84 
Lotus arabicus and Sorghum vulgare the poison has been shown 
NATURE 
to have its origin in cyanogenetic glucosides, which occur in | 
the young plant, but gradually disappear as the seeds ripen; | 
(2) Indian and Egyptian drugs and their constituents. (a) 
Hyoscyamus Muticus and Hyoscyamine. This remarkable 
plant, probably the ‘‘nepenthe” of Homer, grows both in 
India and Egypt, and has been long known asa constituent of 
narcotics under the name of ‘‘ bheng”’ or ‘‘ bhang.” It has been 
found to contain the alkaloid, hyoscyamine, in larger proportion 
than any other known plant. As the plant is abundant in Egypt 
it is now being exported for the manufacture of this alkaloid, 
which is used medicinally. It grows abundantly in the sand 
of the desert, which analysis shows to be nearly free from 
nitrogenous compounds. The manner in which the plant obtains 
its nitrogen is being investigated. (4) Indian Aconites and 
their poisonous alkaloids. (3) India-rubber from Bahr el 
Ghazal and Zululand. Varieties of gutta-percha from 
Sarawak, Ceylon and West Africa; (4) coal, iron ores, 
mica, and other minerals from India, British Central 
Africa, Nigeria, Somaliland, Trinidad, and the Grecian 
Archipelago ; (5) specimens of tobacco cultivated in Bermuda, 
with photographs of the crops; (6) specimens of Indian and 
Australian gums and resins. (a) Cochlospermum gossypium 
(India) and Sverculia acertfolia (Australia). 
possess the peculiarity of generating acetic acid when exposed 
to the air. (6) Callitris verrucosa (Australia). This resin is 
remarkable in containing a volatile resin. The resin resembles 
sandarac in its properties, and is likely to be of commercial value. 
Mr. W. M. Mordey and Mr. G, L. Fricker showed an elec- 
tricity meter invented by them, and intended especially for 
consumers having a comparatively small number of lamps. It 
consists of an ordinary clock, deprived of its hair-spring, and 
carrying a few pieces of iron wire or strip on its balance wheel. 
This balance wheel is surrounded by a coil of wire conveying 
the current to be measured. With this arrangement the oscil- 
lations of the balance wheel are directly proportional to the 
current through the coil, with either direct or alternate cur- 
rent. The clock therefore goes at a speed proportional to the 
current, but does not go at all when there is no current. Geared 
to the clock is a counter which records the ampere-hours or 
(on constant pressure circuits) the kilowatt-hours or Board of 
Trade units. 
Prof. W. Ramsay, F.R.S., had an exhibit to illustrate that 
many persons see the colour of a vacuum tube containing 
krypton as lilac, many as green. The phenomenon appears to 
be conditioned by the size of the yellow spot on the retina. 
Film structures in metals and other plastic solids were shown 
by Mr. George Beilby. Metal surfaces are covered with a 
transparent lacquer-like film of their own substance. This 
These gums | 
covering film is formed by the welding together of minute | 
reflecting films or ‘‘spicules.” Spicules are visible in all metal 
surfaces, but are specially well seen in surfaces which have been 
frosted by the action of heat and chemical reagents. When 
the rounded end of a burnisher is drawn across a frosted surface, 
the separate films are welded into a transparent continuous film. 
Prof. A. Schuster, F.R.S., exhibited (1) the spectrum of 
iron in the flame of the Bunsen burner; (2) a Rowland grating 
of one metre focus. 
The scales of fishes as an index of age was the subject of an 
exhibit by the Marine Biological Association. The scales of 
many fishes show a series of parallel eccentric lines, which indi- 
cate successive increments of growth. These lines of growth 
have been found to be more widely separated in that part of the 
scale formed during the warm season of the year than in the 
portion formed during the cold season. The alternation of the 
two series gives rise to the appearance of ‘‘ annual rings,” which 
indicate the age of the fish in years. The markings are subject 
to individual variation, and Mr. J. Stuart Thomson has been 
engaged on their investigation in fish of different species captured 
at all seasons of the year. THis results show that it is possible 
to determine the age of individual fishes of many species with 
considerable precision—a conclusion which will greatly facilitate 
the study of other points in the natural history of fishes, and has 
important practical applications. 
Mr. A. C. Cossor showed (1) a ‘‘ Braun” tube for kathode 
rays ; (2) a new therapeutic X-ray tube. The object of the 
‘* Braun” tube is to permit of a wide range in the different 
experiments that can be made, showing the action of magnetic 
disturbances on the kathode rays. In this tube these magnetic 
effects are delicately and precisely shown. 
