560 
NATURE 
[ APRIL 11, (1907 
October 12 (standardisation period)=84-8. On nine out of 
thirty-five observations during this period the corrected 
percentage was below oo. 
Lowest corrected percentage during two blank experi- 
ments, each lasting twelve days=89-1. On one out of 
twenty observations during these two periods of blank 
experiment the corrected percentage leak was below go. 
Lowest corrected percentage during period November 
7-17, after two days’ proximity of the aluminium plate to 
pitchblende=81-9. On ten out of eleven observations 
during this first period of true experiment the corrected 
percentage was below go. 
Lowest corrected percentage during 
November 21 to December 24, after a two days’ re- 
approximation to pitchblende=79-5. On thirty-one out of 
thirty-five observations during this second period of true 
experiment the corrected percentage leak was below go. 
W. S. Lazarus-BarLtow. 
Cancer Research Laboratories, The Middlesex 
Hospital, W., April 3. 
the period 
Atmospheric See-Saw Phenomenon and the Occurrence 
of Typhoon Storms. 
In January last there was a very noteworthy barometric 
change agreeing in a high degree with the results of those 
synodal pressure periods which have been affirmed for 
European latitudes by the statistical investigations of two 
German meteorologists, Captain K. Seemann and Dr. G. 
Meyer. These results require high pressure at the time 
of the first quarter and low pressure at the time of the 
full moon, especially in the months from September to 
January. Last January was also in a synodal respect 
marked by its elliptical character; so it agrees accurately 
with those requirements, the first date (January 21) nearly 
coinciding with a record of high pressure in northern, 
central, and eastern Europe, and the latter date (January 29) 
with a decidedly low pressure. The conditions on the 
following first quarter (February 20) were completely 
reversed, for on this date there was a remarkable record of 
low pressure in the above parts of the earth-atmosphere. 
This direct reversal of the pressure conditions of 
January was sufficient to excite the suspicion of a kind of 
see-saw phenomenon. This suspicion has been confirmed 
by a synoptic investigation of the barometric conditions 
over the whole earth, so far as information is at present 
available. The isobar of 760 mm. surrounded on 
February 20 the greater parts of Europe, the North 
Atlantic, and North America. The whole area contains 
more than 50,000,000 square km., nearly one-tenth of the 
whole surface of the earth; but it soon became possible 
to prove that an area of very high pressure also existed 
on February 20. This area had its centre over Trans- 
baikalia. The weather report of St. Petersburg records on 
that day barometric observations from Chita of 789-8 mm., 
from Nerchinsk of 785-0 mm., and from Irkutsk of 
783-4 mm. In Chita and Nerchinsk the barometer was 
ascending from February 19 to February 20. It is possible, 
too, that those tabulated barometric readings were too low. 
In the same reports the maps of January 22-23 show areas 
of more than 800 mm.; but in the tables the readings of 
all stations, including the stations situated in those areas, 
are below 800 mm. 
This record day of high pressure, examined in the same 
manner, shows a much more widely spread area of pressure 
over 760 mm. than the area in which the readings of 
February 20 were under 760 mm. The high-pressure area 
of January 23 seems to contain nearly the whole of Europe, 
the greater parts of Asia and America, the Northern 
Atlantic, the Chinese and Indian Seas. Mostly below 
760 mm. apparently were the continents of Australia and 
Africa and south-western Asia. The whole area of high 
pressure contained about 157,000,000 square km., nearly 
one-third of the surface of the earth. 
To the east of the Japanese islands, from Formosa to 
Yeso, there were some depressions below 760 mm. and 
763 mm. which had shown on the previous days 
more or less a typhoon character. Zikawei recorded on 
January 23 an area below 724 mm. between 22° and 30° 
N. lat. and east of 140° E. long. The very lowest 
NO. 1954, VOL 75| 
barometric reading of the same day is recorded—so far as 
there is information—in South Argentina, C. Virgenes 
in N.E. Tierra del Fuego showing a pressure below 
750 mm. 
The atmospheric conditions prevailing on January 23 
over the N.W. Pacific point to a possible’ connection of 
the pan-atmospheric see-saw phenomenon with typhoon 
storms. Indeed, the extreme depressions of these storms 
seem able to exercise an influence on the common atmo- 
spheric situation. Further, the most frequented typhoon 
areas nearly coincide geographically with the two areas 
of contrary see-saw, as these areas are ascertained by my 
method of qualitative analysis of some barometric 
diagrams. The two areas are the Indo-Australian and the 
Central American regions. 
I feel bound to publish these preliminary notes first in 
an English journal, because my researches in the main 
were made possible by the materials which the Meteor- 
ological Office in London liberally placed at my disposal. 
WILHELM Kress. 
Grossflottbek bei Hamburg, Hohlweg 8, Germany. 
Early Reference to Red-light Treatment of Small-pox. 
Tue use of blue light as an anzsthetic and red light to 
prevent marking from small-pox has aroused some interest 
within recent times. The subjoined extract is from a 
footnote in Miss Strickland’s history of Queen Marguerite 
of France, and was first published in 1839. According to 
this quotation from Gaddesden, the red-light treatment 
would seem to have been known in the days of Edward 
the First. ALFRED SANG. 
Garland Nut and Rivet Co., Pittsburg, Pa. 
WuiLE music and sculpture had attained some degree 
of perfection in England at this time, other arts and 
sciences were in a strange state of barbarous ignorance. 
The earliest notice of medical practice is to be found, at 
this era, in the Latin work of Gaddesden, physician at 
the court of Queen Marguerite. This learned doctor, de- 
scribing his treatment of Prince Edward in the small- 
pox, thus declares his mode of practice :—‘‘I ordered the 
prince to be enveloped in scarlet cloth, and that his bed 
and all the furniture of his chamber should be of a 
bright red colour; which practice not only cured him, but 
prevented his being marked.’’ More by good luck than 
good management; assuredly, it may be supposed that 
Gaddesden wished to stare the red inflammation of the 
small-pox out of countenance, by his glare of scarlet re- 
flections! He adds in his Rosa Anglorum that “ he 
treated the sons of the noblest houses in England with the 
red system, and made good cures of all.’’ In _ this 
childish state was the noble art of healing at the court 
of Marguerite. 
The Lyrid Meteors. 
THERE are other nights besides the usual ones of 
April 20-22 on which it is desirable that a watch should 
be maintained for these meteors, and in the present year 
there are three dates that call for special attention in this 
respect, viz. those of April. 14, 18, and 23, as from calcu- 
lations made by the present writer showers become due 
on these nights, though it will not be possible, owing to 
the hours of their occurrence, to observe them all from 
the same station. Probably, so far as direct observation 
is concerned, the general Lyrid maximum will fall on the 
night of April 23, as its special periods of activity will 
favour more observers than in the case of the other two 
displays. ‘ 
The following are the computed times of the various 
maxima of the anticipated showers :— 
zh. and oh. 30m. G.M.T. 
April 18, 3h. 30m. and 7h. G.M.T. 
April 23, 8h. 30m. and 14h. G.M.T. 
The moon will hinder observations most on the night 
of April 23, but if this night turns out clear, some fine 
meteors will probably be observed. 
April 14, 
Joun R. Henry. 
