4 i4 



NATURE 



\_August 24, 



tile that on the gland cell passing into the condition of activity 

 an increased production of CO s may occur, leading to an 

 increased diffusion of water outwards. 



So far, I have quoted Professor Hedenhain, for the most part in 

 his own words. Let me add, however, that the two hypotheses 

 which he advances as possible explanations of the mechanism of 

 secretion of water by the cell rest upon the most probable grounds, 

 as upon the presence of the intra-cellular protoplasmic network 

 which has been so beautifully demonstrated by recent researches, 

 and especially by those of Professor Klein ; or, again, upui the 

 fact, proved by the analyses of Professor Pfluger of the gases of 

 she saliva, that there is during secretion great production of CO.,, 

 as shown by the amount of this gas in the saliva being much 

 greater than in the blood, and upon the fact of the remarkable 

 Uift'u ibiliiy of acid solutions. 



Reasoning upon a large number of facts, which I have not 

 time to refer to, Profe-sor Heidenhain has come to the conclu- 

 sion that, quite apart from the nerves which control the vascular 

 ■ upply to a gland, there exist two distinct sets of nerve-fibres in 

 relation to the glandular elements. The first of these, which he 

 terms "secretory," when stimulated, lead to the secretion of 

 water and saline constituents ; the second, which he terms 

 "trophic," influence the transformations of the protoplasm of 

 the cell, and thus affect the organic constituents of the secretion. 



1 do not wish to pronounce a definite opinion concerning this 

 hypothesis, but would remark that the nomenclature proposed by 

 Heidenhain appears to me to be an unfortunate one, especially 

 because it attaches a new meaning to a word which had pre- 

 viously been u^ed by physiologists in a different sense. I refer to 

 the adjective trepltic, which has always implied "governing 

 nutrition." It appears to me almost inconceivable that if there 

 exist two sets of secretory nerves, the action of each should not 

 profoundly affect the nutrition of the cell protoplasm, though, 

 of course, it is conceivable that they shjuld do so in very 

 different manners. 



General Conclusions. 



The complicated studies, of which 1 have attempted to give 

 you a brief sketch, have led to our forming certain clear general 

 conceptions in reference to the process of secretion. They have 

 brought into greater prominence the dignity, if I may use the 

 expression, of the individual cell. The process of secretion 

 appears as the result of the combined work of a large number of 

 these units. Each, after the manner of an independent or- 

 ganism, uses oxygen, forms C0 2 , evolves heat, and derives its 

 nutriment from the medium in which it lives, and performs 

 chemical operations of which the results only are imperfectly 

 known to us, and which depend upon peculiar endowments of 

 the cell protoplasm, of which the causes are hidden from 

 us. Go long as the protoplasm is living, the gland cell 

 retains its power of discharging its functions, and in many 

 cases does so, so long as the intercellular liquid furnishes it with 

 the materials required. In some cases, however, the gland cells 

 are specially sensitive to a variation in the composition of the 

 nutrient liquid, certain constituents of which appear to stimulate 

 the protoplasm to increased activity. In the higher animals the 

 cells, particularly in certain glands, are in relation to nerves 

 which, when stimulated, affect in a remarkable manner the 

 transformations of their protoplasm, leading to an increased con- 

 sumption of oxygen, an increased production of carbonic acid, an 

 increased evolution of heat, and an increased production of those 

 matters which the cell eliminates and which constitute its 

 secretion. 



This historical survey of the growth of our knowledge of the 

 process of secretion exhibits the characteristic features of 

 biological advancement. Comparative anatomy has been the 

 foundation of observation of facts and phy-ical experiment, the 

 road to physiological research. At various stages the value of 

 hypotheses has been well illustrated, and, whenever they have 

 had to make way for the broader an! truer i .terpretations sug- 

 gested by the accumulation of facts and grca'er precision of 

 observation, it has been demonstrated that the process of ob- 

 servation i-. not one of simple sight but of complex ratiocination. 



