with a head about 

 2' long. — On the asymptotic value of the polynomials of 

 Legendre, by M. Stieltjes. — On the determination of a point, by 

 M. Hatt, — On the isomeric states of chromic bromide, by M. 

 A. Recoura. The author shows that, just as in the case of the 

 chloride, two sesquibromides may be prepared which on treat- 

 ment with alkaline hydrates both yield the chromic hydrate 

 belonging to the series of violet chromic salts. He gives a 

 method for the preparation of the green salt in crystals of the 

 composition CrjBrg, laHgO ; these crystals are stable when solid, 

 but the salt changes into the violet modification rapidly when in 

 solution. The heat of combination of the green salt (in solution) 

 with NaOH is given as 33*1 cal., whereas that of the violet salt 

 is but 21 '6 cal. ; during the transformation from the green to the 

 violet modification 11 "5 cal. are disengaged. — On the existence 

 of a crystallized hydrated ferric oxychloride, and its transforma- 

 tion into a dimorphous variety of gothite, by M. G. Rousseau. 

 By prolonged heating of a concentrated solution of ferric chloride, 

 in the presence of a little calcium or magnesium carbonate, in 

 -a sealed tube, crystals are obtained of the formula FegClg, 

 2Fe203, 3H2O. In boiling water a reaction occurs which may 

 be expressed thus — 



Fe„Clfi, 2Fe,03, 3H.,0 + «HoO = sCFcoOg, H„0) + 6HC1 4- 

 («-3)H,0; 



the body Fe^Oa, HjO possessing the composition of gothite 

 -and only differing from the latter in some of its physical proper- 

 ties. — On some new double chromates, by MM. M. Lachaud 

 and C. Lepierre. Double chromates of lead with potassium, 

 lithium, and sodium are described, similar products being ob- 

 tained in the case of each of the alkaline metals. Yellow 

 bodies of the composition PbCrOj, M2Cr04, and orange com- 

 pounds of' the formula PbCrOj, M2Cr04, aPbO, have been 

 prepared. — On the crystallization of alumina and some other 

 oxides in hydrochloric acid gas, by MM. P. Hautefeuille and 

 A. Perrey. — Note on the bouquet of wines and brandies, by M. 

 A. Rommier. It is shown that different ferments produce from 

 the same grapes wine of different flavour, and that solutions of 

 sugar fermented by means of the natural ferments obtained from 

 different districts yield on distillation alcohols possessing different 

 odours ; and it is suggested that the characteristic bouquet is due 

 to a compound ether formed from the alcohol combined with a fatty 

 acid produced from the fat which each ferment manufactures 

 from the sugar for its own use, — On the clinical characters of 

 true intermittent fevers ; the law and preventive treatment of 

 relapses, by M. Alcide Treille. The author gives his method 

 of treatment by sulphate of quinine, which he has used in fever 

 ■cases in Algiers for about twenty years. 



Berlin. 



Physiological Society, May 9. — Prof, du Bois Reymond, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. Lohers spoke on the effect of 

 inhalations of bromethyl and nitrous oxide on the circulation 

 and respiration, deduced from experiments made with a view 

 to obtaining a physiological basis for the use of these anaes- 

 thetics. Bromethyl slows the respiration, leaving the in- 

 spirations unaltered, but rendering the expirations weaker and 

 weaker, until they disappear entirely ; at an early stage of its 

 action respiration becomes again normal if the animal is supplied 

 with fresh air, but later on this is not the case, and death ensues 

 by the action of the drug on the heart. The effect on the 

 circulation is to quicken it at once ; the blood-pressure falls, the 

 pulse becomes arhythmic, and finally ceases ; the left side of the 

 heart is now found to be empty, the right gorged with blood ; 

 it appears that bromethyl affects the two halves of the heart 

 differently, and thus probably gives rise to the asymmetry of the 

 pulse. When the vagi are cut the effect of the drug on both 

 circulation and respiration is longer in making its appearance. 

 Nitrous oxide has a more powerful action on respiration, the 

 inspirations diminishing rapidly and ceasing suddenly. Normal 

 respiration may be restored by fresh air if the action of the drug 

 has not been too prolonged. The effect on the heart is to increase 

 the blood-pressure. It appears on the whole that bromethyl 

 must be more cautiously employed than nitrous oxide as a 

 narcotic. — Dr. Blaschko made a further communication on the 

 architecture of the skin. — Dr, Lowy gave an account of experi- 

 ments upon the irritability of the respiratory centre. The 

 experiments were conducted on human beings in such a way as 

 to discriminate between the effects of varying irritability of the 

 <:entre and varying strength of stimulus applied to it in deter- 



NO. 1074, VOL. 42] 



mining variations in the magnitude of the respiratory movements' 

 The stimulus used was carbonic acid gas mixed in definite 

 proportions with the inspired air. It appeared that dyspnoea 

 did not supervene with less than 6 per cent, of CO2 in the air ; 

 and that in the various states of sleep, whether natural or 

 resulting from narcotics, and after the administering of alcohol 

 and camphor, equal increments of CO2 lead in all cases to an 

 equal increase of the respiratory movements ; hence in all these 

 conditions the irritability of the centre must have been the 

 same. Morphia, on the other hand, lessens the irritability. —Prof. 

