"NATURE 
| April 19, 1883 
596 
ts 
men. Dr. Munk has only just lately been able to advance a proo 
of the truth of this assumption of a synthesis of neutral fat out 
of fatty acids after it had been shown by other observers that 
heterogeneous neutral fats could be taken up by animals and also 
be deposited as such in the body, Dr. Munk now fed a dog, 
which had been greatly reduced in weight by prolonged starvation, 
with large quantities of the fatty acids of mutton and with a 
little lean meat. The animal very soon increased considerably 
in weight upon this diet, and after fourteen days had deposited 
1100 grms. of fat in various organs under the kin, in the mesen- 
tery, in the heart, and in the liver. Analysis of this fat elicited 
the fact that it consisted of at least 96 per cent. of neutral mut- 
ton fat. And in the dog it is evident that the mutton fat could 
only have arisen by a synthesis of the fatty acids of mutton that 
were eaten. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, April 9.—M. Blanchard in the 
chair.—The following papers were read :—On charbonous vac- 
cination, by M. Pasteur. Some Turin professors having found 
that vaccinated as well as unvaccinated sheep died after virulent 
inoculation, M. Pasteur made inquiry, and came to the conclu- 
sion that the blood used for such inoculation was septic as well 
as charbonous (the sheep was dead twenty-four hours before its 
blood was taken). He challenges the Turin men to a test of 
this.—Description of a means of obtaining a wholly automatic 
acticn of the sluice with oscillating liquid columns, without 
cataract ; experimental realisation of this system during the 
emptying of the sluice of l’Aubois, by M. de Caligny.—Units 
of mechanics and of physics, by M. Ledieu.—The salt lands of 
the South-East, by M. de Gasparin. The problem of freeing 
-uch ground from salt is (unlike the formation of a folder) an 
indeterminate one, and may be insoluble ; many years’ submer 
sion and drainage may be ineffectual.—Report on electrodynamic 
machines applied t» the transmission of mechanical work, by M. 
Marcel Deprez. The dynamometric return (viewed apart from 
the mechanical motor) was over 48 per cent.—On surfaces with 
nil mean curvature, on which may be limited a finite por- 
tion of the surface by four straight lines situated on the 
surface, by M. Schwarz.—A letter of invitation to the In- 
stitute to the second session of the Royal Society of Canada 
at Ottawa, on May 22, was read.—Observation of the tran- 
sit of Venus at Punta-Arenas (Straits of Magellan), by 
M. Cruls, The four contacts were observed under excellent 
conditions.—Observations of the Swift-Brooks comet, by M. 
Périgaud.—Observations of comet II., 1882, at Algiers Obser- 
vatory, by M. Trépied.—On uniform functions affected by 
sections, and on a class of linear differential equations, by M. 
Appell.—Law of periods, by M. de Jonquiéres.—Remarks on 
the primitivity of groups, by M. Dyck.—Determination of 
arithmetical progressions, whose terms are only known approxi- 
mately, by M. Lucas.—On a theorem of M. Stieltjes, by M. 
Cesaro.— On an improvement applicable to the Jonval turbine, 
by M. Léauté.—On the radiation of silver at the moment of 
solidification, by M. Violle. The radiation decreases at first, 
more or les rapidly; then the decrease slackens, and when 
solidification begins at the border of the vessel, there is a slight 
increase : till solidification reaches the central part the radiation 
of the liquid remains constant, then there is slight increase, 
followed by rapid decrease. —On several optical apparatuses for 
testing plane surfaces, parallel, perpendicular, and oblique, by 
M. Laurent.—Very powerful direct-vision spectroscope, by M. 
Zenger. By adding to the dispersion parallelipiped a light 
crown glass prism, he gets a dispersion of 150° (A to H) ; this 
is surpassed only by M, Thollon’s spectroscope, in which the 
number of sulphide of carbon prisms and the multiple reflec- 
tions diminish greatly the intensity of the light.—On the upper 
limit of the perceptibility of sounds, by M. Pauchon. He 
used a steam-driven syren, also metallic rods of diminishing 
length fixed at one end, and rubbed. Znter alia, an_acoustic 
comet slightly removed the limit of perceptibility ; exciting the 
rods with various substances (colo; hany, alcohol, &c.) also changed 
the limit-length, sometimes to the extent of double. A sound 
that had become too high for the ear still acted on a sensitive 
flame.—Ona process for obviating boiler explosions, by M. Tréves, 
He recommends a thermomanometer, and a methodic feeding 
according to it; also the introduction of a tube for injection of 
air.—On some experiments made with dynamoelectric machines, 
by M, Pollard.—Reply to M. Reynier, by M. Trouve.—Pro- 
duction of crystalline vanadates by the dry way, by M. Ditte.— 
Action of sulphur on alkaline phosphates, by MM. Filhol and 
Senderens.—On a combination of phosphoric acid and silica, 
by MM. Hautefeuille and Margottet. The formula is 
PhO,;Si0,.—On various kinds of borotungstates, by M. Klein. 
—Application of the phenomena of supersaturation to the theory 
of hardening of some cements and mastics, by M. Le Chatelier. 
—On chloride of pyrosulphury], by M. Konowaloffi—On the 
difference of reactional aptitude of halogen bodies in mixed 
halogen ethers; first part, ethylenic compounds, by M. Henry. 
