636 
NATURE 
[OcroBER 26, 1899 
into water kept at 0°. The ozonised oxygen thus set free was 
carefully analysed by treatment with potassium iodide and 
measuring the iodine set free. The percentage of ozone was on 
one occasion as high as 14°4 per cent., and this preparation, al- 
though somewhat delicate, is not costly. The ozone produced 
in this way is absolutely free from all trace of oxides of nitrogen, 
and may possibly have industrial applications.—The preventive 
qualities of the blood serum of an immunised heifer against 
contagious peripneumonia in cattle, by MM. S. Arloing and 
Duprez. The direct inoculation for peripneumonia suggested 
by M. Willems has two disadvantages: some time is required to 
develop the protective effects, and occasionally fatal tumours 
occur. A heifer was directly inoculated with gradually 
increasing amounts of venom until it became capable of 
resisting a dose five hundred times greater than would be 
sufficient to kill an unprotected animal. The serum of this 
heifer was used in the experiments, which were not alto- 
gether conclusive, since one of the injected animals caught 
the disease, whilst another, although unprotected, escaped. — 
Report on an earthquake at Smyrna on September 20, by the 
French Consul General at Smyrna.—Observations of the 
Giacobini Comet (September 29, 1899), made at the Observ- 
atory of Algiers, with the equatorial of 31°6 cm. aperture, by 
MM. Rambaud and Sy.—On a problem relating to the con- 
gruences of right lines, by M. E. Goursat.—On the classification 
of projective groups in space of 7 dimensions, by M. F. Marotte. 
—Theory of the number of roots of an algebraic equation 
comprised in the interior of a given circumference, by M. 
Michael Petrovitch.—On the reactions of induction of alter- 
nators, by M. A. Blondel.—Experiments in telegraphy without 
wires, carried out between Chamonix and the summit of Mont 
Blanc, by MM. Jean and Louis Lecarme. The communications 
were interfered with by the ice, or by the absence of water in 
the soil ; neither were the effects of atmospheric electricity 
sufficient to stop the messages, but during the time the electric 
lightat Chamonix was in action working was impossible. —Radio- 
graphic bulb with a cold antikathode, by MM. Abel Buguet and 
Victor Chabaud. The platinum tube forming the antikathode 
is fused directly to the glass, and is kept cool by cold water. 
Very powerful discharges from large induction coils can be used 
with this tube without any heating of the platinum resulting. — 
‘On a new radio-active material, by M. A. Debierne. A new 
radio-active substance has been isolated from pitchblende. It 
as distinguished from polonium and radium by its chemical 
properties, which resemble titanium very closely, and also by 
the fact that itis not spontaneously luminous. The rays 
emitted by this substance, for which no name is as yet sug- 
gested, are about 100,coo times stronger than those given off 
by uranium. They render gases capable of discharging electri- 
fied bodies, excite the phosphorescence of barium platinocyanide, 
and affect photographic plates. —On the atomic weight of boron, 
by M. Henri Gautier. The author, after reviewing the earlier 
work of Berzelius, Abrahall, and Ramsay and Aston, 
attempts to prepare compounds of boron of the constancy of 
composition of which there can be no doubt, and selects 
the sulphide B,S; and carbide B,C for a preliminary study.— 
On anhydrous magnesium carbonate, by M. R. Engel.—On 
the heat of oxidisation of tungsten, by MM. Delépine and 
Hallopeau. The usual methods of combustion at ordinary 
pressure, combination with a halogen, attack by water or acid 
having failed for tungsten, the method of burning in the calori- 
metric bomb was tried, and after some preliminary experiments 
was found to give good results, the mean value per gram of 
tungsten being 1062 calories. In forming the oxides TuO, and 
TuQOs, each atom of oxygen has nearly the same calorific value. 
—Action of potassium-ammonium upon arsenic, by M. C. 
Hugot. With the alkaline ammonium in excess, AsKg is 
formed ; with arsenic in excess, As,K,.—Action of bromine 
in presence of aluminium chloride upon some chloro-benzenes, 
by M.M. A. Mouneyrat and Ch. Pouret. Bromine acts 
readily upon chlorobenzene in presence of aluminium chloride, 
and gives an excellent yield of #-bromo-chlorbenzene. The 
allowing compounds have been obtained by this method: 
Br;Cl, [1, 4] CgBr,Cly, [1, 2, 4] C,Br3Cly, [1, 2, 4, 5] CgBreCl4, 
fa Cc Br,Cl(CH, ).—On the constitution of the colouring 
matter of leaves ; chloroglobin, by M. Tsvett. —Demonstration 
of the disaggregation of leucocytes and the solution of their 
contents in the. blood plasma during hypoleucocytosis. In- 
fluence of intravascular leucolysis on the coagulation of the 
blood, by M. Henri Stassano.—Germination of the seed of the 
NO. 1565, VOL. 60] 
carob; production of mannose by a soluble ferment, by MM. 
