August 7, 1890] 



NATURE 



353 



become medical students, should be much more thorough and 

 exact than it has hitherto generally been. " Those who know 

 what modern medicine is," he says, "are well aware that four 

 years would be but a brief period of study, even if it could be 

 allotted exclusively to the practical branches of the medical 

 science and art. But in the present condition of middle-class 

 education the youth of 17 too commonly enters the medical 

 school, not only devoid of the slightest tincture of scientific 

 knowledge, but, what is worse, so completely habituated to 

 learn only from books or oral teaching that the attempt to learn 

 from things and to get his knowledge at first hand is somethin;; 

 new and strange. Thus a large proportion of medical students 

 spend much of their first year in learning how to learn, and when 

 they have done that, in acquiring the preliminary scientific 

 knowledge, with which, under any rational system of education, 

 they would have come provided." Prof. Huxley does not, of 

 course, underrate the importance of a proper literary training 

 for medical students. This, with adequate instruction in science, 

 they might, he thinks, obtain, if our methods of education were 

 improved. The reform for which he especially pleads is that 

 "the time wasted in forcing upon the medical student a sham 

 acquaintance with Latin should be devoted to teaching him the 

 use of his own language and the right enjoyment of its literary 

 wealth, no less than to the study of science." 



The third summer meeting of the University Extension and 

 other students began at Oxford on Friday last. At the opening 

 meeting Prof. Max Muller delivered an address. He defended 

 the method of teaching by means of lectures, but admitted that 

 most lectures were too long, and recommended that they should 

 be limited, as in Germany, to three-quarters of an hour. He 

 also defended the annual gatherings at Oxford against the 

 charge of being mere academical picnics. He showed how 

 well the different classes of lectures had been arranged so as to 

 meet the requirements of different classes of students. He 

 pointed to the large and zealous classes attending these lectures, 

 and to the substantial work done by students who stayed at 

 Oxford for two or three weeks after the public lectures given 

 during the first fortnight were over. Finally, he dwelt on the silent 

 influence which a stay at Oxford must exercise on everyone. 

 "T doubt not," he concluded, "that while teachers and hearers 

 are exploring together in this place the ruins of ancient thought 

 and the labyrinth of modern science, they will feel the silent 

 influence of Oxford, and take to heart the lesson which our 

 University has taught to so many generations of Englishmen, 

 Scotchmen, and Irishmen — respect for what is old and the 

 warmest sympathy for what is new and true." 



A CONFERENCE in connection with the University Extension 

 movement was held on Tuesday in the debating hall of the 

 Oxford Union, Mr. Arthur Sedgwick, of Corpus Christi, pre- 

 siding. There was a large attendance. The subject for discussion 

 was — Is it desirable that local committees should seek to obtain 

 a Treasury grant in aid of the expenses of University Extension 

 teaching? If so, on what conditions is it desirable that the 

 grant should be distributed ? The chairman said, speaking as a 

 private individual, and not as a delegate, he most heartily 

 assented to the proposal to ask for State aid for University ex- 

 tension. It seemed to him that there was no test which they 

 could apply in order to see whether an object was worthy of 

 State aid which could not be successfully applied to University 

 extension. In order that the movement might have its proper 

 development it was absolutely necessary that there should be 

 elements of permanence in it. Experience had shown that, at 

 any rate with existing machinery and existing resources, it was 

 extremely difficult to establish this element of permanence. Mr. 

 Macan moved, " That this conference supports the proposal of 

 State aid to University extension, provided that aid could be 

 given without undue State interference." Mr. Mackinder 

 NO. T084, VOL. 42] 



seconded the resolution, which was carried by an overwhelming 

 majority. In the evening a second conference was held in the 

 Examination Schools, the chair being occupied by Mr. J. G. 

 Talbot, M.P. The subjects discussed included University 

 extension teaching in training colleges, village lectures, students' 

 associations, and University extension teaching in connection 

 with free public libraries. 



Mr. Cosmo Newbery, the analyst of the Mines Depart- 

 ment, Victoria, has been speaking strongly as to the necessity 

 for a central School of Mines in Victoria. He would like that 

 such a school should, if possible, be established in connection 

 with the Melbourne University. If that proved to be impossible, 

 he would be content with the development of the well-known 

 school at Ballarat. Mr. Newbery's views on the subject are 

 vigorously supported by the Australian Alining Standard, 

 which thinks that a central school, thoroughly organized, could 

 not fail " to exercise an important influence in the development 

 of mining science in Australasia." 



The University College of Bristol has issued its Calendar for 

 the session 1890-91. 



A " Bibliothique Darwinienne " has recently been started in 

 Paris. The series will deal for the most part with sociological 

 subjects. The first volume is by M. P. Combes, and relates to 

 animal civilizations. 



Advantage is being taken of the Eiffel Tower to obtain high 

 pressure through a manometric tube (the height of the tower) 

 containing mercury. M. Cailletet proposes to utilize the enor- 

 mous pressure — about 400 atmospheres — for his researches on the 

 liquefaction of gases, and interesting results may be looked for. 



We extract from La Nature of July 26 the following facts 

 relating to exceptional seasons in past centuries. They have been 

 collected by M. Villard, of Valence, for France especially, and 

 for Europe generally. In 1282 the winter was so mild that corn- 

 flowers were sold in Paris in February. New wine was also 

 drunk at Liege on August 24. In 1408 the winter was so severe 

 that nearly all the Paris bridges were carried away by the ice. 

 Ink froze in the pen, although a fire was in the room. [A similar 

 fact is quoted by Dove as occurring at Sebastopol on December 

 13, 1855.] All the sea between Norway and Denmark was 

 frozen. The summers of 1473 and 1474 were disastrously hot. 

 In the winter of 1544-45 wine was frozen in barrels all over 

 France. It was cut with hatchets and sold by the pound. In 

 1572-73 nearly all the rivers were frozen. The Rhone was 

 traversed by carriages at various places. In 1585 the winter 

 was very mild ; corn was in ear at Easter, but the third week in 

 May was extremely cold. 



The Annalen der Hydrographie und Maritimen Meteorologie 

 for July contains an article by Dr. G. Meyer, on the influence 

 of the moon on weather. Although such investigations have 

 hitherto given a negative result, the author thought that with the 

 materials furnished by synoptic charts he might eliminate local 

 influences, and he gives tables extending over a number of years, 

 which seem to show the influence of the moon in lowering the 

 height of the barometer in the months of September to January, 

 at the time of full moon, and in raising it during the first quarter. 

 The Deutsche Seewarte, which communicates the article, points 

 out that a similar result has been independently arrived at by 

 Captain Seemann, one of the assistants of the institution. The 

 same effect or any other is not perceptible in other months. 



An ingenious contrivance has been recently adopted at the 

 Hippodrome in Paris, with a view to producing scenic effects, 

 in the central oval space, without the spectators opposite being 

 seen at the same time. An elliptical screen of fine steel netting is 

 let down in comparative darkness, so as to be about I2 feet 

 in front of the benches. This is painted on the inner side with 



