72 



NA rURE 



{_Nov. 15, 1 1 



influence might be studied by electrifying the air, say in a ho;- 

 pital ward. Mr. W. Coffin stated that statically electrifying 

 patients had been tried at Bellevue Hospital, New York, without 

 definite results. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, Novembers. — .M. Blaiichard, presi- 

 dent, in the chair. — Funeral orations on the late M. Bre»uet, by 

 M. Janssen and Admiral Cloue — Notice by M. D,aubree of the 

 death of Mr. Lawrence .Smith, Corresponding Member for the 

 Section of Mineralogy, who died at Louisville, Kentucky, on 

 October 12. — On lighting by electricity, by M. Th. Du Moncel. 

 — On one of the methods proposed by .M. Loewy for determining 

 the right ascensions of the circumpolar stars, by M. F. Gon- 

 nesiat. — Remarks on M. Boussinesq's communication respecting 

 the equilibrium of a ring subjected to normal pres ure uniformly 

 distributed, by M. Maurice Levy. — Note on the decomposition 

 of a nuniber into five squares, by M. Stieltjes. — On the proba- 

 bility that a given permutation of n quantities is an alternating 

 permutation, by M. Desire Andre. — On the algebraic integra- 

 tion of linear equatims, by M. H. Poincare. — On a family of 

 developable surfaces generated by the intersection of a given left 

 curve at an angle depending exclusively on the coordinates of the 

 point of intersection, by M. Lucien Levy. — On the potential of 

 the inductive force due to a closed solenoid with current of vary- 

 ing intensity ; analogy with Felici's theorem of electromag- 

 netism, by M. Quet. — On a new non-periodical galvanometer, 

 by M. G. LeGoarantde Tromelin. — On the electric resistance of 

 sulphur, phosphorus, and some other more or less insulating sub- 

 stances, by M. G. Foussereau. — On the influence of nitrate of soda 

 and of nitrate of potassa on the cultivation of pot.atoes, by M. P. P. 

 Deherain. — Researches on the physiological properties of malt- 

 ose, by M. Em. Bourquelot. — On the e.\ternal application of metal- 

 lic copper as a preserva'ive .against cholera, by M. Axel Lamm. 

 — On the comparative toxic action of metals on microbes, by M. 

 Ch, Richet. — Note on zoogla-ic tuberculosis, by MM. L. Malassez 

 and W. Vignal, — On spermatogenesis amongst the edriophth.al- 

 mous Crustaceans (genera Lig'a, Idotea, Sphaeroma, Gammarus, 

 Talitrum), by M. G. Herrmann. — On internal s.acculine, a fresh 

 stage in the development of SacctiHna carcini, by M. Vves 

 Delage. — On the anatomical structure of the Phalliisiadeae, a 

 family of Ascidians on the coa^t of Provence, by M. L. Roule. 

 — On the intestinal cavity and sexual apparatus of Spadella 

 marioni, by M. P. Gourret. — A second contribution to the his- 

 tory of the formation of coal, by M. B. Renault. — On a fer- 

 riferous meteorite which fell at Saint Caprais de Quinsac, 

 Gironde, on January 28, 1883, by MM. G. Lespiault and L. 

 Forquignon. — On the diurnal variation of the barometer at 

 different altitudes, and on the existence of a third barometric 

 maximum, by M. Ch. Andre. — Note on the periodicity of 

 earthquakes, by M. Ch. V. Zenger. — On the employment of 

 sulphuric acid in the treatment of animal matter infected by 

 contagious elements, by M. Darreau. 



