Fune i, 1871 | 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LonDoN 
Royal Society, May 25.—‘‘Some Remarks on the Mechanism 
of Respiration.” By F. Le Gros Clark. 
The author commences his paper by narrating some experi- 
ments on recently slaughtered animals, in the course of which 
the remarkable tension of the diaphragm was noticed ; and the 
varying condition of that muscle, and of the lungs and pleura, 
with their mutual relations, are commented on. 
The importance of this passive tension of the diaphragm is 
indicated and exemplified both physiologically and pathologically. 
It is essential in retaining the supplemental air within the lungs, 
in restoring the equilibrium of repose, in economising active mus- 
cular power, and in maintaining the pericardial space, &c, 
* The action of the diaphragm in relation to the walls of the chest 
and to other muscles is next discussed ; and the influence of the 
diaphragm in drawing in the chest-walls,; under certain circum- 
stances, is pointed out, and illustrated by cases of injury to the 
spinal cord. 
The action of the intercostal muscles, as necessary adjuncts to 
the diaphragm and as muscles of inspiration, is insisted on and 
illustrated by diagrams ; and a summary of their action is given. 
The agency of the serratus magnus is then discussed ; and 
reasons are advanced, supported by observation and experiment, 
to show that itis only under special conditions and to a limited 
extent that it can be regarded as taking any part in the act of 
inspiration. 
The mobility of the different costal regions and of the sternum 
is exemplified by observation and experiment. 
Lastly, the question of abdominal and thoracic breathing, 
severally in the male and female, is considered ; and reasons are 
adduced for concluding that the received opinions on this sub- 
ject are erroneous. 
‘Spectrum of Comet I.” By Dr. William Huggins, 
F.R.S.—On April 7 a faint comet was discovered by Dr. 
Winnecke. I observed the comet on April 1 and May 2. 
On both days the comet was exceedingly faint, and on May 2 
it was rendered more difficult to observe by the light of 
the moen and a faint haze in the atmosphere. It presented the 
appearance of a small faint coma, with an extension in the di- 
rection of the sun. When observed in the spectroscope, I could 
detect the light of the coma to consist almost entirely of three 
bright bands. A fair measure was obtained of the centre of the 
middle band, which was the brightest ; it gives for this band a 
wave-length of about 510 millionths of a millimetre. I was not 
able to do more than estimate roughly the position of the less 
refrangible band. The result gives 545 millionths, The third 
band was situated at about the same distance from the middle 
band cn the more refrangiele side. It would appear that this 
comet issimilar in constitution to the comets which I examined 
in 1868.* 
‘* Researches on the Hydrocarbons of the Series C,H,, + ». 
—By C. Schorlemmer. 
In a former communication I have shown that the paraffins, 
the constitution of which is known, may be arranged in four 
groups. The first group, which I called normal paraffins, con- 
tain the carbon atoms linked together in a single chain. Of these 
I have obtained some new ones, which I shall describe more 
fully in a further communication. The normal paraffins which I 
have so far studied are given, together with their boiling points, 
in the following table :— 
From the acids of the So-called al- 
From petroleum. series C,,H.)2 — 204 cohol radicals. 

” 


C5Ai. aT ke ——— 3 ‘ 
P ‘ e Dipropyl. | From Mannite. 
CeHi,  69°— 70° 69°°5 69° — 70 71°5 
C,Hi, 98° -— 99 100°°5 —— 
From methyl- 
Dibutyl. _ hexylcarbinol. 
C,H,, . 123°—124° 123 — 124° 123°— 124° 124° 
That these paraffins have really the constitution which I have 
ascribed to them follows partly from their mode of formation ; 
thus dipropyl was obtained from the normal propyl iodide, and 
dibutyl from normal butyl! iodide. The constitution of the others 
was determined by converting them into alcohols and studying 
the oxidation products of the latter ; thus the hexyl hydride from 
petroleum, as well as that obtained from mannite, was trans- 
formed into secondary hexyl alcohol, which on oxidation yielded 
acetic acid and zormal butyric acid. 
* Phil, Trans, 1868, p. 555; and Proc, Roy,Soc, vol. xvi. p. 386. 
NATURE 

