598 



NA TURE 



[April 20, 1905 



(3) The X-rays from an ordinary focus-tube were allowed 

 to fall on the flasks in the thermostat, and were specially 

 directed on to the last (nearest outlet). A wire from one 

 of the terminals of a Wimshurst machine was passed down 

 the gauge-tube into the last flask, the other terminal 

 being connected with the bath. 



The last mentioned experiments gave vapour-pressures 

 237-5 ^^^ 2380, instead of the normal value 2340. 



The greatest deviation from the normal value obtamed 

 in the other experiments was slightly more than 05 per 

 cent., which is almost exactly the same as that obtamed 

 in the original investigation. 



It may safely be concluded, therefore, that no naturally 

 occurring supersaturation, or dust, or electrification of the 

 air would have any appreciable effect on the result. 



April 6.—" On Endophytic Adaptation shown by 

 Erysiphc Gramiiiis DC. under Cultural Conditions." By 

 E. S. Salmon. Communicated by Prof. H. Marshall 

 Ward, F.R.S. , , u • . ^ 



In recent papers by the author the fact has been pomted 

 out that certain species of the Erysiphaceee are able, under 

 cultural conditions, to infect their host-plants vigorously 

 when their conidia or ascospores are sown on the cells of 

 the internal tissues exposed by means of a wound, although 

 the fungi in question are confined normally to the external 

 surface of the epidermal cells. 



The author, reviewing the results of the present mvesti- 

 gations points out that they afford proof that E. grammis 

 is not as perhaps might have been expected, so highly 

 specialised as an ectoparasite as to be necessarily restricted 

 for its food-supply to cells of the epidermis, but shows 

 itself capable of immediate adaptation to conditions closely 

 resembling those obtaining in endophytism. 



This fact suggests the possibilitv that in some circum- 

 stances the mycelial hypha: of species of the Erysiphaceae 

 which are normally ectoparasites may penetrate into the 

 internal tissues of their host-plants exposed through wounds 

 caused in nature by the attacks of animals or by physical 

 agency. It is pointed out, however, that the successful 

 entry of the hypha; might be prevented, either by the 

 drying up of the superficial layers of cells, or by the heal- 

 ing processes shown by many actively growing leaves. 



" On the Physical Chemistry of the Toxin-Antitoxin Re- 

 action : with Special Reference to the Neutralisation of 

 Lysin by Antilysin." By J. A. Craw. Communicated by 

 Dr. C. J. Martin, F.R.S. 



Summary of Conclusions.— (i) Megatherium lysin passed 

 through a gelatin filter, and is diffusible through gelatin. 



(2) Megatherium antilysin does not pass through a gelatin 

 filter, and is not appreciably diffusible through gelatin. 



(3) The filtration and diffusion of mixtures show that free 

 lysin is present in neutral mixtures and in mixtures contain- 

 ing excess of antilysin. (4) Free antilysin exists in neutral 

 mixtures, and in mixtures containing excess of lysin. 

 (5) The reaction is at least partially reversible when excess 

 of antilysin is present. (6) False equilibria are produced 

 with greater facility when the lysin is in excess. (7) The 

 neutralisation equation of Arrhenius and Madsen does not 

 hold for multiple mixtures. (8) The removal of lysin from 

 a solution by antilysin is not capable of interpretation as 

 a purely chemical change, but is more analogous to certain 

 adsorption phenomena. 



Faraday Society, April 4— Prof. A. K. Huntington in 

 the chair. — Alloys of copper and bismuth : A. H. Hiorns. 

 Results of a further research on copper alloys carried out 

 in a similar manner to that on the copper-arsenic series 

 published in the Transactions of the society, April, 1904. 

 Prof. Arnold has investigated the effect of bismuth, from 

 01 per cent, to 05 per cent., on copper, and found that 

 the investing membranes surrounding the grains of copper 

 appeared to be split down the centre, presenting a definite 

 plane of cleavage. Dr. Gautier obtained a freezing-point 

 curve similar to the author's, but his temperatures are 

 generally higher. The microscopic evidence mainly con- 

 firms the records of the freezing-point curves, of which 

 there are four branches. — Refractory materials for furnace 

 linings : E. Kilburn Scott. (Discussion.) — Electrically 

 hfated carbon tube furnaces, part i. : R. S. Hutton and 

 \\'. II. Patterson. This type of furnace seems to be the 



NO. 185I, VOL. 71] 



most readily available for the very highest temperatures, 

 and the authors have been able to get satisfactory results 

 with a very simple type of construction. The important 

 points to bear in mind are the end connections (which 

 must be kept cool), protection of the tube from contact 

 with air, and heat insulation. Two types of furnace are 

 described: — (1) graphite tube furnace; (2) agglomerated 

 carbon tube furnaces. 



