November 14, 191 2] 



NATURE 



I Law and political science. - Religion and philosc 



Although correspondence between mental and patho- 

 social conditions, or concomitant relations, does not 

 necessarily indicate causal connection, yet it is in- 

 teresting to note a few instances. In general, those 

 countries which have the greatest illiteracy, as Italy, 

 Belgium, and France, show the highest percentage of 

 murder. They also have a high percentage of still- 

 births, death-rate, and death-rate under one year of 

 age. Two of these countries, where the illiteracy is 

 more pronounced, as in Italy and Belgium, show a 

 low rate of suicide and divorce. On the other hand, 

 the least illiterate countries, as Germany, Switzerland, 

 and Denmark, have a high rate of suicides. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



BiRMlNGH.'VM. — The chair of midwifery recently 

 vacated by Dr. Edward Malins has been filled by the 

 appointment thereto of Dr. Thomas Wilson, who has 

 previously held the post of lecturer in this subject. 



Cambridge. — Prof. R. C. Punnett has been selected 

 by the Prime Minister and Mr. A. J. Balfour as the 

 first Arthur Balfour professor of genetics. 



A prize of 50/. out of the Gordon Wigan Fund will 

 be awarded at the end of the Easter term, 19 13, for 

 a research in chemistry, of sufficient merit, carried 

 out in the University of Cambridge. The research 

 may be in any branch of chemistry. The dissertation, 

 with the details of the research, must be sent to the 

 professor of chemistry not later than June 13, 1913. 



The current number of The Reporter contains re- 

 vised schedules of the special examination in geo- 

 graphy for the ordinary degree, and for the examina- 

 tion for the diploma in geography. It also contains 

 the list of subjects for the special examination in 

 military subjects for next year. 



Oxford. — On November 19 Convocation will be 

 asked to assent to a decree providing that a plot of 

 land on the south side of the University Park, and 

 another plot at the north-west angle of the park, be 

 assigned for the purposes respectively of a chemical 

 and an engineering laboratory. It is possible that the 

 proposals will meet with opposition, as many members 

 of the University are averse from further encroach- 

 ments on the space available for recreation. At a later 

 date statutes will be submitted to Congregation 

 amending the present constitution (i) of tlie Hebdo- 

 madal Council by abolishing the existing division into 

 " Orders " of its elected members, and (2) of Con- 

 gregation, by abolishing the present qualification of 

 residence, and enacting that in future Congregation 

 shall consist of the teaching and administrative 

 elements in the University and colleges. Another pro- 

 posed statute provides, in certain circumstances, for a 

 poll of Convocation to be kept open for three days. 



NO. 2246, VOL. 90] 



ly. ■' Science and technology. ^ Uelles Uiires. 



It is thought that the second at least of these pro- 

 posals, i.e. that relating to Congregation, will be 

 resisted. 



The election to a fellowship at All Souls' College 

 of a graduate distinguished in mathematics or natural 

 science is a rare occurrence, hence it is specially 

 worthy of record that Mr. D. B. Somervell, of Mag- 

 dalen College, one of the latest elected fellows of All 

 Souls', obtained honours in mathematical moderations 

 in 1908, and first-class honours in chemistry in 191 1. 



The new Pharmacological Laboratory was formally 

 opened on November 9 in the presence of the Vice- 

 Chancellor and a large assemblage of Oxford medical 

 graduates. The history of the department was briefly 

 recounted by Sir William Osier, Regius professor of 

 medicine, and an address on "The New Pharma- 

 cology" was delivered by the Reader, Dr. J. A. 

 Gunn. Space for the new laboratory has been found 

 by the insertion of a floor in the rooms on the west 

 front of the museum formerly occupied by the Rad- 

 clifTe Library. Of the two stories thus formed, the 

 upper is devoted to pharmacology, the lower is shared 

 between the Hope department of entomology and the 

 department of mineralogy. 



LiEUT.-CoL. W. W. O. Beveridge, D.S.O., Royal 

 Army Medical Corps, has been appointed professor of 

 hygiene at the Royal .'\rniy Medical College, Gros- 

 venor Road, S.W., in succession to Brevet-Col. C. H. 

 Melville. 



We learn from Science that Mr. T. W. Todd, at 

 present lecturer in anatomy at Victoria University of 

 Manchester, has been appointed Henry Willson Payne 

 professor of anatomy in the medical department of 

 Western Reserve University in the United States. 

 Prof. Todd will take up his new duties in December. 



The sum of io,oooZ., free of Government duties, has 

 been bequeathed by the late Misses Mary, Hannah, 

 and Helen Dalgety and Mrs. Isabella Dalgety, or 

 Wilson, to the University of Edinburgh for the founda- 

 tion and endowment of bursaries not exceeding 50^. 

 for two years and prizes in the law faculty of the 

 University. 



A meeting of the governors of the South-Eastern 

 Agricultural College, Wye, was held under the chair- 

 manship of Lord Ashcombc, at Caxton House, on 

 Monday, November 11. The governors considered the 

 proposed establishment of a fruit research plantation in 

 the south-eastern district, and decided to accept the 

 responsibilitv of administering such a plantation with 

 the aid of the grant of 500^. offered by the Board of 

 Agriculture. 



The countil of the City and Guilds of London Insti- 

 tute has conferred the fellowship of the institute upon 

 Mr. A. Chatterton and Mr. W. D. B. Duddell, F.R.S. 

 This distinction is extended to those students who 



