192 



NATURE 



[December 21, 1899 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, December ii. — M. van Tieghem in 

 the chair. — The perpetual secretary announced the receipt of 

 the last American contribution to the Lavoisier Fund, the total 

 amount received from the United States amounting to 3054 

 francs.— On the parallax of the sun, by M. Bouquet de la Grye. 

 The Academy of Sciences in 1882 sent out ten parties of 

 astronomers to observe the transit of Venus across the sun, and 

 in the present paper the final results of these observations are 

 given. The mean of the results obtained by Halley's method 

 with the large telescopes is 8" 7996, with all the telescopes 

 8" -8068 ; the adopted result is : 8"-8o±-oi. The calculations 

 of the results from the photographical methods are not yet com- 

 pleted. — Note on the work done on Mt. Blanc in 1899, by M. 

 J. Janssen. The note contains details of work done in two 

 directions, (i) on the losses that an electric cable undergoes 

 when it is placed bare upon the glacier, and (2) on oxygen 

 in the sun. The first work was unfortunately attended by a 

 fatal accident to one of the observers, M. Cauro, who 

 fell on to the glacier on which the experiments were 

 being carried out. The work was finished by M. Lespieau. 

 It was found that naked wires of galvanised iron were 

 quite serviceable for telegraphing between the observatory and 

 points varying from 300 to 1700 metres distant, a 3 mm. iron 

 wire lying on a length of 1700 metres of glacier ice not consti- 

 tuting a telegraphic "earth." As regards the solar oxygen, the 

 photographs of solar spectra obtained during the year will be 

 discussed subsequently.— Influence of the magnetic field upon 

 the radiation of radio-active bodies, by M. Henri Becquerel. In 

 a non-uniform magnetic field, constituted by a powerful electro- 

 magnet, the radium rays are bent and concentrated on the 

 poles. The results were most clearly shown by the aid of 

 photography, a horizontal sensitive plate, covered with black 

 paper, being placed between the two poles 45 mm. apart 

 parallel to the field. Before exciting the magnet the radio- 

 active barium chloride was placed upon the plate half-way 

 between the poles. The maximum deviation corresponds to 

 the direction normal to the field. These results have been 

 obtained independently by MM. Meyer and Schweidler by 

 tTie use of a fluorescent screen. — On a general method 

 for the estimation of some elements contained in 

 ■organic compounds, by M. Berthelot. By combustions in 

 oxygen in the calorimetric bomb, at a pressure of 25 atmo- 

 spheres, accurate estimations of carbon, sulphur and phosphorus 

 are readily carried out if suitable precautions are taken, the most 

 important for the two latter elements being the addition of a 

 certain quantity of naphthaline or camphor. The determina- 

 tion of potassium, the alkaline earths, copper, iron, silver, or 

 'mercury presents no difficulties. — On the molecular refractions, 

 ^molecular dispersions and specific rotatory power of some alkyl- 

 camphors, by MM. A. Haller and P.-Th. MuUer. Measurements 

 are given for benzylidene-, piperonylidene-, cuminyl-, ethyl- 

 saligenyl-, metamethoxybenzyl-, and anisyl- camphors, and the 

 results compared with the figures given by the calculations of 

 Bruhl and Conrady ; the experimental results are in general 

 higher than the calculated values. The authors suggest 

 the double linkage connecting the camphor and alde- 

 Ihydic residues as the cause of the deviations.— Re- 

 marks by M. Duclaux on his treatise on microbiology.— 

 Note on the Bielids observed at Algiers on November 28-29, 

 by M. H. Tarry. — On the theory of discontinuous functions, 

 by M. R. Baire.— Method for determining the mean density 

 of the earth and the constant of gravitation, by M. Al. Gerschun. 

 If a heavy sphere is brought near the free surface of a liquid at 

 jcest, this surface takes the form of a surface of equal Newtonian 

 potential, arising from the simultaneous action of the earth 



. R ^ ., 



:and the heavy sphere. The expression - — i -t- g- a^ is de- 



.du£ed, where R is the earth's radius, d the density of the sphere, 

 Z the mean density of the earth, and o the ratio of radius of the 

 sphere to the distance of its centre from the free liquid 

 surface, and p the radius of the osculating surface to the liquid 

 at its highest point. To determine p an optical method is 

 employed of great delicacy, given by Foucault for verifying 

 the truth of plane optical surfaces. Some preliminary ex- 

 periments on the method show that its precision is not less 

 than those previously in use, neither are the experimental 

 difficulties greater. — On the principle of equality of action and re- 

 action, by M. Andre Broca. — Action of aluminium chloride upon 

 camphoric anhydride, by M. G. Blanc. The chief product of 



NO. 1573, VOL. 61] 



this reaction is isolauronolic acid. The secondary products are 

 a mixture of acids, having formulae, C9Hi402 or CflHjflOa and 

 a lactone dt^^^O^. — Alkalimetry of the amines, by M. A. 

