692 
NATURE 
[May 19, 1923 

up to 1450° C. There was a rapid increase in the 
elastic limit, resistance and hardness, as the tempera- 
ture rose.—E. E. Blaise: Syntheses by means of 
the mixed a-ketone zinc derivatives.—Marcel Godchot : 
The oxidation of 1.3.4-dimethylcyclohexanone and 
the synthesis of cyclopentane diketones. The oxida- 
tion of the above ketone with potassium permanganate 
gives a good yield of y-methyl-é-acetyl-valeric acid. 
The ethyl ester of this acid, treated with powdered 
sodium ethylate in ether solution gives a-acetyl- 
B8-methyleyclopentanone. The latter, being a £- 
diketone, forms a sodium derivative capable of 
reacting with alkyl iodides —Raymond Delaby: The 
action of mixed organomagnesium compounds on 
the epibromhydrin of ethylglycerol.—M. Caille and 
E. Viel: A new reagent for alkaloids and the prepara- 
tion of the iodostibinates of these substances in the 
crystallised state. The reagent consists of a slightly 
acid solution of antimony chloride with potassium 
iodide. One part of quinine in 100,000 can be 
detected ; it forms a yellow precipitate. The method 
appears to be equally sensitive with other alkaloids. 
By a suitable treatment the alkaloid can be recovered 
from the precipitate unchanged—A. Mailhe: The 
decomposition of the formamides of the fatty amines. 
Isoamylformamide vapour, passed over nickel at 
360° C. gives a mixture of isoamylamine and isoamy] 
nitrile—M. E. Denaeyer: The rocks of Adrar des 
Iforass and Ahaggar. Two salient facts are shown 
by the study of the rocks from the central Sahara, 
their crushing, related to the existence of the Saharan 
folds, and the existence of alkaline amphibole granites. 
These rocks mark a new extension towards the west 
of the limits of the alkaline petrographical province 
of the Tchad.—E. Chaput and L. Perriaux: The 
existence of Albian sands and calcareous pudding 
stones on the high plateaux of the Céte-d’Or.—Léon 
Bertrand: The Provengal sheets to the east of the 
lower valley of the Var.—L. Barrabé: The trans- 
ported origin of the Lias massif situated to the west 
of Narbonne.—Paul Corbin and Nicolas Oulianoff : 
The Mesozoic of Prarion (Arve valley).—A. Allemand- 
Martin: The Pliocene of the Cap Bon peninsula 
(Tunis) —Henri Coupin: The morphological nature 
of the head of the cauliflower. The head of the 
cauliflower is not formed by flowers, but by stems 
arrested in their development. This arrest is of 
tetratological, not parasitic, origin—R. Chavastelon : 
A method for the preservation of wood. A solution 
of copper bichromate is recommended and instruc- 
tions for its preparation are given. Wood thus 
treated is very resistant to the attack of moulds.— 
Fred Vilés, Mile. G. Achard, and Dj. Prikelmaier : 
Some physico-chemical properties of the constituents 
of the egg of the sea urchin.—E. Leblanc: Experi- 
mental acerebellation in lizards.—J. Gautrelet : Shock 
and parasympathic reactions——A. Policard: The 
histochemical detection of total iron in tissues by 
the method of incineration. The section is ashed 
and the iron detected by the colour of its oxide under 
the microscope.—C. Levaditi and S. Nicolau: The 
mode of action of bismuth in trypanosomiasis and 
spirillosis. 


Official Publications Received. 
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Department Circular 187: List of 
Serials currently received in the Library of the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture; exclusive of the U.S. Government Publications and 
Publications of the State Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations. 
Arranged by Title, by Subject, and by Region. January 1, 1922. Pp. 
iii+358. (Washington : Goyernment Printing Office.) 
Department of the Interior: Bureau of Education. Bulletin No. 6: 
State Policies in Public School Finance. By F. H. Swift. Pp. iv+d4. 
10 cents. “Bulletin No. 15: A Kindergarten First-Grade Ovrriculum. 
By a Sub-Committee of the Bureau of Education Committee of the 
NO. 2794, VOL. IIT | 