 Gad stated that he had some years ago observed a capillary 

 network among the cells of the epithelium which covers the 

 floor of the fourth ventricle, and that Retzius had observed a 

 similar case in the internal ear. It now appears that the 

 occurrence of blood-vessels between the cells of an epithelium is 

 extremely rare, and he therefore urged morphologists to keep a 

 look-out for and to investigate any cases which they may observe. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



A Treatise on Diseases of the Nose : Dr. G. Macdonald (A. P. Watt).— 

 The Canary Book, Part i : R. L. Wallace (Gill).— British Cage Birds, Part 

 I : R. L. Wallace (Gill).— Plant Organization, 2nd edition: Dr. ft. H. 

 Ward (Arnold). — Fifth and Sixth Annual Reports of the Bureau of Ethno- 

 logy • J- W. Powell (Washington). — British Birds, Key to the present 

 Classification : W. H. Wintringham (Grimsby News Company). — Traite 

 Encyclopedique de Photographic, doux. fasc. (Paris, Gauthier-Villars). — 

 Science Applied to Work: J. A. Bower (Ca.ssell).— The Golden Bough : J. 

 G. Frazer (Macmillan). — The Advancement of Science: E, Ray Lankester 

 (Macmillan). — Mungo Park and the Niger : J. Thomson (Philip). — Epi- 

 tomes of Three Sciences : — Comparative Philology, Psychology, and Old 

 Testament History: H. Oldenberg, J. Jastrow, and C. H. Comill (Chicago, 

 Open Court Publishing Company). — The Birds of Essex : M. Christy 

 (Simpkin).— Meteorology of Sheffield, 1887-89 : E. Howarth.— Earthworks 

 of Ohio; C. Thomas (Washington).— Textile Fabrics of Ancient Peru: W. 

 H. Holmes (Washington).— The Problem of the Ohio Mounds : C. Thomas 

 (Washington). — A Summer School of Science : Prof. P. Geddes (Edinburgh, 

 Thin).— The Pterylography of Birds' Wings : W. P. Pycraft (Leicester). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Laboratory of the Royal College of Physicians, 



Edinburgh. By J, G. Adami 97 



Abstract Mechanics. By A. G. G 98 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Owen : " A Manual of Anatomy for Senior Students " 98 



Thornton: " Advanced Physiography " 99 



Hale : " An International Idiom " 99 



Irvine: " A Class-book of Geography" ...... 99 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Idiocyclophanous Crystals of Calcite. {Illustrated.) 



— H. G. Madan 99 



Testing for Colour-blindness. — Prof. Oliver J. 



Lodge, F.R.S. ; E. H. ; Rev. F. M. Millard . roo 



Red Spot on Jupiter.— W. F. Denning 100 



Coral Reefs, Fossil and Recent.— Dr. R. von 



Lendenfeld loo 



Swallows at Sea. — Lieutenant Herbert E, Purey- 



Cust, R.N 100 



The Corolla in Flower-Fertilization. — Dr. John 



Harker 100 



Popocatapetl.— Edmund J. de Valois loi 



Chemical Changes in Rocks under Mechanical 

 Stresses. {Illustrated.) By Prof, J. W. Judd, 



F.R.S loi 



The Uniform Penny Post 106 



Pendulum Electrometer. {Illustrated.) 107 



Notes 107 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Objects for the Spectroscope.— A, Fowler iix 



The Spectrum of Comet Brooks {a 1890), — A. 



Fowler 112 



New Variable Star in Cygnus 112 



Paris Observatory n 2 



On the Parallax of Double Stars U2 



Turin Observatory 112 



A Contribution to the Etiology of Diphtheria. By 



Dr. E. Klein, F.R.S 113 



Some Notes from South America. By W. Larden .115 



On the Properties of Liquefied Gases 116 



Notes on Indian Insect Pests. By A. E. S 116 



University and Educational Intelligence 116 



Scientific Serials 117 



Societies and Academies iiS 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received -• 120 



