254 



NA TURE 



[January 15, 1903 



the introduction of light energy follows the same law in the 

 light as in the dark. In the latter circumstances, the only 

 active forces are those of chemical affinity. Tne influence of 

 the light energy is therefore quite different in its effect upon the 

 reacting substances from that of electrical energy, the effect of 

 the latter being regulated, of course, by Faraday's law. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Bennett's Wallaby {Macropus bennelti) 

 from Tasmania, presented by Lady Boord ; a Spotted Sila- 

 mander (Salamandra maculosa) from Italy, presented by Mr. G. 

 Botiini ; two Bennett's Wallabys {Macropus bennetti) from 

 Tasmania, a White-fronted Amazon (Chrysolis albifrous) from 

 Cuba.'three Ring-necked Pdrra\ieeis(Palaeornistorauatus, var.), 

 a Gangetic Trionyx (Triony.x gangelicus) from India, a RufT 

 (Machetes pitgnax), a Skylark (Alauda arvensis albino) British, 

 a Himalayan Monaul (Lophnphorus iwpeyanus) from the 

 Himalayas, deposited. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



New Variable Star 21, 1902, Saoitive. — From photo- 

 graphs taken by M. S. Blakjo at Moscow, Madame Ceraski 

 has found that the star having the position 



1855 a = 20h. 13m. 47s., $ ;= +20° 39'o, 

 1900 a = 20h. 15m. 46s., 5 = +20° 47''3, 



is a variable. 



The magnitude varies from 9'5 to 11 '5 or a little more, and 

 M. Blakjo believes the period to be a long one, perhaps several 

 weeks or months. In September, the actual visual magnitude 

 was 1 1 '5 (Astronomische Nachrichten, No. 3836.) 



"The Heavens at a Glance," 1903. — The seventh yearly 

 publication of this handy card is full of useful astronomical 

 information for amateur observers. In addition to the usual 

 monthly "Celestial Diary," tables of "Sidereal Objects " and 

 " Descriptive Notes," it contains two small star charts which 

 will be found very useful. The card may be obt lined from its 

 c >mpiler, Mr. Arthur Mee, L'anishen, C irdiff, price sevenpence, 

 post free. 



Observations of Long-period Variable Stars — In 

 Nos. 3835-6 of the Astronomische Nachrichten, Father Esch, 

 S.J., of Yalkenberg, gives the detailed' results of his observ- 

 ations of seventy-eight long-period variables. The objects are 

 denoted by their names and numbers in Hagen's "Atlas 

 Sjellarum Variabilium," and the, dates of their maxima, with 

 the amount of variation from the elements given in the Atlas, 

 pre given, together with their range of vai lability and remarks 

 by the observer. 



Observations of Occui.tations — Mr. G. W. Hough, 

 director of the Dearborn Observatory, gives the details of his 

 observations of ninety-one occullations of stars by the moon, 

 during the years T900 and 1901, in No. 52Sof the Astronomical 

 Journal. 



lie divides the phenomena into four classes, and in the 

 founh class he places those in which the star appears to be pro- 

 jected on the earth-like disc of the moon for some seconds 

 before the final disippearance ; he explains this phenomenon by 

 suggesting that, as the edge of the moon is not a smooth out- 

 line, the star may pass behind the moon at a point where there 

 is a depression in the limb and so appear to be projected beyond 

 the geometrical outline of that limb. 



In the case of the occupation of the star D, M. + 20° 807 on 

 February 25, 1901, the star apparently disappeared and the 

 time was recorded, but it was seen again and a second record 

 made 3 S seconds after the first. This phenomenon was un- 

 doubtedly due to the reduction in light of a close double when 

 the One component had passed behind the limb.for the object 

 was afterwards identified as Ho 332,/ = 1259, s = t"o3, 9m.- 

 9,m. 



The phenomenon observed on the occupation of the star 

 S D.M. - 20 c '4Slo, on October 17, 1901 (p= 106'), belonged to 

 the f6urlh class mentioned above, for thesiar appealed to be 

 projected on the limb of the moon 'two or -three seconds before 

 its disappearance. nJ 



NO. 1733, VOL. 67] 



THE VACCINATION ACTS. 



