Apri 8, 1897 | 
NATURE 
55! 
accentuating the tendency. In Great Britain, the tendency to 
have deaf progeny was about the same, whether one or both 
parents were congenitally deaf. Adventitious or acquired deaf- 
ness ending in mutism, was not usually hereditary. The hear- 
ing brothers and sisters of a congenitally deaf mute, were as_ 
liable when they married to have deaf progeny as the deaf them- 
selves. Consanguinity of the parents emphasised family defects 
in the children, and in this way many cases of congenital deaf- 
ness arose. Dry. Love asserted the right of the State to control 
the marriage of those who belonged to badly tainted families, 
and were likely to transmit deafness.—Mr. W. R. Laing com- 
municated a note on an analysis of human gastric juice, which 
he had procured from a fistulous opening of the stomach. His 
analysis proved the presence of free hydrochloric acids.—Dr. 
John Murray gave the first of two papers on the structure and 
origin of coral reefs. He recapitulated his old theory as opposed 
to Darwin’s, and showed that evidence since procured supported 
his view. <A still greater number of submerged volcanic cones, 
which were the foundations of coral atolls, had been discovered 
in the coral seas. Some were rising by the accumulation of 
shells and various dead calcareous animals. Others were being 
worn down by tidal action in the same way as certain parts of 
the ocean bed is kept clear of mud. These facts helped his 
theory. The second paper will deal with the growth of the 
corals, and more especially with their food.—Mr. J. Erskine 
Murray laid before the Society a new form of constant volume 
air thermometer, which shows the total pressure directly, and 
may be graduated in degrees of temperature. The feature of 
the instrument is an arrangement whereby the pressure of the 
atmosphere is eliminated by the adjustment of an auxiliary 
reservoir of mercury. The total pressure of the air, and hence 
its temperature, is measured directly by the height of a column 
of mercury. To the bent stem of the air bulb a barometer tube 
with a vacuum at the top is connected, and the stem is con- 
tinued in flexible form to the mercury reservoir. The barometer 
tube is graduated in absolute degrees of temperature by fixing 
one point—the pressure for the temperature of melting ice—and 
dividing the tube mechanically. To make an observation of 
temperature the mercury is adjusted toa mark fixed on tine bulb- 
stem, by raising or lowering the mercury reservoir, and the 
pressure of the enclosed air is given by the height of the mercury 
in the barometer tube over the mark in the stem of the air bulb. 
By closing a stop-cock between the pressure gauge and the 
reservoir, the bulb and the gauge may be completely cut off from 
external pressure. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, March 29.—M. A. Chatin in the 
chair.—Second note on asynchronous motors, by M. A. Potier. 
—On the transformations of the sugars and on levulic acid, by 
MM. Berthelot and André. A thermochemical study of the 
various modes in which glucose is decomposed by yeast, alkalies, 
and acids. All three reactions are exothermic, and evolve 
approximately equal amounts of heat.—On the fatty materials 
found in the Egyptian tombs at Abydos, by M. C. Friedel. 
The presence of partially hydrolysed glycerides of palmitic and 
stearic acids was proved, showing that the original grease 
probably consisted of beef or mutton fat.—On the transformation 
of the diamond into graphite in the Crookes’ tube, by M. Henri 
Moissan. By the molecular bombardment in a high vacuum, 
Crookes showed in 1879 that the face of the diamond became 
covered with a blackish deposit. By its behaviour towards 
oxidising agents this deposit is now shown to consist of graphite, 
proving that the diamond must attain on its surface a tempera- 
ture approaching that of the electric arc.—On the Inseminez 
without ovules, forming the subdivision of the Inovule or 
Loranthinez, by M. Ph. van Tieghem. A further note on the 
classification of the Inseminez.—On the transformation of 
algebraic equations, by M. Brioschi.—Remarks by M. Henri 
Moissan on the presentation of his work on the electric furnace.— 
The Academy nominated the Committees to act as judges for the 
prizes awarded in 1897, bearing the names of Jecker, La Caze 
(Chemistry), Delesse, Desmazicres, Montagne, Thore, Savigny, 
Gama-Machado, Montyon, and Bréant.—Emission of liquid water 
by vegetables : new method for this study, by M. Maxime Cornu. 
