3i6 



NA TURE 



[July 25, 1901 



test of success, especially as regards prophylaxis. If we make 

 this the basis of our estimates, we tind that 4000 consumptives 

 will leave these eslablishments annually as cured. But, accord- 

 ing to the statistics ascertained by ihe German Imperial Office 

 of Health, there are 226,000 persons in Germany above fifteen 

 years of age who are so far gone in consumption that 

 hospital treatment is necessary for them. Compared with 

 this great number of consumptives the success of the es- 

 tablishments in question seems so small that a material 

 influence on the retrogression of tuberculosis in general is not 

 yet to be expected of them. But pray do not imagine that I 

 wish, by this calculation of mine, 10 oppose the movement for 

 the establishment of such sanatoria in any way. I only wish to 

 warn against the over-estimating of their importance which has 

 recently been observable in various quarters, based apparently 

 on the opinion that the war against tuberculosis can be waged by 

 means of sanatoria alone, and that other measures are of sub- 

 ordinate value. In reality the contrary is the case. What is to 

 be achieved by the general prophylaxis resulting from recogni- 

 tion of the danger of infection and the consequent greater 

 caution in intercourse with consumptives is shown by a calcula- 

 tion of Cornet's regarding the decrease of mortality from tuber- 

 culosis in Prussia in the years 1S89 to 1897. Before 1SS9 the 

 average was 31 '4 per 10,000, whereas in the period named it 

 sank to 21 '8, which means that, in that short space of time, the 

 number of deaths from tuberculosis was 184,000 less than was 

 to be expected from the average of the preceding years. In 

 New York, under the influence of the general sanitary measures 

 directed in a simply exemplary manner by Biggs, the mor- 

 tality from tuberculosis has diminished by more than 35 

 per cent, since 1886. And it must be remembered that 

 both in Prussia and New York the progress indicated by these 

 figures is due to the first beginnings of these measures. Con- 

 siderably greater success is to be expected of their further 

 development. Biggs hopes to have got so far in five years that 

 in the ci'y of New York alone the annual number of deaths 

 from tuberculosis will be 3000 less than formerly. I take this 

 opportunity of most urgently recommending Dr. Biggs' organ- 

 isation to the study and imitation of all municipal sanitary 

 authorities. 



Now, I do indeed believe that it will be possible to render 

 the sanatoria considerably more efficient. If strict care be taken 

 that only patients be admitted for whom the treatment of those 

 establishments is well adapted, and if the duration of the treat- 

 ment be prolonged, it will certainly be possible to cure fifty per 

 cent., and perhaps still more. But even then, and even if the 

 number of the sanatoria be greatly increased, the total effect 

 will aKvays remain but moderate. The sanatoria will never 

 render the other measures I have mentioned superfluous. If 

 their number become great, however, and if they perform their 

 functions properly, they may materially aid the strictly sanitary 

 measures in the conflict with tuberculosis. 



If now, in conclusion, we glance back once more to what has 

 been done hitherto for the combating of tuberculosis, and 

 forward to what has still to be done, we are at liberty to declare 

 with a certain satisfaction that very promising beginnings have 

 already been made. Among these I reckon the consumption 

 hospitals of England, the legal regulatiotis regarding notification 

 in Norway and Saxony, the organisation created by Biggs in 

 New York, the sanatoria, and the instruction of the people. 

 All that is necessary is to go on developing these beginnings, to 

 test, and if possible to increase, their influence on the diminution 

 of tuberculosis, and wherever nothing has yet been done, to do 

 likewise. 



If we are continually guided in this enterprise by the spirit of 

 genuine preventive medical science, if we utilise the experience 

 gained in conflict with other pestilences, and aim, with clear 

 recognition of the purpose and resolute avoidance of wrong 

 roads, at striking the evil at its root, then the battle against 

 tuberculosis, which has been so energetically begun, cannot fail 

 to have a victorious issue. 



THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S 



LILY CONFERENCE. 

 ^N July 16 the Ro)al Horticultural Society held a conference 

 ^^^ on "lilies." Although by no means organised upon the 

 same scale as the meeting was two years ago, when hybridisation 

 was discussed, the one under consideration proved, nevertheless, 

 of some importance and much interest. 