a5 

In the communication above referred to, I placed the hydro- 
carbon C,H,, from methyl-hexyl carbinol amongst another 
group ; but I have found now that this body is identical with 
dibutyl and also with the hydrocarbon, which Zinke obtained 
from primary octyl alcohol. This chemist prepared also dioctyl, 
C, gH 34, which consequently is a normal paraffin ; and it appears 
probable that dibexyl, which Brazier and Goslett obtained by 
the electrolysis of cenanthylic acid, belongs to this group too. 
We.are now acquainted with the following normal paraffins :— 
Boiling-points. 
Found (mean). Calculated. Difference. 
CH, —— -—— 
C, He -—— —— 
C; Hg co, = 
Cy Hoo it ite 
‘5 Hip 38° 38° 37. 
C; Ay, 79. 71 33 
7 Die 99° 100" 29° 
(Ga Jy, 124° 125° 25a 
(Ash 202° 207° 4.x 19° 
Ci .H34 278° 278° 4x 19° 
From this it appears, that the boiling-point is not raised 31° 
for each addition of CH,, as I formerly assumed, but that, as the 
calculated numbers show, the difference between the boiling- 
points of the lower members decreases regularly by four until it 
becomes the well-known difference of 19°. 
Chemical Society, May 18.—Prof. Frankland, F.R.S., presi- 
dent, in the chair. Messrs. T. Greenish and J. E. Mayall were 
elected I'ellows. The following papers were read :—“ On a new 
double salt of thallium,” by R. T. Friswell. The author wishing to 
prepare thallic platino-cyanide, mixed hot solutions of thallic 
carbonate and potassic platino-cyanide, and obtained on leaving 
the mixture to cool masses of splendid crystals, which appeared 
by transmitted light of a magnificent crimson red, whilst their 
reflected colour was a bronzy green of strong metallic lustre. 
Analysis showed that they are a compound of thallic carbonate 
with thallic platino-cyanide, Fl, Pt Cy,, CO F1O,. On treating 
this salt with acids carbonic acid is set free, and a pale pink 
residue left, which on examination was found to be thallic 
platino-cyanide.—The next paper read was ‘‘ On the action of 
nitric acid on dichloro-phenolsulphuric acid,” by Dr. Armstrong. 

Geologists’ Association.—The excursion of this Society to 
Oxford took place on the Izth and 13th inst. On the first day 
the numbers assembled at the beautiful new University museum 
at noon, and were introduced to Professor Phillips, who com- 
menced a descriptive lecture on the museum, its arrangement and 
contents. There is a peculiar double arrangement of the palzon- 
tological collection by which the student may with equal ease 
make himself acquainted with the organisms derived from any 
one geological formation or devote himself to the study of the 
fossil remains of a single class or order of the animal or vegetable 
kingdoms. The museum is not crowded, but contains good speci- 
mens of those species which are most typical or characteristic, 
These, too, with the fossil remains of saurians and mammals are 
the complete skeletons of analogous living genera, an arrangement 
most advantageous to the student. ‘The speciality of the Oxford 
museum is the unique collection of the remains of Cetiosaurus. 
A most interesting description of the enormous bones of this 
genus was given by Prof. Phillips, who, by means of correspond- 
ing crocodilian bones, gave a clear idea of the vast size to which 
these huge creatures attained. The estimate made by the Pro- 
fessor was that the Cetiosaurus was 4o feet long and 12 
feet in height, the femur being fully 60 inches long, 
while the femur of a crocodile, with which it was contrasted, being 
no more than nine inches in length. In the afternoon the party 
proceeded to Shotover Hill, examining by the way the excava- 
tions in the Oxford clay near the city, and the exposures of the 
coral rag and the Kimmeridge clay on the side of the hill. 
Near the top of Shotover, Portland sands and a thin band of 
Portland rock are seen, and above these beds and forming the 
summit of the hill are the “ Iron Sands,” which have been the 
subject of much dispute. These highly ferruginous beds were 
considered to be lower greensand, but the finding of a con- 
siderable number of fresh-water species of Mollusca has induced 
Prof. Phillips to conclude the“ lron Sands” to be of Wealden 
age. From these sands at the summit of the hill ochre is ob- 
tained in large quantities. In the evening a soiree was given by 
Mr. James Parker, of Oxford, who most hospitably entertained 
the members of the Association, The magnificent collection 