International Kindergarten Union. Pp. vii+66. 10 cents. Bulletin 
No, 23: High-School Buildings and Grounds : a Report of the Commission 
on the Reorganization of Secondary Education, appointed by the 
National Education Association. Pp. xi+4%. 15cents. Bulletin No. 26: 
Philanthropy in the History of American Higher Edneation. By J. B. 
Sears. Pp. vi+112. 15 cents. Bulletin No 29: ‘Statistics of State 
School Systems. 1919-20. Prepared by Florence Du Bois and H. R, 
Bonner. Pp. 68, 10 cents. Bulletin No. 30: Accredited Higher 
Institutions. By G. F. Zook. Pp. vii+106. 15 cents. Bulletin No. 84; 
Statistics of Land-grant Colleges, Year ended June 30, 1921. By L. E. 
Gmmee. Pp. iii+67. 10 cents. (Washington: Government Printing 
Ice, > 
The Record of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, 1922. 
(London: Royal Institution.) 
Year-Book of the Department of Agriculture, Ceylon, 1928. Pp 64441 
Pp 122. 
plates. (Colombo: H. W. Cave and Co.) s 
Statens Meteorologisk-Hydrografiska Anstalt. Arsbok 4, 1922. 1: 
Minads6versikt dver viderlek och vattentillging. Pp. 139. (Stockholm.) 
2.50 Kr. 
The Kent Incorporated Society for Promoting Experiments in 
Horticulture. Annual Report, together with Notes upon the first Ten 
Years’ Work, East Malling Research Station, Ist January 1922 to 81st 
December 1922. Pp. 52. (Bast Malling.) 1s. 

Diary of Societies. 
SATURDAY, May 19. 
Royat InsTiTvTIon of GREAT Britain, at 3.—J. B. McEwen: Harmonic 
Evolution. 
TUESDAY, May 22. 
Roya. InstituTIon oF GReaT Britain, at 3.—Prof. W. M. Flinders Petrie : 
Discoveries in Egypt (1). 
RoyaL PHorogrRapPaic Society or GREAT Britatw (Scientific and 
Technical Group), at 7.—A. J. Bull: The Relation of Selective 
Absorption of Printing Colours to the Errors occurring in Three- 
Colour Photography. 
WEDNESDAY, May 23. 
RoyaL Microscopicau Society, at 7.30.—Annual Pond Life Exhibition. 
THURSDAY, May 24. 
MEDICO-PsYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 
(at Royal Society of Medicine), at 3.—Dr. C. K. Clarke: The Fourth 
Maudsley Lecture. ES 
Royat INnsriruTion oF GREAT Britain, at 8.—Prof. E. G. Coker: 
Engineering Problems Solved by Photo-elastie Methods (2). The 
Testing of Materials ; The Action of Cutting Tools. 
LINNEAN Society oF Lonpon, at 5,—Anniversary Meeting. Presentation 
of the Linnean Gold Medal to the High Commissioner of New Zealand 
for transmission to T. F. Cheeseman. 
Opricat Socrery (at Imperial College of Science and Technology), at 7.30.— 
D. Baxandall: Telescopes from a Historical Standpoint. (Llustrated 
by exhibits from the collection in the Science Museum, South 
Kensington.) 
FRIDAY, May 25. 
Royvat Socrety or Meprcrne (Study of Disease in Children Section) 
(Annual General Meeting), at 5.—Discussion on Birth Injuries. 
PuysicaL Sociery oF Lonpon (at Imperial College of Science and 
Technology), at 5.—Prof. C. H. Lees and J. £. Calthrop: The Effect of 
Torsion on the Thermal and Electrical Condnetivities of Metals.— 
A. Rosen: The Use of the Wien Bridge for the Measurement of 
Dielectric Losses.—C. R. Darling: Demonstration of an Ex)eriment on 
the Production of an Intermittent Pressure by Boiling Water.— 
Dr. N. W. McLachlan: Demonstration of a Novel Instrument for 
recording Wireless Sign is. 
Royat Society or Meprcrne (Epidemiology and State Medicine Section) 
(Annual General Meeting), at $.—Prof. B. L. Collis: An Inqui into 
the Mortality of Coal and Metalliferous Miners in England and Wales. 
Royat InsTiruTioN oF GREAT BriraiN, at 9.—Sir Aston Webb: The 
Development, of London, 
SATURDAY, May 26. 
Roya. InsTITUTION oF GREAT BRITAIN, at 3.—J. B. McEwen: Musical 
Education. 
PUBLIC LECTURES. 
TUESDAY, May 22. 
GresHam CoL.Ecr, at 6.—Sir Robert Armstrong-Jones : Physic (sueceed- 
ing Lectures on May 23, 24, and 25). 
THURSDAY, May 24. 
Sr. Mary's Hospitat (Institute of Pathology and Research), at 4.30.— 
Dr. B. Hart: The Development of Psychopathology as a Branch of 
Medicine. 
Royau Socirry of Mepicrne (Robert Barnes Hall), at 5.15.—Prof. E. D. 
Wiersma : The Psychology of Epilepsy. 
FRIDAY, May 25. 
University Couuecr, at 5,—Prof. C. Spearman : Psychology as a Career, 