NO. 1656, VOL. 64] 



An exhibition of lilies was also arranged for the same day and 

 the following one, in the Society's Gardens at Chiswick, where 

 the conference took place. The number of plants shown was 

 not large, but taking into consideration the fact that many 

 species had done flowering, while others were not yet in blossom, 

 the series collected together may be put down as a fairly 

 representative one. Possibly more examples might have been 

 displayed if growers had had a little longer notice given to them. 



As soon as the inevitable luncheon was cleared away from the 

 tent, the chair was taken by Mr. H. J- Elwes, F. R.S., who 

 had returned from abroad for the jjurpose. He was also put 

 down upon the programme to give an address on lilies, dis- 

 covered or brought into cultivation since the issue of his well- 

 known monograph upon these plants. 



The chairman, however, deputed this part of his task to Mr. 

 J. G. Baker, F.R.S., and contented himself with making a 

 series of interesting coinments upon the various points alluded 

 to by the difterent speakers. Mr. Baker's contribution being 

 mostly descriptive, he merely alluded briefly in passing to the 

 lilies discovered and in several cases taken up by horticulturists 

 during the last twenty years. 



The plants concerned came chiefly from Upper Burma and 

 Central and Western China. Some of the new martagons, 

 however, were discovered in California and North Carolina. 

 Species froin the fiist-mentioned locality were due to the eftbrts 

 of Sir Henry CoUett, while the Chinese ones were collected 

 by French missionaries and by Dr. Henry, who was present 

 and spoke at the conference. 



Among the many species and varieties mentioned, one may 

 allude to Liliiini jniraldU-^ found by one of the missionaries in 

 Western China, and which is unique among lilies in possessing 

 as it does a centrifugal inflorescence ; in all others, the lowermost 

 flowers upon the stalk are the first to open. L. loweivia.% shown 

 to be the same thing as L. bakeriaiuim, the latter name having 

 priority. 



Dr. Henry, who sent home no less than 13.700 specimens of 

 plants, was the next to speak. He was not able to pay special 

 attention to any one kind of plants, so had nothing very 

 particular to say about the habitats of lilies. 



He described a day's journey in Western China as up one side 

 of a mountain and down again into the valley on the other side. 

 This speaker also pointed out that there were thousands and 

 thousands of these valleys, each with its ow n flora, and that there 

 was ample room in the tracts of country he traversed for a 

 hundred collectors of plants. 



After several contributions had been made to the meeting, 

 Mr. George Massee had something to say upon the fungoid 

 diseases to which lilies are liable. The chairman had already 

 pointed out how the scientific man was indebted to the profes- 

 sional horticulturist, who introduced and flowered many species 

 that the former would otherwise be unable to figitre from living 

 species when monographing a genus, and, again, how the 

 practical man gains through the work of the botanist. Mr. 

 Massee showed very forcibly how the gardener does not profit 

 as much as he might from the labours of the mycologist. Great 

 intelligence was granted to the horticulturist, but within a 

 certain circle ; this did not, however, include an appreciation of 

 many simple methods of prevention. For instance, Mr. Massee 

 pointed out that by merely adding a little kainite or Strasburgh 

 fertiliser the most serious "lily disease," which, when it has 

 once taken a hold, is incurable, can be successfully warded off. 



When the whole series of papers is printed, growers of lilies 

 should find much information of use to them, while botanists 

 should be grateful to have their knowledge ol the species and 

 varieties of lilies brought once more up to date. 



, Wilfred Mark Webb. 



THE PROPERTIES OF STEEL CASTINGS. 



T^HE first of a series of papers on the result of researches 

 ■'■ carried out during several years at the Sheffield University 

 College was read by Prof. J. O. Arnold before the Iron and 

 Steel Institute on May 9. 



This preliminary paper dealt only with castings composed 

 mainly of iron and carbon. It was shown that such a com- 

 position was unsuitable to meet the demands of engineers. The 

 maximum stress recorded in the series was 32 42 tons per sq. 

 in., associated with an elongation of only 2 per cent., whilst 

 the maximum ductility obtained was an elongation of 46 per 