The method described is based upon the use of an electrical 
counter for automatically recording the number of drops of water 
* exuded from a given surface.—On associated congruences, by 
M. C. Guichard.—On the singularities of partial differential 
equations, by M, Jules Beudon.-—On interpolation, by M. Emile 
Borel.—On the successive differentials of a function of several 
NO. 1432, VOL. 55 | 
independent variables, by M. E. Goursat.—On a complete 
apparatus for researches relating to electro-magnetic waves, by 
M. Jagadis Chunder Bose., The apparatus described, although 
occupying but a relatively small space, suffices to show the 
reflexion, refraction, diffraction, double refraction, rectilinear, 
circular, and magnetic polarisation of electro-magnetic waves. — 
Mutual actions of the electrodes and kathode rays in rarefied 
gases, by M. H. Deslandres.—On the propagation of strains in 
metals submitted to stresses, by M. Mengin. A description 
of experiments performed on aluminium, nickel-steel, Delta 
metal, and brass.—On the chlorobromides of tin, by M. A. 
Besson. These substances are formed by the action of hydrogen 
bromide upon stannic chloride, and by the action of bromine 
upon anhydrous stannous chloride in carbon tetrachloride 
solution, the latter method giving the best yield. The chloro- 
bromides were separated by fractional distillation under reduced 
pressure, SnClgBr, SnCl,Br,, and SnClBrg being isolated.—On 
the conditions under which sulphur and hydrogen directly com- 
bine, by M. H. Pélabon. Hydrogen and sulphur combine 
slowly to form sulphuretted hydrogen at temperatures between 
215 and 350, and the reaction is a limited one, although 
hydrogen sulphide is not decomposed under 350°.—Action of 
bromine and hydrobromic acid upon ethyl acetate, by M. 
Boleslas Epstein. The results obtained in this experiment 
differ in some respects from those previously published by M, 
Crafts, the products being ethyl bromide, monobromacetic acid, 
and hydrobromic acid; the latter in considerable quantity. 
Experiments with ethyl monobromopropionate gave analogous 
results. —On the formation of native iron carbonate, by M. L. 
De Launay. The view is put forward that agglomerated iron 
carbonate has not been, as is generally held, deposited as 
carbonate from water, but that, like calamine and cerussite, it 
has been produced by the action of limestone upon the salts 
arising from the destruction of iron sulphides. It is pointed 
out, in confirmation of this view, that whilst massive sulphide of 
iron is always found in schists, the carbonate occurs with lime- 
stone.—Clasmatosis in the Lamellibranchs, by M. Joannes 
Chatin.—On the organisation and relationships of the Plezroto- 
maria, by MM. E. L. Bouvier and H. Fischer. —The refractory 
period and synchronisation of nervous oscillations, by MM. 
André Broca and Charles Richet.—Demonstration of the exist- 
ence of vaso-sensitive nerve regulators of the arterial pressure, 
by M. C. Delezenne.—Action of the bile and the biliary salts 
upon the nervous system, by M. Adolph Bickel. The applica- 
tion of bile or of a solution of the biliary salts to the brain of 
certain animals (cat, dog, rabbit, rat, and guinea-pig) causes 
cerebral phenomena which vary with the animal, but generally 
characterised by convulsions and loss of consciousness, accom- 
panied by salivation.—Psezdocommis Vites (Debray) in the 
tubercles of the potato, by M. E. Roze.—Observations on some 
properties of the oxydase of wines, by M. Bouffard. Sulphurous 
acid acts directly upon the oxydase, and completely destroys its 
oxidising properties. Its use as a preventive of the decolorisa- 
tion of wines (Za casse) is specific.—On rye, by M. Balland. 
The results of proximate analyses are given.—Radiography of 
aman and a woman, by M. F. Garrigou.—Note relating to an 
experiment of cone set in rotation on water, by M. Aug. Coret. 
—Note on electric tourniquets, by M. Galamand. 
AMSTERDAM. 
Royal Academy of Sciences, February 27.—Prof. van 
de Sande Bakhuyzen in the chair.—Prof. Franchimont on the 
nitro group of the nitramines. According to the author, both 
the acid and the neutral nitramines contain the same group. 
When in the acid nitramines the hydrogen atom is replaced by 
metals, the metal may, under certain circumstances, pass from 
the nitrogen to the oxygen.—Mr. Hamburger, on the influence 
of carbonic acid upon the volume of the red and the white blood 
corpuscles, Continuing his investigations (vzde Proc. November 
meeting, 1896), Mr. Hamburger observed that not only CO,, 
but also other acids, as HCl and H,SO,, when added to blood 
in very small quantities (0°04 per cent.), caused a swelling of 
those cells, and that an equally small amount of KOH brought 
about a shrinking. An explanation of these phenomena was 
given by the author.—Mr. Verbeek gave a survey of the sedi- 
mentary formations and the eruptive rocks occurring in Java. 
The author also made some communications concerning the useful 
minerals of Java, viz. ores, coal, and petroleum ; the last-men- 
tioned substance seems to be present in large quantities in the 
neo-tertiary strata, not only of Java, but also of Sumatra and 
Borneo.—Prof. van der Waals, on special points in the melting- 
