i8o 



NA TURE 



{July 5, 1877 



found that in the ripe ova of Tiibifex, prior to laying, the 

 spherical germinal vesicle lost its spherical shnpe, elon- 

 gated, became spindle-shaped with a meridional striation, 

 and so forth, closely resembling the nuclear spindle of 

 Ncphclis. But as the process is described by Biitschli 

 this would involve the necessity that the ■■<vliole of the 

 germinal vesicle was extruded as the "Richtungsblcischen" 

 in every case. Against this, however, there are irresistible 

 facts ; and in an appendix to the volume the author is bound 

 some sense to admit that there are cases where " a part 

 of the germinal vesicle may remain." If this be so evi- 

 dently there is missing a link in the chain of observation. 

 Difficulties of an equally complex character present 

 themselves in the collation of these researches with those 

 of other distinguished embryologists which it would be 

 hopeless even to attempt to consider here. 



3. That the expulsion of the " Richtungsbliischen " is a 

 result of impregnation must also be abandoned. In the 

 text of this treatise the author earnestly contends for this 

 point nevertheless ; and endeavours to dispel the force of 

 the very definite results of CEUacher, Bischoff, Flemming 

 and Beneden. But these are points that may be settled 

 with comparative ease, and it certainly is true that the 

 expulsion of the " Richtungsbl.Hschen " may show itself 

 as one of the earliest phenomena of development in the 

 unfertilised egg. This is now admitted, and in the ap- 

 pendix is allowed by Biitschli. 



4. The universal application of the method of develop- 

 ment seen in Ncphclis, although strongly contended for, 

 and carried by analogy into the interpretation of the theory 

 advanced in the third part of the volume to account for 

 the propagation of Infusoria, can only be admitted with 

 the utmost caution. The evidence given by the author 

 is by no means perfect. In Cuculanus clegans, for 

 example, he admits that the transition of the nucleus 

 spindle into the " Richtungsblaschen " cannot be made out 

 as in Ncphclis, but contends that it ought not to be doubted. 

 And precisely the same difficulty attaches to the transfor- 

 mations of the nucleus, of which " nothing could be cer- 

 tainly found ; " yet the same doctrine is carried over, as 

 though precisely the same phenomena had been witnessed 

 as in Ncphclis. So in relation to other Nematoids, it is 

 rather inference than evidence that the protruded vesicle 

 is the germinal vesicle, as in Nepliclis. So in Liinnceus 

 auricularis, essential points in the origin and subsequent 

 evolution of the spindle and nuclei are presented, not as 

 the result of observation, but of inference, and a leap 

 across a chasm between two preparations of the ovum 

 which show no continuity of evolution, is taken with an 

 assurance that " doubtless," although the intermediate 

 process was not made out, we might be guided by the 

 analogy of Ncphclis. 



These facts are pointed out, not in the slightest degree 

 to detract from the value of the author's observations, but 

 simply to separate them, as such, from the inferences he 

 draws from them. There can be little doubt that great 

 value belongs to the discovery of the nucleus spindle and 

 its behaviour in evolution ; and there can also be little 

 question that it is largely original research ; but its rela- 

 tion to anterior and subsequent processes is not so defi- 

 nitely discovered. It is nevertheless a source of great 

 interest to find that Balbiani has given such complete 

 and recent confirmation to the main characteristics of the 



spindle-nucleus. 1 It is true that he does not confirm the 

 division of the equatorial band in the nucleus, and claims 

 to have shown the existence of the clear spaces and ray- 

 ings accompanying the nucleus-transformations in the 

 eggs of spiders four years before. But evidently a step 

 is gained by these observations on the earliest develop- 

 ment of the ovum ; although, from the careful work of 

 M. Fol, it is clear that not only the interpretation, but the 

 detail, may be open to question.- 



\V. H. Dallinger 

 J. Drvsdale 

 (To be continued.) 



THE ALKALI TRADE 



The History, Products, and Processes of the Alkali Trade, 

 including the most Recent Improvements. By Charles 

 Thomas Kingzett. (London : Longmans, Green, and 

 Co., 1877.) 



TOWARDS the middle of last century the price of oil 

 of vitriol was 130/. per ton ; the same substance 

 now sells at 5/. per ton. In the first years of the present 

 century soda crystals sold at about 60/. per ton ; their 

 present price is about 4/. 15^. per ton. 



In 1S61 the Lancashire district produced 8,800 tons of 

 soda crystals, 4,600 tons of caustic soda, and 1 1,700 tons 

 of bicarbonate of soda. The same district consumed, in 

 that year, 161,000 tons of sulphuric acid and 135,000 tons 

 of salt. Five years later (1866) 194,000 tons of salt were 

 consumed in the same district, while the out-put amounted 

 to 25,000 tons of soda crystals, 11,000 tons of caustic, and 

 6,500 tons of bicarbonate, together with 87,000 tons of 

 soda ash and refined alkali, and large quantities of 

 bleaching liquor, bleaching powder, &c. The following 

 numbers, obtained from the Alkali Association, show the 

 increase in the alkali trade of the United Kingdom 

 betv.'een the years 1862 and 1876 : — 



Capital employed in the 



business ';£'2,ooo,ooo ^^7,000,000 



Hands employed 10,600 22,000 



Wages paid them annually.. I .i^549,5oo ^1,405,000 



Weight of soda exported ... 104,762 tons.] 27o,856ton3. 

 Value of exported soda ... ^885,245 :;f 2, 209,284 



These facts enable us to form some idea of the enor- 

 mous growth of the alkali trade within recent years. 

 This growth has been in a large measure coincident with 



I Sur les Phinom^ncs de la Division du Noyau Cellulaire, Comptes 

 Rendus, Oct. 30, 1876. 



s Sur les Phenom^nes Intimea de la Division Cellulaire, Cotttfiies Kendus, 

 Oct. a, 1876. 