PIIE present position of the law relating to vaccination in 

 England is indefensible. There is probably no great 

 question in the domain of medicine on which the medical pro- 

 fession are nearer to absolute unanimity than that of the value 

 and necessity of vaccination as a protection against small-pox. 

 Independently of professional authority, perhaps no medical 

 doctrine has for its basis so great an amount of statistical 

 evidence gathered over so wide an area for so long a time. 

 This unanimity of belief and this statistical evidence are equally 

 strong and of equal value as regirds the primary vaccination of 

 infants and the revaccination ot adolescents. 



It is not the purpose of this paper to cite any of the evidence 

 in question. What the writer desires to point out here is that 

 the existence in this country of Acts of Parliament making 

 vaccination of children obligatory, or even providing expensive 

 administrative machinery for the vaccination of persons volun- 

 tarily asking for it, must be taken as proof that Parliament 

 accepts the conclusion that vaccination prevents small-pox. 

 But the legislature is in the strange position of insisting on in- 

 fantile primary vaccination and of making no requirement 

 whatever regarding revaccination. At one time, and indeed 

 up to a comparatively recent date, this attitude was defensible, 

 for the great mistake of Jenner's life was that he believed a 

 single vaccination to be sufficient for permanent protection, and 

 the veneration naturally entertained for his name and work 

 probably delayed general recognition of the need for repetition 

 of the operation. That need, however, has now long been re- 

 cognised, and the experience of Germany shows that vaccination 

 in infancy and a single revaccination at a proper interval after- 

 wards are sufficient to confer national protection against small- 

 pox, though no doubt in any such protected nation or empire 

 theri will be individuals who owe their freedom from small-pox 

 more to their being surrounded by a vaccinated and revaccin- 

 ated population not liable to epidemics than to the permanence 

 of their own personal immunity. No argument can be used in 

 favour of a law of primaiy vaccination which is not also valid 

 for a law of revaccination. If there is any reason for having no 

 Revaccination Act, the same reason exists for having no 

 Vaccination Act at all. Both should stand or fall together. 



The importance of a Revaccination Act for England was 

 prominently but unsuccessfully brought before Parliament when 

 the law was being altered in iSgSby the passing of the temporary 

 Act which came into force at the end of that year. The main 

 features of thit measure were the provision of domiciliary 

 vaccination and the much-debated Conscience Clause: The 

 Act was passed experimentally only for a period of five years, 

 and comes to an end on December 31, 1903. Next session is 

 practically certain to see one of two alternatives adopted by 

 Government. Either new legislation will be introduced or the 

 Act of 1898 will find a place in the Expiring Laws Continuance 

 Bill. This latter course would shelve several questions which 

 cry out for solution and ought not to be shelved. To prevent 

 its adoption and to help Government to frame any new measure 

 on the best lines are among the principal reasons for the formation 

 of the Imperial Vaccination League, the first meeting of which 

 was held in London lately under the chairmanship of the Duke 

 of Northumberland. The L'ague has other important objects 

 before if. It desires to educate and interest the public gener- 

 ally in the subject of vaccination and revaccination. As con- 

 cerns legislation, it has under consideration by separate sub- 

 committees the questions of a Revaccination Bill, the supply of 

 lymph prepared hy Government or under Government super- 

 vision for the needs of the whole country, and the question of 

 the proper locul authority for the administration of the Vaccin- 

 ation Acts. The last of these, though an important adminis- 

 trative subject, is after all of much less public moment than the 

 two others — the protection of the lymph supply and obligatory 

 revaccination. 



The risks attached to arm-to-arm vaccination in this country 

 were greatly overstated by anli-vaccinationists. In no class of 

 the population was arm-to-arm vaccination more uniformly 

 resorted to than in the families of medical men, and the Royal 

 Commission, which sat for the long period of seven years, 

 concluded, after elahorate inquiry, that ihe risks were insignifi- 

 cant and were diminishing. Nevertheless, they recognised that 

 the fear of injury from vaccination arid especially the fear of 

 syphilitic iriorjulation was a potent factor in hindering people 

 from securing the protection of their children against small pox. 



