379 
ATOR 
[Fepruary 18, 1897 
M. SEBERT has been elected a member of the Section de 
Mécanique of the Paris Academy of Sciences, in succession to 
tthe late M. Resal. 
A NEW research laboratory is to be erected in the Botanic 
Garden at Buitenzorg, Java, towards the expense of which the 
Government of Holland has allowed 6000 dols. 
THE first portion of the great museum building of the 
Brooklyn Institute, being the wing of which the corner-stone 
was laid in December 1895, will be completed about the middle 
of March. 
THE American scheme for a laboratory for botanical research 
in the Tropics appears to be assuming a definite shape, Prof. 
MacDougal having undertaken the duty of organising the Com- 
mission which shall visit various localities for the purpose of 
selecting a site. In a letter in the Botanical Gazette for January, 
Prof. Humphreys, of the Johns Hopkins University, advocates 
the claims of Jamaica, where there are already two botanic 
gardens, at Castleton and Gordon-Town, and where the 
Governor, Sir Henry Blake, is interested in biological science. 
WE have received a second paper by Dr. P. Zeeman, ‘‘ On 
the influence of magnetism on the nature of the light emitted 
by a substance.” But, with the exception of some theoretical 
speculations, it does not give much additional information on 
the experimental discovery announced in the preliminary notice, 
a translation of which appeared in our columns last week. The 
paper confirms, however, the main fact, that a sodium flame 
placed between the poles of a magnet shows a widening of the 
D lines equal to about one-fortieth of the distance between them. 
When examined by a Rowland grating, the edges of the widened 
lines are found to emit circularly polarised light, the direction of 
rotation being opposite on the two sides. 
THE Edouard Mailly prize has just been awarded by the 
Brussels Academy of Sciences for the first time. It was 
founded by the late M. Mailly, and amounts to 1000 francs, to 
be given every fourth year to the person or persons who have 
most assisted in the extension of astronomical knowledge in 
Belgium. The first award has been made to the editorial 
committee of Czel et Terre, viz. MM. C. Lagrange, E. 
Lagrange, A. Lancaster, L. Niesten, W. Prinz, and P. 
Stroobant. 
THE President of the French Republic visited the Pasteur 
Institute on February 10, and Dr. Roux was able to show him 
cultivations of the plague microbe. In the course of his remarks 
‘to the President, Dr. Roux observed that the microbe has little 
power of resistance, and is easily destroyed by antiseptics and by 
a temperature of 140°. He pointed out, however, that the 
plague bacillus had the power of retaining its vitality in the soil, 
and it is on account of this property that epidemics favoured by 
‘dense population and insanitary surroundings are perpetuated in 
Eastern countries. 
ACCORDING to the Rome correspondent of the Brétish 
Medical Journal, there appears to be no doubt that Dr. Giuseppe 
Sanarelli has discovered the bacillus of yellow fever. He will 
publish an account of his discovery in the next number of a 
leading Italian hygienic publication, which will be issued in the 
course of the next few weeks. La Maztone, of Florence, has 
published an article, sent by a correspondent in Montevideo, 
which states that for some little time Sanarelli hardly believed in 
his success, but in August his experiments were so clear that he 
was certain of the discovery of the microbe, and he then occupied 
himself with the preparation of the serum. His experiments 
were very extensive ; he vaccinated more than 2000 animals, 
including rabbits, goats, sheep, monkeys, and a few horses. 
The results of the treatment are definitely reassuring, and in 
NO. 1425, VOL. 55] 
October 1896 he decided to announce confidentially to the 
President of the Republic of Uruguay the results that have 
crowned his studies in the origin and cure of yellow fever. If 
this remedy be truly efficacious, Dr. Sanarelli will obtain the 
reward of 150,000 scudi (£30,000) offered by the Brazilian 
Government for the discovery of such a remedy. 
Sir H. TRuEMAN Woop will read a paper upon the “ Re- 
production of Colour by-Photographic Methods,” at the Society 
of Arts on Wednesday next, February 24. The paper will have 
special reference to M. Chassagne’s process of photography in 
colours, described in NATURE of February 4, and results 
obtained by this and other processes will be shown. 
The Council of the Royal Photographic Society of Great 
Britain have awarded the Progress medal of the Society to Prof. 
Lippmann, for his discovery of the process of producing photo- 
graphs in natural colours by the interference method. The rules 
by which this medal is given preclude the award of more than 
one in any year, and since its institution in 1878 ten medals 
only, including the one mentioned above, have been awarded. 
AN interesting paper was read on Thursday last, by Prof. J. 
C. Bose, at the Indian Section of the Society of Arts, on the 
promotion of advanced study of physical science in India. The 
lecturer made some valuable suggestions for the encouragement 
of original research in India, among which may be mentioned 
the establishment of post-graduate scholarships and fellowships 
by Indian Universities. One of the great drawbacks in the 
prosecution of physical research in India is the want of suitable 
laboratories. It is to be hoped that this vital want, which 
stands in the way of original investigations in science, will soon 
be removed. Scientific men in Europe are greatly interested 
in the recent contributions to science made by India, and they 
welcome Indian investigators as their co-workers in advancing 
natural knowledge. 
From the Gardener's Chronicle we learn with regret that 
Baron Constantin Ettingshausen, the palzeontologist and botanist, 
has died at Graz, at the age of seventy-one. Deceased was 
originally a doctor of medicine, but devoted all his time and 
energies to botany and paleontology. He was engaged for some 
time in arranging paleontological collections in the British 
Museum (Natural History). He was the author of several works 
on botanical subjects, and wrote a large number of papers, which 
were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, and of 
other learned bodies. 
WE notice also with regret the announcement of the death, at 
Headington, near Oxford, of Mr. Henry Boswell, the eminent 
bryologist. Mr. Boswell had not only studied the mosses of 
Britain, but had an intimate acquaintance with foreign species, 
and his knowledge was utilised by many correspondents in 
different parts of the world. In his early days his attention was 
directed to the study of flowering plants, but subsequently he 
developed a greater fondness for the study of bryology. He 
possessed a large collection of mosses, which it is hoped will be 
secured by the University. In recognition of his services to 
bryological science, Oxford University, in 1887, conferred upon 
him the honorary degree ot Master of Arts. 
THE following are among the announcements of the deaths of 
men of science abroad :—Dr. Nikolai Zdekauer, St. Petersburg, 
member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, and distinguished 
for his work to advance hygiene and the knowledge of epi- 
demics; Herr Alois Rogenhofer, formerly curator of the 
Imperial Natural History Museum in Vienna; Dr. Hermann 
von Noerdlinger, formerly professor of forestry in Tiibingen 
University ; and Dr. G. D. E. Weyer, professor of mathematics 
and astronomy in Kiel University. 