NOTES 



A Medal and Prize, of the annual value of twenty 

 guineas, has been founded by Dr. Siemens, F.R.S., "with the 

 object of stimulating the students of King's College, London, 



to a high standard of proficiency in metallurgical science." 

 It is open to those who have, as Matriculated Students, 

 studied in the Applied Science Department for two years, 

 and who, either in their third year, or, if they remain in 

 the Department for three years, in the succeeding year, make 

 metallurgy a special study. The first award will be made at the 

 end of June, 1883, and will depend partly on an essay on some 

 particular subject, partly on a written examination on the metal- 

 lurgical lectures, and partly on actual work done in the Labora- 

 tory. The subject for the essay for 18S3 will be the "Manufac- 

 ture of Steel suitable for Ship and Boiler Plates." The essays 

 are to be illustrated by freehand sketches and mechanical 

 drawings to scale, and must be sent in to Prof. Huntington on 

 or before June 30. 



Sir Woodbine Parish, K.C.H. and F.R.S., died, towards 

 the close of last week, at Quarry House, St. Leonards-on-Sea, 

 in the 86th year of his age. Sir Woodbine was long engaged in 

 the diplomatic service, though his name is also known in the 

 scientific world. As far back as 1824 he had been elected a Fellnv 

 of the Royal Society, and was a member of several learned 

 societies both at home and abroad ; he had been a vice-president 

 both of the Geological and Geographical Societies. His name 

 is well known in the scientific world as having brought to this 

 country the remains of the megatherium, the glyptodon, and 

 other fossil monsters from the plains and valleys of South 

 America, and his work on the natural history, &c, of Buenos 

 Ayres and Rio de la Plata received a high encomium from no less 

 an authority than Baron Humboldt, 



The death is announced of Count Lutke, well known in 

 connection with Russian Arctic exploration, especially in the 

 Novaya Zemlya region. 



The next Congress of Electricians will meet in Paris on 

 October 11. The Members will have to deliberate, as we have 

 already stated: (1) on the determination of the length of the 

 mercury column equivalent to the practical obm ; (2) on the con- 

 struction of lightning conductors, and influence of telegraphic or 

 or telephonic wires on thunder-storms; (3) on the means of esta- 

 blishing a general system of observations for atmospheric elec- 

 tricity ; (4) on the opportunity of using the telegraph system for 

 establishing constant communication between a certain number 

 of meteorological observatories. At the same time a Diplomatic 

 Congress will meet on the protection of cables. It is surmised, 

 moreover, that the former will be presided over by M. Cochery, 

 Minister of PoUl Telegraphy, and the latter by M. Duclerc, 

 Minister of Foreign Affairs. 



We learn from the North China Herald that Sir Robert Hart, 

 the Inspector-General of the Chinese Mariume Customs, has 

 fully granted his assistance to the project of a China coast 

 meteorological service. Forme.ly a certain Minister of the 

 Customs Officers voluntarily made observations and sent them to 

 M. Dechevrens, the head of the Siccawei Observatory at 

 Shanghai ; but these were frequently interrupted by the observers 

 being transferred to other ports. Sir Robert has now directed 

 that the observations at all the ports and lighthouses be sent to 

 Shanghai regularly. A storm warning service is also being 

 organised in Japan under the superintendence of Mr. Knipping. 



The equatorial cottde (bent equatorial) invented and designed 

 by M. I.cewy, is in full operation at the Observatory of Paris. 

 Observations are conducted with it, although the clock is not yet 

 in place. The peculiarity is that in consequence of the bending 

 and the use of two reflecting mirrors, the astronomer can observe 

 all the celestial bodies without moving from his table. The 

 reflected rays are sent to the eyepiece through the axial part of 

 the refractor by a fixed mirror. The object-glass is placed at 

 the end of the movable part, which revolves round the axial part 