Berlin 

 Physiological Society, October 26.— In the course of his 

 investigations into the functions of the cortex of the cere- 

 brum. Prof. Munk had often had occasion to collect experiences 

 on the subject of the appearance of general epileptic spasms 

 resulting from irritation of the cortex of the cerebrum. By 

 this means he had been enabled to confirm not only the older 

 clinical conclusion of Mr. Jackson, that epileptic spasms always 

 proceeded from one group of muscles, and then overtook in a 

 perfectly definite series more distant groups, and at last the whole 

 b)dy, but likewise the accuracy of Herr Ilitzig's observation, 

 that in the case of more powerful or longer continued irrita- 

 tions of the motory parts of the cortex of the cerebrum, the 

 contractions of the group of muscles belonging to the irritated 

 spot ended in general epileptic spasms. An experimental epi- 

 lepsy of this kind Prof. Munk could produce from any spot of 

 the motory part (the sphere of feeling), and the groups of 

 muscles therefore followed each other exactly in the series in 

 which the centra were stratified beside each other in the sphere 

 of feeling, so th.at first the parts situated nearest the irritated 

 spot, and then more distant parts became affected, till at last the 

 whole body was subjected to epileptic contractions. Sometimes 

 the wh .le of the groups of muscles on one side was attacked 

 before the other side began to be affected ; frequently, how- 

 ever, the irritation and the epileptic attack passed over at an 

 earlier stage from one side to the other. That the experimental 

 epilepsy originated in the motory section of the cortex of the 



cerebrum seemed to Prof. Munk indubitably established by 

 the two following facts : — Let a small piece, say the centre for 

 the movements of the upper extremity of the light side, be 

 excided, and let the centre of the eye-muscles he irritated till 

 epilepsy set in, then would, the spasmodic contractions propagate 

 themselves successively to all groups of muscles with the excep- 

 tion of llie right upper extremity, which would remain at rest 

 throughout the epileptic attack. Let, again, the centre of the 

 eye-muscles (a part specially suitable for such experiments) of 

 an animal be irritated si that an epileptic attack -upervened, 

 and after a corresponding pause let the irritations be repeated in 

 the same part with equal strength and duration, then, in the event 

 of the spasms reaching the muscles, say of the head or neck, by 

 suddenly removing the irritated part of the membrane the 

 epilepsy would also be terminated. Both phenomena were 

 explainable only on the assumption that the irritation of the 

 motory cortex of the brain was the cause of the experi- 

 mental epilepsy. The assertion was advanced by another 

 observer, that e:jilepsy could be generated not only from tlie 

 front section of the cerebral cortex, but likewise from the 

 s;ihere of vision. This position Prof. Munk induced Herr 

 Iianilo to put to the proof, but in spite of numerous experiments 

 no confirmation of Jit could be gained. Electric streams, 

 of a force and duration such as, applied to any part of the sphere 

 of feeling, would undoubtedly have given rise to epilepsy, were 

 quite powerless in this respect when applied to the sphere of 

 sight. Not till streams of much intenser force and very con- 

 siderably longer duration were applied to the sphere of sight 

 was an epileptic attack produced. In this case, too, it was 

 obvious that the result was due to the neighbouring parts of the 

 sphere of feeling becoming irritated through propagation of the 

 I fleet or by communication. If now at the beginning of 

 the epileptii: attack the irritated part of the sphere of sight were 

 removed, the attack would not thereby be stopped. Nor was it 

 of any greater consequence in the way of producing an attack 

 that by a cross cut the irritated sphere of sight was freed from its 

 substratum, if only it retained connection with the front part of 

 the cortex. Let, however, the sphere of sight, by means of 

 a perpendicular sagittal cut, be separated from the sphere of 

 feeling, then could no epileptic attack be any longer produced 

 by irritating the former. These facts seemed to Prof. Munk to 

 conclusively demon-trate that experimental epilepsy could be 

 produced only by irritation of the motory parts of the cortex 

 of the cerebrum. He laid stress, however, on the fact that 

 his experiences and experiments referred only to " experimental " 

 epilepsy. 



CONTENTS Page 



The " Austral " Judgment. By W. H. White . . 49 



The '* Encyclopaedia Britannica " ji 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Livin; Scorpions, Myg.ale, and Protopterus. — Prof. E. 



Ray Lankester, F.R.S 54 



Electricity in India. — The Green Sun. — C. Michie 



Smith J4 



Unusual Cloud-Glow after Sunset.— Hon. F. A. R. 



Russell J5 



Shadow-Beams in the East at Sunset. — Rev. Gerard 



Hopkins, S.J 55 



55 

 55 



The Java Eruption. — F. C. Constable 

 Toweringof Birds,— Sir J. Fayrer, F.R.S. . . 

 Meteors, — W. F. Denning ; Donald Cameron ^ 



Rev. W. Besant Lowe -56 



"Anatomy for Artists." — ^John Marshall . ... 56 



Earthquake. — Sir J. H. Lefroy 56 



" Partials." — Cromwell O. Varley 57 



Science and Engineering. By Walter R, Browne . 57 



The Literature of the Fisheries Exhibition, II. . . 60 



Notes 62 



The Movements of the Earth, II. By J. Norman 



Lockyer, F.R.S, (With Diagrams) 65 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Observatory, Chicago 69 



Tempel's Comet, 1873 H ^o 



D'Arrest's Comet 70 



Standard Railroad Time. By C. A. Schott .... 70 



University and Educational Intelligence 70 



Societies and Academies 



71 



