oe ee ee ee ee 
OcTOBER 16, 1913] 
NATURE 
207 
that these special stains proceed from the brown pig- 
ment in the cells of the Malpighi layer and internal 
epithelial hair sheath in the original skin. This pig- 
ment becomes fixed by mineral matter so that decom- 
position in the limes is resisted. 
The author finds that the common factor in the 
stains examined is the presence of traces of iron. 
The persistence of the connective elements, especially 
the nuclei and epithelial tissues, is proved, and the 
very slight changes that take place in the connective 
tissue lead the writer to conclude that bacteria play 
a very small part in the production of the stains he 
examined. 
In this paper M. Abt, for the stains he has 
examined, takes up practically the opposite view to 
that enunciated by Becker, who claims that many of 
the salt stains are largely caused by bacterial action. 
The experiments carried out by M. Abt have been 
carefully performed, and the hypothesis he draws 
from the results obtained on the stains he has examined 
appear to be conclusive. The paper is extremely well 
illustrated by coloured photographs of prepared sec- 
tions of normal and salt-stained skin and leather which 
are very clear, and are much more defined than the 
illustrations usually given in this type of work; in 
fact, these microphotographs are from magnificent 
sections, and are beautifully reproduced in the article. 
They are the finest reproductions of the structure of 
the hide and skin that have been published in recent 
times. 
M. Abt’s work on this subject is of great importance 
to leather technologists, and, while the author does 
not claim to have solved all the various kinds of salt 
stains, he has certainly solved a portion of the difficult 
problem, and appears to have definitely proved that 
what the tanner and leather-dresser call salt stains 
may originate from more than one cause, and may 
under different conditions vary in appearance and 
effect upon the skin. 
The paper shows’ that M. Abt has carried out a 
very careful and systematic investigation, and it is a 
most valuable contribution to the elucidation of this 
problem, but in spite of this the subject is still by no 
means exhausted, and we venture to hope that M. Abt 
will investigate some other forms of salt stains which 
he has not yet dealt with. Although the author has 
undoubtedly clearly proved the cause, traced the 
history, and shown the effect of certain forms of salt 
stains, he has not yet described any practical method 
of avoiding this economic waste which is so vital to 
the tanners of calf and other similar leathers, but the 
paper brings us one step nearer this goal. 
feeGs, Es 
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION AT 
BIRMINGHAM. 
SECTION H. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
OPENING ADDRESS BY SiR RicHarD C. Tempte, Bart., 
C.1.E., PRESIDENT OF THE SECTION. 
Administrative Value of Anthropology. 
Tue title of the body of which those present at this 
meeting form a section is, as all my hearers will know, 
the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 
and it seems to me therefore that the primary duty of 
a sectional President is to do what in him lies. for the 
time being, to forward the work of his section. This 
may be done in more than one way: by a survey of 
the work done up to date and an appreciation of its | 
existing position and future prospects, by an address 
directly forwarding it in some particular point or 
aspect, by considering its applicability to what is called 
NO. 2294, VOL. 92] 
‘ 
the practical side of human life. The choice of method 
seems to me to depend on the circumstances of each 
meeting, and I am about to choose the last of those 
above mentioned, and to confine my address to a con- 
sideration of the administrative value of anthropology 
because the locality in which we are met together and 
the spirit of the present moment seem to indicate that 
I shall best serve the interests of the anthropological 
section of the British Association by a dissertation on 
the importance of this particular science to those who 
are or may hereafter be called upon to administer the 
public affairs of the lands in which they may reside. 
I have to approach the practical aspect of the general 
subject of anthropology under the difficulty of finding 
myself once more riding an old hobby, and being con- 
sequently confronted with views and remarks already 
expressed in much detail. But I am not greatly dis- 
turbed by this fact, as experience teaches that the most 
effective way of impressing ideas, in which one believes, 
on one’s fellow man is to miss no opportunity of put- 
ting them forward, even at the risk of repeating what 
may not yet have been forgotten. And as I am con- 
vinced that the teachings of anthropologists are of 
practical value to those engaged in guiding the ad- 
ministration of their own or another country, I am 
prepared to take that risk. 
Anthropology is, of course, in its baldest sense the 
study of mankind in all its possible ramifications, a 
subject far too wide for any one science to cover, and 
therefore the real point for consideration on such an 
occasion as this is not so much what the students of 
mankind and its environments might study if they 
chose, but what the scope of their studies now actually 
is, and whither it is tending. I propose, therefore, to 
discuss the subject in this limited sense. 
What, then, is the anthropology of to-day that 
claims to be of practical value to the administrator? 
In what directions has it developed? 
Perhaps the best answer to these questions is to 
be procured from our own volume of ‘Notes and 
Queries on Anthropology," a volume published under 
the arrangements of the Royal Anthropological Insti- 
tute for the British Association. This volume of 
““Notes and Queries” has been before the public for 
about forty years, and is now in the fourth edition, 
which shows a great advance on its predecessors and 
conforms to the stage of development to which the 
science has reached up to the present time. 
The object of the ‘‘ Notes and Queries”’ is stated to 
be ‘‘to promote accurate anthropological observation 
on the part of travellers including all local observers) 
and to enable those who are not anthropologists them- 
selves to supply information which is wanted for the 
scientific study of anthropology at home."’ So, in the 
heads under which the subject is considered in this 
book, we have exhibited to us the entire scope of the 
science as it now exists. These heads are (1) physical 
anthropology, (2) technology, (3) sociology, (4) arts avd 
sciences. It is usual, however, nowadays to divide the 
subject into two main divisions—physical and cultural 
anthropology. 
Physical anthropology aims at obtaining ‘‘as exact 
a record as possible of the structure and functions of 
the human body, with a view to determining how far 
these are dependent on inherited and racial factors, and 
how far they vary with environment.’”’ This record is 
based on two separate classes of physical observation : 
firstly on descriptive characters, such as types of hair, 
colour of the eyes and skin, and so on, and actual 
| measurement; and secondly on attitudes, movements, 
and customary actions. By the combined study of 
observations on these points physical heredity is ascer- 
tained, and a fair attribution of the race or races to 
which individuals or groups belong can be arrived at. 
But anthropology, as now studied, goes very much 