Ed. Bourquelot and H. Heérissey. During the germination of 
the carob seed there is soluble ferment produced, which acts 
upon the stored albumen similarly to diastase upon amylaceous 
talbumens, mannose and galactose being the products.—On 
Aplosporidium, a new order of the class of Sporozoa, by MM. 
Maurice Caullery and Félix Mesnil.—Calcified suberous layers 
from the coal measures of Hardinghen, by M. C. Eg. Bertrand. 
—On the composition and food value of the principal fruits, by 
M. Balland.—Submarine lithology of the coasts of France, by 
M. J. Thoulet. 
DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 
THURSDAY, Octoser 26. 
at 8.15.—Illusions and Anomalies of Vision : 
FRIDAY, Octoser 27 
Prysicat Society, at 5.—The Magnetic Properties of the Alloys of Iron 
and Aluminium: Dr. S. W. Richardson.—Exhibition of a Model illus- 
trating a Number of the Actions in the Flow of an Electric Current : 
G. L. Addenbrooke —Repetition of some Experiments with the Wehnelt 
Interrupter devised by Prof. Lecher: W. Watson 
INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, at 7.30.—The Incrustation 
of Pipes at Torquay Water Works: William Ingham.—A Continuous 
Mean-Pressure Indicator for Steam Engines: Prof. William Ripper. 
WEDNESDAY, NoveMBER 1. 
EnTomo_Locicat Socigrry, at 8.—Exhibition of Lepidoptera from Bul- 
garia: H. J. Elwes, F.R.S., and Mrs. Nicholl. 
Socrety or Pustic ANALYSTS, at 8.—The Meaning of the Acetyl Value 
in Fat Analysis (with Lantern Illustrations) ; Dr. J. Lewkowitsch. 
THURSDAY, NoveMBER 2. 
LinnEAN Society, at 8.—On the Proliferous State of the Awn of Nepal 
Barley: Rev. Prof. Henslow.—On the Hyobranchial Skeleton and 
Larynx of the New Aglossal Toad, Hymenochirus Boettgeri: Dr. W.G. 
Camera C Lup, 
Shelford 
Bidwell, F.R.S. 
Ridewood.—On the Eye-spot and Cilium in Euglena viridis: Harold 
Wager. 
CHEMICAL Society, at 8.—The Theory of Saponification: J. Lewkowitsch. 
—The Action of Dilute Nitric Acid on Oleic and Elaidic Acids: F. G. 
Edmed.—Tetrazoline : Siegfried Ruhemann and H. E. Stapleton.—On 
Ethylic Dibromobutanetetracarboxylate and the Synthesis of Tetrahydro- 
furfuran-aa’-dicarboxylic Acid ; Dr. Bevan Lean.—(1) Camphoroxime. 
Part III. Behaviour of Camphoroxime towards Potassium Hypobromite ; 
(2) Optical Influence of an Unsaturated Linkage on certain Derivatives 
of Bornylamine : Dr. M. O. Forster. 
CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
The International Association of Academies . . . 613 
A Pioneer in Telegraphy . . ono LNs} 
Our Book Shelf :— 
F.R.A.S. : ‘* The Maintenance of Solar Energy”. . 615 
‘* Official Report of the National Poultry Conference 
held at Reading in July 1899” . . 615 
Brend: ‘* The Story of Ice in the Present and Past” 615 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Effect of Vibration on a Level Bubble. (W27h 
Diagram.)—A., Mallock . . Me ol OMG 
Rural Education.—John C. Medd ; Prof. R. 
Meldola, F.R.S. . . 616 
On the Distribution of the Various’ Chemical 
Groups of Stars. (J///ustrated.) By Sir Norman 
Lockyer, K.C.B., F-RIS) 2); 617 
The Parent-Rock of the South African Diamond! 
Byserot, T. G. Bonney iakes-ee . . = Saeco 
Notes; . .. 0/0 OIG cco 6 (GRR 
Our Astronomical Column: : 
Eolmes’ ‘(Comet (18992) aewemeeies @ ... O 
Nova Sagittarii . . 50.6 Oe RARIRAIO B co | OR 
Orbit of Eros . ; 5 2G SOND Goat Oe 
Strassburg Observatory sited 2 . 625 
The Nerve-Wave (La Vibration INerveuse). (With 
Diagrams.) By Prof. Charles Richet crooner (Ps 
Zoology at the British Association sy5) 1030 
The Seventh International Geographical Congress 632 
The Scientific Conference at Wiesbaden .. . . . 634 
University and Educational Intelligence See OSH 
ScientiiiciSerial’ | ? 0a |. ln 635 
Societies and Academies. ............ 635 
Diary of Societies 50 > KUO MERMEGRED Ho cy Oo (lt{S) 
