192 
NATURE 
| DECEMBER 24, 1903 
hysteresis; according to the author’s theory it is the inter- 
vention of the viscosity which determines the suppression 
of the hysteresis.—The direct preparation of cyclohexanol 
and cyclohexanone starting from phenol, by MM. Sabatier 
and Senderens. The vapour of phenol mixed with 
hydrogen in excess and passed over reduced nickel at 215° 
to 230° C. gives a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclo- 
hexanol. The vapour of this mixture, passed over reduced 
copper at 330° C., gives hexanone in a practically pure 
state; the same mixture, mixed with an excess of hydrogen 
and passed again over reduced nickel, gives the pure cyclo- 
hexanol. The method is general, and has been applied with 
success to the cresols.—On partial differential equations of 
the second order, by M. Hadamard.—On a generalisation 
of the theory of algebraical continued fractions, by M. E. 
Goursat.—On the differential equation of Riccati of the 
second order, by M. George Wallenberg.—A simple method 
permitting of the registration on the walls of a rotating 
cylinder of great pressures with small forces, by. M. Albert 
Heérisson.—An internal combustion motor firing by com- 
pression, by M. Canmevel. In the motor described, the 
ignition is produced by a compression of about 30 atmo- 
spheres.—On a new method of measuring thicknesses and 
refractive indices, by MM. J. Macé de Lépinay and 
H. Buisson. The method consists in the observation of 
the rings of parallel plates and the fringes of mixed plates. 
The thickness of the plate is measured approximately to 
o-o1 mm., and the excess measured by the fringes, results 
having been obtained with plates up to 36 mm. thick. 
With plates of quartz of this thickness, the refractive index 
can be measured with an accuracy of some units in the 
seventh decimal place. Measurements on the same block 
of quartz, carried out on different portions of the plate, 
gave differences of four units in the sixth place, although 
the quartz was apparently perfectly homogeneous.—On the 
ionisation of phosphorus, by M. Eugéne Bloch. Indepen- 
dent measurements of the mobilities, the coefficients of re- 
combination, and of the ratio e=a/47(K,+K,) for phos- 
phorus ions lead to perfectly concordant results, the 
agreement giving the best demonstration of the real 
ionisation of phosphorus.—Study of a contact resistance, by 
M. A. Blane. A contact resistance is of a very different 
nature from a metallic resistance, and is, under certain 
conditions, a reversible function of the intensity of the 
current. It undergoes an irreversible diminution whenever 
it is traversed by a sufficient current during an appreciable 
time, and this last phenomenon depends on the direction 
of the current.—On the distortion developed by shock in 
notched test-pieces, by M. A. Pérot. The effect of notching 
the test-piece is to limit to a narrow region the deformation 
produced, which is then recorded automatically by a photo- 
graphic method. Diagrams are given showing the curves 
obtained with different specimens of the same metal.— 
Luminous sensation as a function of the time for coloured 
light. Discussion of the results, by MM. André Broca 
and D. Sulzer. A study of the retinal fatigue for different 
colours. Sources of light very rich in blue rays, such as 
the electric are or yery powerful incandescent burners, are 
injurious to the eye. The mean radiations of the spectrum, 
for which the energy is at a maximum, are those for which 
the human eye works most economically.—The emission of 
the n-rays (Blondlot rays) by the human organism, 
especially by the muscles and nerves, by M. Aug. Charpen- 
tier (see p. 182).—The action of a mixture of oxygen and 
hydrochloric acid on some _ metals, by M. Camille 
Matignon. Most of the metals of the platinum group are 
attacked by hydrochloric acid in the presence of air. 
Palladium and ruthenium are slowly attacked in the cold; 
iridium, rhodium and osmium at 150° C., the chloride being 
formed in all cases.—On the constitution and properties of 
the silicon steels, by M. Léon Guitlet. Only steels contain- 
ing less than 5 per cent. of silicon can be utilised; after 
tempering, these steels offer great resistance to shock, this 
power of resistance being relatively higher in high carbon 
steels. The results agree with those of M. Osmond in 
proving the existence of two solutions of silicon in iron, the 
one Fe—Si, the other Fe—Fe,Si.—A new method for deter- 
mining the critical points in iron and steel, by M. O. 
