Marcu 10, 1904] 
NATURE 
AES) 
state in which they occur in colloidal solutions, and were 
exposed to the bombardment of Rontgen and kathode rays. 
Although ordinary substances do not give off a radio-active 
emanation, reasons are advanced for believing that they give 
out rays similar to Réntgen rays.—On the temperature 
effect on the rate of combination of hydrogen and chlorine : 
P. V. Bevan.—On the convection of heat: H. A. Wilson. 
—On the calculation of capacities in terms of the coefficients | 
of electrostatic induction: G. F. C. Searle. 
DUBLIN. 
Royal Dublin Society, February 16.—Mr. W. E. Wilson, 
F.R.>., in the chair.—Prof. E. J. McWeeney described 
his recent investigations on the distribution of Bacillus coli 
communis, Bacillus enteritidis sporogenes, and Streptococci 
in shell-fish, sand, and sea-water from various points on 
the Irish littoral, with special reference to the value of 
these organisms as evidence of sewage-contamination. The 
author began by referring to the evidence that had convinced 
hygienists that shell-fish, and especially oysters, may serve 
as vehicles for pathogenic organisms, especially those of 
enteric fever. It is along with other organic matters of 
sewage origin that these bacilli gain access to the oyster, 
hence the necessity for establishing some test whereby the 
actual contamination of shell-fish with sewage, and, in- 
ferentially, their potential contamination with specific 
disease germs, may be recognised. With this object he 
had, under the auspices of the Local Government Board 
for Ireland, carried out a systematic bacterioscopic examin- 
ation of shell-fish, water and mud, collected by Dr. Browne 
from the several layings round the Irish coast. A leading 
feature of the work was its independence of the local in- 
spection conducted by Dr. Browne. Each oyster was tested 
for coli and enteritidis, the quantity of the mingled shell- 
water and body-fluid tested being as a rule 1 c.c. The 
author very much doubted the positive value of enteritidis, 
but considered that its absence was a valuable evidence of 
purity. Both it and coli were absent from deep-sea oysters. 
Enteritidis was present in nearly 100 per cent. of oysters 
from a polluted locality when, for some unknown cause, 
coli was not demonstrable. In view of the occasional occur- 
rence of coli in material from unpolluted localities, to con- 
demn a laying on the strength of its presence in a few 
oysters from a chance batch was, in his opinion, unjustifi- 
able. The occurrence of coli in a large percentage of 
molluscs from an apparently pure locality was to be taken 
as a danger signal, indicating the need for renewed and 
more stringent local inspection. The author considered that 
the delimitation of the species-idea B. coli communis was 
of much importance. With regard to the characters of 
B enteritidis sporogenes, the author was in agreement with 
Klein.—Mr. W. B. Wright and Mr. H. B. Muff com- 
municated a paper upon the pre-Glacial raised beach of the 
south coast of Ireland. A raised beach resting on a wave- 
worn platform which subtends an old cliff has been traced 
along the south coast of Ireland from Carnsore Point to 
Cape Clear. The beach is overlaid by ‘‘ head ’’ or ‘‘ rubble 
drift,’’ and by the Boulder-clays of the Irish Sea and west 
Cork ice-sheets. It fringes the shores of the drowned river- 
valleys, proving their pre-Glacial submergence. It is similar 
to the raised beaches on the shores of the Bristol and English 
Channels, and to that near Bridlington, Yorkshire ——Dr. | 
F. G. Donnan read a paper on the reactivity of the alkyl 
iodides. This was a discussion of the relative reactivities of 
the saturated aliphatic iodides as measured by the determin- 
ation of velocity-coefficients in a homogeneous medium. 
The experiments of Wislicenus, Menschutkin, Hecht, 
Conrad, and Briickner, and those carried out by Miss K. A. 
Burke and the author were discussed in this connection, and 
their bearing on Nef’s dissociation hypothesis pointed out. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, February 29.—M. Mascart in the 
chair.—The president announced to the academy the death 
of M. Emile Laurent, correspondant for the section of rural 
economy.—On quadratic forms invariant by a given linear 
substitution (mod. p): Camille Jordan.—On a condition 
necessary for the initial stability of any elastic medium | 
| Charpentier. 
whatever: P. Duhem.—On a new species of n-rays: R. 
Blondlot. These rays are differentiated from the n-rays 
| obliquely. 
by the fact that they diminish the luminosity of a phosphor- — 
NO. 1793, VOL. 69] 
escent calcium sulphide screen instead of increasing’ it. 