—On liquid chlorhydrates of turpentine, by M. Barbier.—The 
structure of the ovary and formation of eggs in the Phallusi- 
adez, by M. Roule.—On the organs of flight in insects, by M. 
Amans. In both theories of flights he considers (M. Marey’s and 
Mr. Pettigrew’s) it is overlooked that the base of the wing is 
formed of two planes, with obtuse angles, so that in the descend- 
ing stroke the posterior plane presents its concavity to the column 
of air struck; the resultant, on the two axille, raises the bird. 
—On the trichomatic origin and formation of some eystoliths, 
by M. Chareyre.—Physiological researches on Champignons, by 
MM. Bonnier and Mangin. The ratio of oxygen absorbed to 
carbonic acid emitted does not vary sensibly with the temperature 
in a given species. Respiration increases very sensibly with 
the hygrometric state of the air, diminishes in diffused light, is 
greatest in the more refrangible rays. Transp‘ration is greater 
in diffuse light than in darkness.—Scientific exploration in the 
Straits of Magellan, on Terra-del-Fuego, and on the coast of 
Patagonia, with the Brazilian corvette Parnahyba, by M. Crals. 
—The perception of colours and the perception of differences of 
brightness, by M. Charpentier. The*perception of colour is 
merely the appreciation of the difference of excitation, by certain 
rays, of the apparatus of luminous sensibility on the one hand, 
and of that of visual sensibility, or distinction of forms, on the 
other.—Experimental researches on the physiological effects of 
cinchonidine, by MM. Sée and Bochefontaine. Its place (with 
quinine and cinchonine) is among substances which depress the 
nervous system after momentary stimulation of the circulation.— 
On the effects of prolonged stay in an atmosphere charged with 
vapours of creosote, by M. Poincaré. There was hardening of 
the brain, sclerosis of liver and kidneys, effacement of the pul- 
monary cavities, &c.—On the circulation of the fingers and 
derivative circulation of the extremities, by M. Bourceret. In 
the last phalanx of the fingers there is a special arrangement 
for rapid return of the blood; it consists of large, very short 
capillaries, and is merely a modification of the general type. 
One cannot speak properly of a derivative circulation.—On the 
attenuation of the virulence of the bacterium of charbon by 
antiseptic substances, by MM. Chamberland and Roux. This 
was proved with carbolic acid and bichromate of potash. 
CONTENTS PaGE 
Tue Scotcn UNIVERSITIES Birr... ee ee ee et «8D 
THE SCHEME OF THE GROCERS’ COMPANY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT 
OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN SANITARY SCIENCE . . + + = «= + 574 
ELEMENTARY MRTEOROLOGY. - - »- - + © © + + + © © « «© 575 
SaLvapori’s PAPUAN ORNITHOLOGY . - « - + + + «© © © + + 577 
Our Book SHELF:— , 
Smith's ‘‘ Cutting Tools Worked by Hand and Machine” . . ~ £77 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:— ‘ is : 
Metamorphic Origin of Granite,—Prehistoric “‘ Giants."’—THE 
Duxe oF ARGYLL oo dae: see hapa tebe ne 578 
““The Ether and its Functions.”"—S. ToLvER PresTON . . - - 579 
“ Krao.”’—A RESIDENT DS «she! Sheth cake ote fet came 
Singing, Speaking, and Stamméring.—JAmEs Lecxy; W. H. 
STONES M.B), EiR:CuP: 5) Kas. Lligscn et oie ef lees ine SE 
A Curious Case of Ignition.—Lieut. Bertram Gwynng, R.N.. . 580 
Fibreballs: —JOrie "te mete ce) miei ol cm) ee) el ore 580 
Benevolence in Animals —OswALp FircH... . . . +--+ ~ = 580 
The Zodiacal Light (?}—-J. W.B. . - - - + + + s+ «© ss 8 580 
Braces or Waistband ?—G. H. . . - . AD eC a8 
580 
Tue TEACHING OF ELEMENTARY MECHANICS. . + - » + «© se 
Tur CHEM STRY OF THE PLANT AND Faure Accumucarors, V. By 
Dr. J. H. Grapstone, F.R.S., and Dr. ALFRED Tring, F.R.S.. . 583 
Tue Lion at Rest (With Jdlustration) « 5) ces ag eric oe nals 
On THE RELATIONS OF THE F1G AND THE CapriFic. By W. BoTT1NG 
HEMSLEY i ce oe ee ne Cc ee oe an nae 
5 FES BE PORE Sere 
INOTES)=, /e col codon. eeecel eee 
Our AsTRONOMICAL COLUMN:— 
D" Arrest’; Comet sec bce oni) Gils peiee cibeens oi Ml ail eee. 
The Great Cometionasia.n. a, s. ci nl Coumel les oon kelte emi SEo 
The Binary Star # Eridani Pe ERE eel Sah Seen 
eck on etl) 
GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES . - - + + © © + = + 
Tue SoarInG OF Birps. By Dr. HupeRT AIRY. . + =» + + + + 590 
Some Points in Exvectric Licutinc. By Dr. Joun Hopkinson, 
FURS: Mtns Coons 0 oe gr ue sy enn els see es Be ae 
HARDENING AND TEMPERING STEEL. By Prof. W. CHANDLER 
RoperTs;FiRes Se ie RE eee air toma a SOK 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE . - + © + + + + 594 
Societies AND ACADEMIES .. +--+ = + se s+ 2 + s 3 = 595 