Anthropological Institute, April 4. — Prof. W. Gowland, 

 president, in the chair. — The fort and stone-lined pits at 

 Inyanga contrasted with the Great Zimbabwe : R. N. Hall. 

 The walls of the fort are built upon a curved plan, and 

 the fort itself is divided into enclosures for purposes of 

 defence. The fort has twenty-five entrances pierced 

 through the walls which are themselves pierced with a 

 great number of loopholes. The fort is also peculiar for 

 the employment of banquette walls, which are not met 

 with except in a few ruins in southern Rhodesia. Another 

 peculiarity of the building is the absence of buttresses. 

 The stone-lined pits are very numerous throughout 

 Inyanga, and are usually found in clusters of twos and 

 threes. Mr. Hall was of opinion that they were not used 

 as slave-pits, as had been supposed, but as shelters from 

 the variable temperature. The pits consist of a hole lined 

 with masonry, and a curved, paved passage used as an 

 entrance. In almost every case the pits have a drain 

 running through the rampart, and another peculiarity is 

 the erection near them of a stone monolith. Mr. Halt 

 also referred to the hill terraces found in the neighbour- 

 hood, and in conclusion contrasted the architecture of the 

 fort and pits with the temple and acropolis at Zimbabwe. 



Chemical Society, April 6 —Prof. R. Meldola, K.R.S., 

 president, in the chair. — The kinetics of chemical changes 

 which are reversible. The decomposition of ai-dimethyl 

 carbamide : C. E. Fawsitt. This investigation is a con- 

 tinuation of those already published on carbamide and 

 methylcarbamide, and the 'same explanation of the decom^ 

 position holds good. — A new formation of acetylcamphor ^ 

 M. O. Forster and Miss H. M. Judd. The imine 



c,u,/ 



^CH.CMe:NH 

 ^CO 



I 



obtained by the action of magnesium methyl iodide or> 

 a-cyanocamphor, is resolved quantitatively by acids into 

 acetylcamphor and ammonia. — Preparation and properties 

 of 1:4: 5-trimethylglyoxaline : H. A. D. Jowett. This 

 base was prepared in the course of an attempt to obtain 

 substances having a constitution analogous to that of 

 pilocarpine. The base and a number of its salts are de- 

 scribed. — Bromomethyl heptyl ketone : H. A. D. Jowett. 

 This bromoketone is obtained by the action of bromine in 

 chloroform solution on methyl heptyl ketone obtained from 

 oil of rue. — Limonene nitrosocyanides and their derivatives : 

 F. P. Leach. The a-nitrosocyanide crystallises in prisms 

 whilst the /3-compound forms fine woolly needles. These 

 isomerides are regarded as having the cis and trans con- 

 figurations, since on hydrolysis both give rise to the 

 normal oxime of dihydrocarvone. — The action of carbon 

 monoxide on ammonia : H. Jackson and D. Northall- 

 Laurie. The authors find that the main reaction is the 

 formation of ammonium cyanate, which rapidly changes to 

 carbamide.- — The action of acetylene on aqueous and hydro- 

 chloric acid solutions of mercuric chloride : J. S. S. Brame. 

 The first action of acetylene on mercuric chloride is shown 

 to be one of simple combination, the product being therv 

 decomposed by water forming aldehyde and the sub- 

 stance C(HgCI),.CHO. — The basic properties of oxygen at 

 low temperatures. Additive compounds of the halogens 

 with organic substances containing oxygen : D. Mcintosh. 

 Crystalline compounds of chlorine and bromine with methyl 

 and ethyl alcohols, methyl ether, acetone, ethyl acetate, 

 acetaldehyde, and acetic acid have been obtained. — Note- 

 on the interaction of metallic cyanides and organic 

 halides : N. V. Side:>wick. .\ possible explanation of the 

 formation of both nitriles and iiocyanides in this reaction 

 from the same initial additive compound is given- — The 

 chemical dynamics of the renrtions between sodium thio- 

 sulphate and organic halogen compounds, part ii., halogen 

 substituted acetates : A. Slator. The reactions of the- 