They are present, along with the n-rays, in the light of a 
Nernst lamp, formed into a spectrum by means of an 
aluminium prism. Measurements of the refractive indices 
and wave-lengths are given.—Peculiarities* presented by the 
action of the n-rays on a feebly lighted surface: R. 
Blondlot. On a phosphorescent or feebly lighted screen 
the effect of n-rays is to increase the luminosity when the 
screen is viewed normally, to diminish it when viewed very 
The ,-rays, described in the previous note, have 
exactly the opposite effect—On the transparency of certain: 
bodies for the n-rays: E. Bichat. Silver is transparent, 
and palladium, nickel and iridium opaque, for all the radi- 
ations. Other metals are transparent for some wave-lengths 
and opaque for others.—Particular cases in the emission of 
the n-rays: E. Bichat. Liquids under pressure emit n-rays, 
the gases above them do not, and it is possible in this way 
to trace the change at the critical point by means of a 
phosphorescent screen.—Observation of the occultation of 
a star made on February 24 at the Observatory of Toulouse : 
L. Montangerand.—On the continued deformation of 
surfaces: G. Tzitzéica.—On the friction of pivoting : 
L. Lecornu. After a comparison of the expressions de- 
duced by Léauté and by Hertz, a demonstration is given of 
the correctness of the former.—Method for the experimental 
study of the secondary movements of vehicles in motion : 
M. Sabouret.—On the diastoloscope and the results 
obtained by it: C. Chabrié. A description of a magnify- 
ing instrument in which the lenses are replaced by cones. 
The images are highly magnified, but distorted in a regular 
nanner.—The stato-voltmeter, an apparatus capable of 
measuring electromotive forces over a range of from 2 to 
40,000 volts: V. Crémieu.—On the magnetic rotation of 
the plane of polarisation of the n-rays: H. Bagard. From 
the minuteness of the wave-lengths of the n-rays, as deter- 
mined by M. Blondlot, it is probable that the phenomenon 
of magnetic rotatory poiarisation would be shown by these 
rays in a much higher degree than for ordinary light. This 
was found by experiment to be the case.—The action of 
magnetic fields on phosphorescent substances: C. Gutton. 
An increase in the lustre of a phosphorescent screen is 
observed whenever variations in the intensity of a magnetic 
field produce a displacement of the lines of force in the 
neighbourhood of the screen.—Appearance of the sparks 
given by a coil with a Wehnelt interruptor on closing or 
opening the primary current: M. Gagniere.—On entangle- 
ment by coagulation : Jacques Ductaux.—Theoretical study 
of the dissociation of oxyhamoglobin. ‘The effects of con- 
centration and temperature: Victor Henri. By the applica- 
tion of van ’t Hoff’s equation and the measurements of 
Berthelot on the heat of combination of oxygen with reduced 
bleod, the variations of the dissociation constant with 
temperature are calculated.—On a cadmium arsenide: 
Albert Granger. Cadmium, heated in arsenic vapour 
carried over by hydrogen or an indifferent gas, forms a 
crystalline arsenide, of composition Cd,As,.—The combin- 
ation cf salts of dinaphthopyryl with di-alkylated aromatic 
amines: R. Fosse.—Ethylidene-camphor. Ethyl-homo- 
camphoric acid: J. Minguin. A description of the prepar- 
ation and properties of ethylidene-camphor. It shows a 
large increase in the rotatory power as compared with the 
corresponding ethyl-camphor, resembling in this respect the 
methyl compounds previously described.—On the synthesis 
of aa-dimethylglutaric and aa-dimethyladipic acids: G. 
Blanc. The reduction of aa-dimethylsuccinic ester by sodium 
in boiling alcohol gives a glycol, already described, and a 
lactone. The latter, heated in sealed tubes with potassium 
cyanide at 270° C., gives dimethylglutaric acid, identical 
with the acid obtained by the oxidation of isolauronolic acid. 
—The production of acetylmethylcarbinol by bacteria of the 
group Bacillus mesentericus: Henri Desmots.  Acetyl- 
methylcarbinol is produced by the action of several varieties 
of bacilli belonging to the group of B. mesentericus, and 
as this ketonic alcohol can be easily identified by means of 
its osazone, it may serve as a useful biochemical test.—On 
mother-of-pearl : Raphael Dubois.—The action of the n-rays 
on the senses, especially on the smell, and on the emission 
of the m-rays by substances possessing smell: August 
A body emitting the n-rays, when brought 
near the nose, sensibly increases the intensity of the sensa- 
tion of smell. Conversely, such substances are capable of 
