May 3, 1906] 



NA rURE 



19 



EXPLORATIONS IN THE HIMALAYAS. 



THE paper read by Mrs. Bullock Workman before the 

 Royal Geographical Society in November last is pub- 

 lished in' the February number of the Geographical Journal. 

 An account is given of the exploring work carried out by 

 Dr. and Mrs. Bullock Workman during 1903 in the region 

 of the Karakoram mountains lying south-west of the 

 Hispar glacier, or between that glacier and the Indus. This 

 region is cut off from the Hispar glacier by a practically 

 continuous ridge, and is crossed by glaciers moving from 

 north and north-west, the chief being the Chogo Lungma, 

 Alchori, Hoh Lumba, and Sosbon glaciers. The work of 

 thi- expedition consisted chiefly in the examination of the 

 Hoh Lumba and Sosbon glaciers, and in ascents of Mounis 

 Chogo (21,500 feel) and Lungma {22,568 feet), near the 

 head of the Chogo Lungma glacier. 



The narrow Hoh ravine runs northward from the junc- 

 tion with the Braldo River, and is nsrendod along the 



Fig. I. — Nangma Tap<a and the huge terminal moraine of the Hoh Lumt 

 about 500 feet high ; iis age is indicated by ihe tree growth cover 



precipitous cliffs of nude mountains. It is filled by old 

 glacial debris several hundreds of feet deep, the river 

 cutting its way often at a great depth. Some four miles 

 up is Pirnar Tapsa, a small grazing ground, and two 

 miles beyond is N'angma Tapsa, a similar spot at an 

 elevation of 11,505 feet. Immediately above this is a huge 

 terminal moraine, of which we are able to reproduce a 

 photograph. The snout of the glacier is about a mile 

 further up, and the total length from the snout to the 

 source on the " col des Aiguilles " is twelve miles. The 

 expedition found much evidence that the glacier has re- 

 treated somewhat rapidly of late years. 



OSMOSIS AND OSMOTIC PRESSURE. 

 IVTO problem is of greater importance in modern physical 

 -'■ chemistry than the determination of the true nature of 

 osiiosis and of osmotic pressure. Although for some con- 

 siderable period this problem has to most chemists appeared 

 solved, several recent investigations have thrown doubt 

 upon the validity of van 't Hoff's hypothesis that the 

 osmotic pressure developed in solutions is purely a kinetic 

 phenomenon. The experiments of Battelli and Stephanini 

 in this connection have already been referred to in Nature 

 (vol. Ixxii., p. 541). Some reinarkable results which have 



NO. 1905, VOL. 74I , 



been obtained by Prof. Louis Kahlenbcrg are now described 

 in the Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy (March) and 

 the Journal of Physical Chemistry (vol. x., pp. 141-209); 

 these, if subsequently verified, will invalidate van 't Hoff's 

 theory, and, what is of even greater importance, destroy 

 the basis of the theory of electrolytic dissociation, developed 

 by Arrhenius, upon which inodern physical chemistry so 

 largely depends. 



Prof. Kahlenberg's experiments would indicate that the 

 osmotic pressure developed in the case of any solution de- 

 pends essentially on the nature of the membrane used, even 

 when this is practically semi-permeable, as well as on the 

 nature and concentration of the solution. Strictly speak- 

 ing, there is no definite osmotic pressure characterising a 

 solution of given concentration at a definite temperature ; 

 the pressure depends on the septum employed. It is re- 

 called to mind that van 't Hoff's conception really rests 

 on the measurements of osmotic pressure made by Pfeffer, 

 that these measurements were few in number and were 

 obtained with one membrane only, and 

 that several recent direct measureitients 

 of osinotic pressures have given values 

 not in accord with the gas laws. It is 

 stated that in order to obtain a definite 

 value for the osmotic pressure it is 

 absolutely necessary ■ that the solution 

 within the osmometer should be well 

 stirred, a precaution that has hitherto 

 been omitted in all measurements. The 

 measureinents obtained by the author, 

 observing this precaution, did not agree 

 in any case with the gas laws. 



The magnitude as w-ell as the direc- 

 tion of the osmotic pressure are, accord- 

 ing to Prof. Kahlenberg, determined by 

 the power of the membrane to 

 " imbibe " the solvent and solute, and 

 by the mutual solubilities of the sub- 

 stances dealt with. Cases of abnormal 

 dialysis are adduced in support of this 

 theory. Thus a colloid, copper oleate, 

 dissolved in pyridine, will diffuse 

 through a rubber membrane, whilst a 

 crystalloid, cane sugar, remains behind. 

 Again, when a solution of camphor and 

 cane sugar in pyridine is subjected to 

 dialysis through the same membrane, 

 the camphor diffuses through it, and the 

 cane sugar is again left behind. In 

 this case two crystalloids are separated 

 completely by dialysis. Such facts are 

 , forming a large hill not reconcilable with the ordinary views 



ig its surface. of diffusion. Some suggestive remarks 



by the late Prof. Raoult, contained in a 

 letter to Prof. Bancroft, in criticism of van 't Hoff's theory 

 are now published for the first time. 



MARINE BIOLOGY ON THE WEST COAST.' 

 HTHE report for 1905 on the Lancashire Sea Fisheries 

 Laboratory at the University of Liverpool and the 

 Sea Fish Hatchery at Piel is a somewhat thicker volume 

 than was the report for 1904, and contains some interesting 

 papers. 



Besides the introduction and general account of the work 

 by Prof. Herdman, and a report upon the classes, visitors, 

 &'c., at Piel by Mr. Andrew Scott, it contains eleven 

 scientific papers, two of which are from Prof. Herdman 's 

 pen, while Mr. James Johnstone is responsible for five and 

 Mr. Andrew Scott for four, one of which he contributes 

 jointly with Mr. Thomas Baxter. The papers are upon 

 the same lines of work as have been carried on in previous 

 vears, but the one upon mussel transplantation, by Messrs. 

 Scott and Baxter, describes for the first time an experi- 



j _-- the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Laboratory 

 of Liverpool and ihe " "' ' " -^ "■-' '^- - 



Report for 1905 



1 No. 

 at the UiiiverMiv o, i,.. 

 up by Prof. W. A. Herd 

 assisted by Mr. And: 

 (Liverpool, 1906.) 



Fish Hatchery ai nci. i^iawu 

 F.R.S., Hon. Director of the Scientific Work. 

 and Mr. ' '"' '" "' 



,or ui luc oLiciiiiiic >« 

 i Johnstone. lilustr; 



