July ii, 1901] 



NA TURE 



261 



less, and, last but not least, in a disease which attacks the 

 face the cosmetic results are wonderful. The skin of the 

 areas treated is soft, supple and pale, and in some cases 

 so nearly resembles the healthy skin that it requires 

 careful observation to detect the difference. As we have 

 already mentioned, the drawbacks are the time and the 

 expense, and the impossibility of treating the mucous sur- 

 faces. If a cheaper method of application, with shorter 

 e-vposures and the possibility of treating a larger area at 

 one sitting, is introduced, there is no doubt that the 

 light treatment will lie used in every hospital where a 

 suitable electrical installation is obtainable. 



NOTES. 



• We deeply regret to record that Prof. P. G. Tait, late pro- 

 fessor of natural philosophy in Edinburgh University, died on 

 Thursday last, July 4, at seventy years of age. 



A STATUE of Chevreul is to be unveiled to-day at the Paris 

 Museum of Natural History. 



The death is announced of Prof. T. H. Safford, professor of 

 astronomy in Williams College, Williamstown, Mass., U.S.A. 

 Prjf Safford was born in 1S36 and was renowned for his 

 mathematical attainments as well as for his work in preparing 

 catalogues of stars.-- 



The death of Sir Cuthbert Peek, at the early age of forty-si.\, 

 will be regretted in scientific circles, for he was a liberal patron 

 of scientific work as well as an active worker. He was interested 

 in many branches of science, being a Fellow of the Royal Astro- 

 nomical. Geographical, Meteorological and other Societies, and 

 of the Anthropological Institute. He also served on the councils 

 of several scientific societies. He maintained a well-equipped 

 observatory at Rousdon, near Lyme Regis, Devon, and the 

 meteorological and astronomical observations made there have 

 frequently been referred to in these columns. Science can ill 

 afford to lose one who was in such complete sympathy with its 

 interests. 



Tidings have been received of the death of Dr. Joseph Le 

 Conte, professor of geology and natural history in the University 

 of CaUfornia. He was born in Georgia on February 26, 1S23, 

 and was a son of Dr. Lewis Le Conte, the botanist. Having 

 studied for the medical profession, and taken the degree of 

 M D. at New York in 1845, he settled at Macon as a physician. 

 Science, and particularly geolog)-, however, attracted much of 

 his attention. In 1S56 he was appointed professor of chemistry 

 and geology in South Carolina College, and he resigned this 

 post in 1S69 for the professorship at San Francisco. He was 

 the author of a useful work on the "Elements of Geology" 

 (1878), of which a revised edition was issued in 18S9, and he 

 gave special attention to the study of volcanic and also of glacial 

 phenomena. 



The International Association for the Advancement of 

 Science, Arts and Education will hold its second international 

 meeting at Glasgow in the University and in the International 

 Exhibition from July 29 to September 27. 



The Times correspondent at St. Petersburg states that the 

 Imperial Geographical Society is sending an expedition to the 

 Pamir under the leadership of Dr. Fedshenko with the object 

 of making geological, botanical and zoological researches. 



The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy announce the inten- 

 tion to award two premiums of twenty-five guineas each for the 

 best papers on the comparative merits of circular and rectangular 

 shafts respectively, for mines of great depth. An annual prize 

 of ten guineas will also be awarded for the be.st paper upon any 

 NO. 1654, VOL. 64] 



subject connected with the treatment of ore. Particulars can be 

 obtained from the secretary of the Institution, Broad-street 

 House, London, E.C. 



A CORRESPONDENT sends us the following translation of an 

 article which appeared in the Neiu Freie Presse of Vienna, and 

 was translated in the Copenhagen Journal Daiuiehrog on June 28, 

 upon the removal of Tycho Brahe's remains from his tomb. This 

 is the first report we have seen of the event ; — " On the occasion 

 of the 300th anniversary of Tycho Brahe's death the Prague Town 

 Council decided to gather together the remains of the celebrated 

 astronomer, which were in the Teyn Church, and bury them 

 anew. Under the guidance of Mr. Herlein this operation was 

 commenced yesterday. After having lifted the stone block on 

 the monument, which is situated near the first column in the 

 nave and which bears a full-length effigy of the great astronomer, , 

 a semi-collap.sed arch was found, and on removing the stones 

 two mouldering coffins were seen. On the following day a 

 committee met to determine whether these bodies were those 

 of Tycho Brahe and his wife. Two workmen with candles 

 descended into the vault and removed the debris which covered 

 the coffins, the wood of which was quite rotten and fell to pieces 

 at every rough touch. About 10 a.m. the lid of the first coffin 

 was free to be removed. It was a surprising sight that met the 

 eye ; the body in the coffin was a wonderful likeness of the 

 effigy on the monument. The head was slightly turned to one 

 side, the bones of the face and the peaked Spanish beard being 

 well preserved. The head was covered with a skull cap, and 

 the neck was surrounded by a Spanish ruff which, like the 

 remainder of the clothing, had suffered little during the 300 years 

 since Tycho Brahe was laid in his last resting place. The feet 

 were shod in long cavalry boots reaching up over the knee. 

 That the body was Tycho Brahe's was also seen from the 

 absence of the nose ; Tycho lost this organ in a duel and wore 

 a silver one in its place. Amongst the rubbish was found a 

 silver wreath and spray of flowers. The construction of the 

 grave was rather remarkable, the stones being laid loosely over 

 one another. This is all the more astonishing seeing Tycho 

 Brahe was buried with great pomp and honours, but it is sup- 

 posed that the vault broke down during the restoration of the 

 church in 1721." 



Dr. C. D. Walcott, director of the U.S. Geological Survey, 

 contributes to Science of June 29 a long article on the relations 

 of the national Government to higher education and research. 

 The U.S. Congress has generously aided technical and higher 

 education by grants of land to States and territories for educa- 

 tional purposes. This policy was inaugurated in 17S7, when a 

 contract was entered into between the Ohio Company and the 

 Board of Treasury of the United States, whereby lot 16 in 

 every township was given for the maintenance of public schools 

 and not more than two complete townships were given per- 

 petually for the purpose of a university, the land to be applied 

 to the purpose by the legislature of the State. The most im- 

 portant act, afier that of 17S7, was that of 1S62, granting land 

 for the endowment of colleges for teaching agriculture and the 

 mechanical arts. The total grants of land amount to about 

 20,000 square miles, about 4000 square miles of which are for 

 the establishment of higher institutions of learning, and 16,000 

 square miles are in aid of " colleges for the benefit of agriculture 

 and the mechanical arts." In addition. Congress now grants 

 annually to each of the forty-five States the sum of 5000/., which 

 is expended under the direction of State boards. The policy of 

 the U.S. Government has thus been to relegate the direct con- 

 trol of education to the States, aiding them in this work by 

 grants of land, and in the case of technical education by grants 

 of money also. The Government has carried on original re- 

 search for lis own purposes in the district of Columbia, through 