Boudouard. A modification of the self-recording method 
of Saladin, in which only one thermo-couple is required 
instead of two.—On meteoric irons, by MM. F. Osmond 
NO. 1782, VOL. 69] 
and G. Cartaud. Meteoric irons, on account of the 
extreme slowness of their cooling, show the normal state 
of equilibrium of the alloys of nickel and iron, whilst 
terrestrial alloys are in a metastable state-——On the pre- 
paration of the sesquiselenide of iridium, by MM. C. 
Chabrié and A. Bouchonnet. The selenide was pre- 
pared by the action of a stream of hydrogen selenide upon 
a solution of an iridium salt. It is amorphous, insoluble 
in nitric acid, and gave figures on analysis corresponding 
to Ir,Se,.—On the acetates of the alkaline earths, by M. 
Albert Colson. No acetochloride of calcium or mag- 
nesium, corresponding to the known barium salt, could be 
isolated.—The action of bromosuccinic and dibromosuccinic 
acids upon the pyridine and quinoline bases, by M. Louis 
Dubreuil. The action varies with the base and the solvent ; 
by varying the experimental conditions malic, fumaric, 
bromofumaric, bromomaleic, and acetylenedicarboxylic 
acids can be isolated.—On a new tri-iodophenol, by M. P. 
Brenans.—Stereoisomerism in the esters of substituted 
camphocarbonic and methylhomocamphoric acids. _ Ethyl- 
camphocarbonic acid, by M. J. Minguin.—Mercur- 
ammonium iodides of the primary and tertiary amines, by 
M. Maurice Frangois.—On the esterification of phosphoric 
acid by glycerol, by M. P. Carré.—The origin of pearls, 
by M. Louis Boutan.—On the elementary factors of 
heredity, by M. Georges Coutagne.—On the geology and 
subterranean hydrology of the Eastern Caucasus, by MM. 
A. Yermeloff and E. A. Martel.—The supposed alcoholic 
fermentation of animal tissues, by M. F. Batelli. The 
results of the experiments described confirm those of Cohn- 
heim, the alcoholic fermentation of the sugar obtained 
in vitro by extracts of the organs of higher animals being 
due to the presence of micro-organisms, and not to the 
action of an enzyme or of a nucleoproteid of animal origin. 
—Contribution to the study of amylo-coagulase, by M. A. 
Boidin.—Functional correlations between the poison glands 
and ovary in the common toad, by M. C. Phisalix.—The 
conditions special to the circulation of the glands in 
activity, by MM. G. Moussu and J. Tissot. 
CONTENTS. PAGE 
Lunge’s Sulphuric Acid Ss le We Je ta ee ae 
Religion, Life and Genius. By G.S.B....... 170 
Atomsiandithe Zi ther, By J. PiKo 20a 
Our Book Shelf :— 
Dewar: ‘‘ Animals of NoImportance.”—R. L.. . . 172 
Mod): **Farming.”—A. Di(El. |. 2) 5) pete 
Keller : ** Queries in Ethnography” . . : 172 
Hampson: ‘‘ Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalzenze 
in the British Museum,” vol.iv. . ....... 173 
“« Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society,” 
vol. xxxv. . NS SSeS 5 FS, 
“Insist on Yourself. The only Law of Success”. . 173 
Letters to the Editor :— 
The Unusual Sky Colours and the Atmospheric 
Circulation.—Dr. A. Lawrence Rotch Pree) 47/2) 
Internal Oscillation in the Waters of Loch Ness. f 
(With Diagrams.)\—E.R. Watson ...... 174 
A Great Religion. (Z//ustrated.). ......... 175 
Science in Soft Raiment. (Z/lustrated.) By 
PAPE RR SIR: US sh ae oe 176 
Indian Meteorological Memoirs. 
The Food and Drugs Acts oes re 
StateAid for Agriculture; 5 .°. .. . .:.. .seeaneaeren 
Robert Etheridge, F.R.S. By H. B. W. ... . . 2181 
NOTES eee cc atits fc.) 2 > oe ee 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
Radial Velocities of B Aurige ......... . 185 
The ‘‘ Doubling” of the Martian Canals. . . . . . 185 
Observations of Leonids and Bielids at Athens . . .. 186 
The Higher Education of Women. By A. T. 
Simmons . -- E86) 
Cave Exploration in Ireland, ByG.A.J.C. ... 189 
University and Educational Intelligence . . . . . 189 
Societies and Academies . . . + 3a wt Soe 
By W. J. S.L.. 178 
H 