 Astruc. The fatty amines examined ranging from methylamine 

 to diamylamine are monoacid bases with either helianthine or 

 phenolphthalein as indicator. The primary aromatic bases, on 

 the contrary, are neutral to phenolphthalein, but behave as 

 monoacid bases to methylorange. — On the co-existence of a re- 

 ducing and an oxidising diastase in animal organs, by MM. J. 

 Abelous and E. Gerard. It is shown that in aqueous ex- 

 tracts of the kidney of the horse, two ferments are present, 

 one of which can reduce a nitrate to nitrite, and the 

 other produce the inverse reaction. — On the presence of 

 mannoceliulose in the ligneous tissue of gymnosperms, by 

 M. Gabriel Bertrand. — A contribution to the history of 

 intraocular pressure, and to our knowledge of the mechanism of 

 blood pressure in the capillaries, by M. W. Nicati. Measure- 

 ments of the hardness of the eye show that the blood pressure 

 of the capillaries is proportional to the ratio between the volume 

 of the body and its surface. — New observations of American 

 Peripatoides , by M. E. L. Bouvier.^On a new pathogenic 

 Mucor, by MM. Lucet and Constantin. This fungus was found 

 to be the cause of a disease of the respiratory organs, at first 

 mistaken for tuberculosis. The disease was cured by treatment 

 with arsenic and potassium iodide. The fungus was found to be 

 a new species, differing from the four pathological species 

 previously known. The name proposed by the authors is 

 Rhizomucor parasiticus. — On a new mode of formation of the 

 egg in Piptocephalis, by M. Matruchot. — On the mountain chain 

 of Chartreuse, by M. H. Revil. — T^ie. fades and conditions of 

 deposit of the Turonian in Aquitaine, by M. Ph. Glangeaud. — 

 On new subterranean researches in Devoluy (Hautes-Alpes), 

 and on the deepest natural well known, by M. E. A. Martel. 

 The shaft found has a depth of at least 310 metres, and is 

 probably greater. — Approximate determination of the denuda- 

 tion of Cretaceous rocks on the coasts of Normandy, by M. 

 J. Thoulet. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Coming \A^heat Scarcity. By Sir R. Giffen, 



K.C.B., F.R.S 169 



The Physical Atlas. By W. E. P 171 



The North American Slime Moulds 173 



A New Materia Medica 174 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Tilman : "Descriptive General Chemistry." — A. S. . 175 



Griffini: "Zoologia."— G. B. H 175 



"The British Journal Photographic Almanac for 



1900" . ■ -175 



Getman : " The Elements of Blowpipe Analysis" 176 



Lachlan : "The Elements of Euclid." Books I.-VI. 176 

 Cuniasse and Z willing : " Essais du Commerce et de 



rindustrie" . . 176 



Richmond: " Dairy Chemistry " 176 



Cheyne and Burghard : "A Manual of Surgical 



Treatment."— D'A. P 170 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Stockholm International Conference on the Explora- 

 tion of the Sea. — Prof. W. A. Herdman, F.R.S. 177 

 Meteorology at the Berlin Geographical Congress. — 

 A. Lawrence Rotch ; The Writer of the 



Report 177 



Shadows of Insects.— Wm. Parkinson 177 



Mosquitoes and Malaria.— Dr. R. Hanitsch ... 177 

 The Great Paris Telescope. {Illustrated.) By Sir 



Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S 178 



Geological Survey of the United Kingdom .... 181 



Sir Richard Thorne Thorne, K.C.B., F.R.S. ... 183 



Notes 184 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



New Minor Planet (1899 E.Z.) • • • •_ 187 



Change in Publication of the Astronoviische Nach- 



richten 187 



Companion to the Observatory 187 



Recent Researches on Uric Acid 187 



University and Educational Intelligence 189 



Scientific Serials 190 



Societies and Academies 190 



