OcTOBER 12, 1916] 
NATURE 
123 
the case, that the production of hormones was not 
at all confined to certain ductless glands, but was a 
much more widespread phenomenon, we could under- 
stand that if, through an alteration in external condi- 
tions, a change was induced in some tissue, its chem- 
ical emanations would be altered. If, further, these 
altered substances, circulating in the body fluids, were 
ultimately stored up in the germ-cells, then eventually 
as the germ developed the corresponding alteration 
would be produced in the tissues of the young animal, 
even before it was exposed to the changed environ- 
ment. 
Of course, the proof that such an influence of a 
changed environment on subsequent generations was 
possible must ultimately be found by experiment, and 
the inherent difficulty of such experiments was very 
great, but some suggestive work by Kammerer on 
the inheritance of colour in Salamanders seemed 
really to supply positive evidence in favour of the 
inheritance of environmental influence. 
In conclusion, let us bear in mind that the hormone 
theory of the inheritance of acquired characters which 
a study of experimental embryology inclines us to 
regard with favour was in principle identical with the 
theory of “‘pangenesis ’’ propounded by the founder of 
modern biology, Charles Darwin. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
Lonpon.—A series of public lectures, under the 
general title of ‘‘ The University and the Nation,” will 
be delivered on Wednesdays, at 5.15 p.m., at King’s 
College. The lectures will be as follows :—October 
25, The Root Fault in the English Attitude to Educa- 
tion, Dr. Burrows, Principal of King’s College; 
November 1, Science and Industry, Mr. oe Swin- 
burne; November 8, Science and the Training of the 
Citizen, Principal Griffiths; November 15, The 
Spiritual Appeal of the Humanities, Mr. A, C. Clutton- 
Brock; November 22, The Intellectual Groundwork 
of Politics, Dr: H. A. L. Fisher; November 29, Educa- 
tion—the Curse of Convention, Mr. Graham Wallas. 
Dr. Marie Stopes will begin a course of six lectures 
and demonstrations on ‘‘ The Bennettitales ” on Octo- 
ber 17, at 5 p.m., at University College. The course 
will be illustrated by lantern-slides and specimens, 
including microscopic sections of new species. Fur- 
ther particulars can be obtained from the secretary 
of University College. 
Prof. J. A. Fleming will deliver a public lecture on 
“Long-Distance Telegraphy and Telephony,” at Uni- 
versity College, on Wednesday, October 18, at 5.30 
p-m. This lecture is open to the public without fee 
or ticket. 
OxrorpD.—On October 7 the Vice-Chancellor (the 
Very Rev. T. B. Strong, dean of Christ Church), on 
entering upon his fourth year of office, delivered the 
customary address. After mentioning that about 
10,500 members of the University were serving in the 
Army and Navy, and about 500 were in other Govern- 
ment employment, he spoke of the distinctions gained 
by them in the present war, including 9 V.C.’s, 120 
D.S.O.’s, and 700 mentions in despatches. Passing 
on to speak of the educational deficiencies which had 
been disclosed by the war, he said that the University 
must find some way to remedy the neglect of the 
claims of natural science. Average people were not 
likely to become advanced students of science, but they 
wanted everybody, including the average people, to be 
aware of, or in some degree to understand, the scien- 
tific point of view. The country would have to give 
up its prevalent attitude of distrust’ towards expert 
knowledge. The new statute relating to the Honour 
NO. 2450, VOL. 98] 
School of Chemistry was an attempt by the University 
to put the study of that science on a more satisfactory 
footing. But it should not be forgotten that the 
majority of Oxford men would be engaged in the 
work of administration, for which the knowledge of 
men was essential. 
The University has received with much regret the 
news of the death of Mr. Horace Hart, who for more 
than thirty years conducted, as controller, the business 
of the University Press with marked ability and suc- 
cess. 
A MEETING of the Association of Technical Institu- 
tions will be held in London on Friday and Saturday, 
October 20-21. For some time it has been felt that 
the members of the association should meet together to 
consider educational questions having special bearing 
on the work of technical schools and colleges. The 
governors of the Imperial College of Science and Tech- 
nology, South Kensington, have placed rooms in the 
college at the disposal of the association for the pur- 
poses of the conference. Sir Alfred Keogh, K.C.B., 
president of the association, will preside over the meet- 
ing. The Right Hon. A. H. Dyke Acland, chairman 
of the Executive Committee of the Governors of the 
Imperial College, will welcome the calogatra to the 
college at their first session. On the Friday morning 
Lord Haldane will deliver an address on ‘‘ Education 
after the War, with Special Reference to Technical 
Instruction.’’ This will be followed by a paper by Sir 
Trevor Dawson (of Vickers, Sons and Maxim) on 
‘Education after the War, with Special Reference to 
Engineering Instruction.”” The afternoon of Friday 
will be devoted to a discussion of the address and 
paper. On Saturday, October 21, Major Mitchell, 
director of the Regent Street Polytechnic, London, 
will read a paper on “*What Can be Done to Train 
Disabled Sailors and Soldiers in. Technical Institu- 
tions,”’ to be followed by a discussion, 
In presenting the Education Estimates to the House 
of Commons on July 18, the President of the Board of 
Education said that in addition to three committees 
of experts to investigate different educational ques- 
tions, a fourth committee was to be appointed which 
would be a Reviewing Committee. The three expert 
commgtees are dealing respectively with the education 
and care of young persons after the war, and the 
position of science and modern languages in our educa- 
tional system. Mr. Bonar Law stated, in the House 
of Commons on October 10, that the Reviewing 
Committee, which will be a sub-committee of the 
Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Committee, has for 
its terms of reference :—‘*To consider the system of 
education as a whole; to review and formulate from 
‘that point of view proposals for developing it, particu- 
larly in directions indicated as desirable or necessary 
by experience gained during the war, and with special 
reference to:—(a) Proposals prepared before the war 
for the development of the national system of educa- 
tion; (b) the memoranda already submitted by the 
Education Departments for the consideration of the 
Reconstruction Committee; (c) any proposals sub- 
mitted hereafter from the departments, or from special 
committees, or from other responsible organisations ; 
and to recommend from time to time such action, 
whether by way of legislation or otherwise, as may 
be practicable.’’ It is understood that this Reviewing 
Committee will consist of Cabinet and ex-Cabinet 
Ministers, and possibly of some other persons to be 
called in for advisory purposes, but no announcement 
has yet been made as to the actual membership. 
Ar the invitation of the Universities of Leeds and 
Sheffield a party representative of the Institute of 
Journalists, the Circle of Scientific, Technical, and 