NO. 1609. VOL. 66] 
[ May 22, 1902 
Mr. J. E. Stead’s exhibit consisted of (1) micro-structure of 
iron, and meteoric irons containing free phosphides and carbides 
of iron and nickel; (2) the micro-constituents of steel. 
The Cambridge Observatory exhibited diagrams referring to 
preliminary results of the solar parallax, from observations of 
the planet Eros. 
The Royal Astronomical Society showed photographs of the 
nebula surrounding Nova Persei, photographed by Mr. G. W. 
Ritchey, Yerkes Observatory, U.S.A. 
Manuscripts relating to the discovery of Neptune, by the 
late Prof. J. Couch Adams, F.R.S., were shown.by St. John’s 
College, Cambridge, through Prof. R. A. Sampson. The 
manuscripts date from 1841, when, as an undergraduate in his 
second year, Adams first determined to attack the problem, to 
1846, when the planet was discovered. In all, Adams made 
no less than six separate solutions of the problem, similar in 
method but largely independent, each advancing in some par- 
ticular upon the last. Of these the earliest, though necessarily 
the least perfect, is perhaps of most interest. It was completed 
at the end of September, 1843, three years before the planet 
was observed with the telescope. The position assigned to 
Neptune by this first determination was some 18° from the 
truth. The solution dated April 28, 1845, departs from the 
subsequently observed position by 3°; that of September 18 and 
October of the same year by less than 1°; that of August, 1846, 
by about 14°. 
Mr, A. Vernon Harcourt, F.R.S., showed an apparatus for 
the regulated administration of chloroform. 
Mr. J. E. Petavel and Captain J. Bruce-Kingsmill exhibited 
(1) a recording pressure gauge for artillery ; (2) a recording 
pressure gauge for low-pressure explosions (suitable for gas- 
engine research and experimental physics), shown by Mr. J. E. 
Petavel. A description of the apparatus will be found in the 
current number of the PAz/osophical Magazine. 
The National Physical Laboratory showed a plane mirror, 
given to the Laboratory by Dr. Common, F.R.S. 
Living specimens of ovivorous parasites (Mymaridz), together 
with larve and pupz in the eggs of Liburnia (frog-hoppers), 
were shown by Mr. F. Enock. 
Mr. W. E. Hoyle showed luminous organs in Pterygioteuthis 
margaritifera, a Mediterranean Cephalopod. The most striking 
feature of these organs is that they are concealed by the integu- 
ment, and are only effective by reason of its transparence in the 
living condition. 
Lieut.-Colonel Bruce, F.R.S., exhibited 7Zryfanosoma 
Theiler?, a new species of parasite discovered in the blood of 
cattle in South Africa. This new Trypanosoma was lately dis- 
covered by Dr. A. Theiler, who is in charge of the bacterio- 
logical laboratory of medical officer of health, Pretoria, 
Transvaal. The species can be at once distinguished from the 
Trypanosomas of Surra, tse-tse fly disease, or rat by its larger 
size, it being almost twice as large as any of the others. In 
general appearance it conforms closely to the others in possessing 
an oval protoplasmic body, a longitudinal fin-like membrane 
anda single flagellum. It only infects cattle. Horses, dogs, 
goats, rabbits and guinea-pigs are ail immune, neither showing 
symptoms nor the presence of the parasites in the blood. 
A specimen of a Trypanosoma found in the blood of man was 
shown by Mr. J. Everett Dutton on behalf of the School of 
Tropical Medical, Liverpool. The Trypanosoma was first dis- 
covered in the blood of a European in Government employ at 
Bathurst, West Africa. The presence of the parasite was asso- 
ciated with symptoms closely resembling those occurring in 
animals suffering from tse-tse fly disease... The parasite was 
again found in a preparation of blood taken from a native child 
at Bathurst (see p. 15). 
Messrs. R. and J. Beck, Ltd., exhibited the ‘‘ Imperial ”’ 
microscope with mechanical adjustments for critical work, show- 
ing Grayson’s micrometer rulings in realgar up to 60,000 lines 
to the inch. 
A collection of ear-rings from British New Guinea was shown 
by Dr. A. C. Haddon, F.R.S. 
Microscopic preparations of Astrosclera Willeyana, with 
specimens illustrating the determination of the mineral con- 
stituent of the skeleton by Meigen’s method, were shown by 
Mr. J. J. Lister, F.R.S., and Mr. A. Hutchinson. Astrosclera 
was first collected by Dr. A. Willey in the Loyalty Islands, and 
has since been obtained at Funafuti in the Ellice group. It is 
regarded as the type of a distinct division of sponges, and differs 
from other known calcareous sponges in the structure of the soft 
