September 20, 1906] 



NA rURE 



529 



iuiiulred I'cet higher than Kivanja and situated north-west 

 of it. They have no connection with the MubuUu Glacier." 



Mr. Freshfield finds that a rough sketch plan of the 

 snowy group, sent by Signor Sella, coincides closely with 

 the diagram of Lieut. Behrens, R.E., published in the 

 Geographical Journal for July last, and concludes that 

 " there seems little doubt that the highest summits 

 measured by our engineers are identical with the Duke of 

 the .Abruzzi's Ruwenzori." Hence the height of the 

 Ruwenzori range may be taken as 16,625 feet. 



The chief topographical discovery made by the Italian 

 expedition, apart from its mountaineering successes, seems 

 t(i be that the northern fork of the Mubuku, called by 

 .Signor Sella the Bugiogo, is of hitherto unsuspected 

 importance. Its stream flows round a bend, which conceals 

 its sources from the lower valley. Beyond this lies a basin 

 penetrating far into the heart of the chain, at the head of 

 which, and on the actual watershed, the highest peaks 

 stand. 



THE TORONTO MEETING OF THE BRITISH 



MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 

 'PHE annual meeting of the British Medical Association, 

 held on August 21-25 ^' Toronto by invitation of the 

 Canadian Branch, under the presidency of Dr. Reeve, the 

 dean of the medical faculty of the university, was a 

 marked success. The city is a fine one, and the university 

 buildings in the Queen's Park are admirably adapted for 

 the work of a congress, combining convenience and 

 beautiful surroundings. About 1600 members and visitors 

 attended, the British contingent numbering 200 or there- 

 abouts. Canadian hospitality was lavish, and we all carry 

 back pleasant memories of our visit to this great country. 

 In addition, good work was done, and the attendance at 

 the numerous sections was well maintained. 



A combined meeting of the sections of physiology and 

 pathology discussed the pathology and physiology of the 

 cell nucleus. The discussion was opened by Prof. Adami, 

 of McGill, in a paper giving an excellent survey of the 

 subject. The conclusions formulated were that (i) the 

 nuclear matter conveys and determines, or controls, the 

 inherited peculiarities of the individual, this conveyance 

 being through matter contained in the chromatin loops or 

 chromosomes, while it may be that these individual loops, 

 varying among themselves, determine particular conditions ; 

 (2) the nucleus is essential, not merely for the vegetative 

 activities, but also for the higher metabolic activities of 

 the cell and their due coordination ; (3) the nucleus is not 

 merely the vegetative centre of the cell, but is involved in 

 its functional activities ; (4) the higher syntheses, those 

 associated with growth and those governing specific 

 cellular enzyme actions, are determined and initiated by 

 the nuclear matter ; (5) the nucleus is the centre or source 

 of the higher cellular activities, and the nuclear material 

 possesses in itself potentialities superior to those of any 

 ordinary constituent of the cell body ; (6) the presence of 

 preformed cytoplasm is essential for the continued exist- 

 fnce and growth of the nucleus — each becomes essential 

 for the continued existence of the cell as a whole. 



Dr. Ford (Johns Hopkins University) read a paper on 

 an antitoxin for poisonous fungi. He concluded that the 

 toxic agent of the amonita was of the nature of a gluco- 

 side, and that an antitoxic serum could be prepared with 

 it. It was pointed out in the discussion that this idea was 

 somewhat revolutionary, as hitherto it had been impossible 

 to obtain with glucosides an antitoxic substance. 



Several papers were read on cancer. Dr. Clowes 

 (Buffalo) had found that in experimental cancer in mice 

 spontaneous recovery often occurred, and that such animals 

 are immune to further inoculation. This was confirmed 

 by Dr. Bashford (London), who stated that there is no 

 evidence that cancer is on the increase, nor that it is 

 endemic in districts. He had never obtained any trans- 

 ference by mere contact, i.e. cancer is not contagious. 

 Prof. Gaylord (Buffalo) detailed some remarkable instances 

 which seemed to show that certain malignant tumours in 

 rats and mice are contagious. As a result of the dis- 

 cussions on cancer, it is noteworthy that the parasitic 

 theory of the origin of cancer seems almost to have been 

 abandoned by pathologists. 



NO. 1925, VOL. 74] 



Prof. Hewlett and Dr. de Korti5 (London) read a paper 

 on a beri-beri-like disease occurring in monkeys. The facts 

 observed suggested that beri-beri is an infective disease 

 due to a protozoan parasite, and conveyed by urinary in- 

 fection. Dr. Ruffer (Egypt) detailed observations on the 

 occurrence of organisms indistinguishable from the cholera 

 vibrio in persons who had not been in contact with 

 cholera. 



Prof. Woodhead (Cambridge) stated that he had found 

 opsonins in varying quantity in different milks, facts 

 suggestive of certain lines with regard to treatment. 



A combined discussion between the sections of physiology 

 and medicine on over-nutrition and under-nutrition, with 

 special reference to proteid metabolism, was opened by 

 Prof. Chittenden (Yale). As is well known. Prof. 

 Chittenden suggests that half the proteid usually regarded 

 as necessary to support physiological equilibrium is all 

 that is required. Prof. Halliburton (London) did not think 

 that the experiments were conclusive, and suggested that 

 the minimum diet of Prof. Chittenden did not leave any 

 margin for that " reserve force " so necessary to ward off 

 attacks of disease. It might be that in the excess of 

 proteid beyond that required to maintain physiological 

 equilibrium there might be traces of substances which 

 yielded this reserve force. Dr. Robert Hutchison (London) 

 considered that the proteid question could only be solved 

 by cooperation between physiologists and physicians. We 

 wanted to know, not the proteid minimum, but the proteid 

 optimum. There was a danger in sailing too near the 

 wind ; we could get along with one lung or one kidney, 

 hut two of either organ were preferable. High feeding is 

 responsible for cure in tuberculosis and neurasthenia. 



The address in surgery was delivered by Sir Victor 

 Horsley, who took as his subject the technique of oper- 

 ations on the central nervous system. He showed how, bv 

 means of Prof. V'ernon Harcourt's inhaler, chloroform 

 could be administered in known amount up to 2 per cent., 

 that during some period of the operation the amount of 

 chloroform could be reduced to 0-5 per cent., and that the 

 administration of oxygen stopped venous oozing. 



The Senate of Toronto University conferred the honorary 

 degree of LL.D. on, among others. Sir W. Broadbent, 

 Bart.', Sir Thomas Barlow, Bart., Sir James Barr, Sir 

 Victor Horsley, Prof. Cliflford Allbutt, Prof. Halliburton, 

 Dr. Donald Macalister, and Prof. Aschoff. of Freiburg. 



R. T. Hewlett.' 



T 



A LARCH SAWFLY IN CUMBERLAND. 

 HE Board of Agriculture and Fisheries recently directed 

 attention in the Press and its journal to the attack 

 of the sawfly (Nematus erichsoni, Hartmann) upon larches. 

 So far, serious damage has only been reported to 

 the Board from Cumberland, where the health, if not 

 the life, of an extensive plantation is said to be in danger. 

 This insect is commoner than is supposed, but does not, as 

 a rule, occur in large numbers in this country. There are 

 very few collectors of these insects, hence we are apt to 

 look upon species as rare which really have a wide dis- 

 tribution. 



Cameron, in his work on British " Phytophagous 

 Hymenoptera " (vol. ii., p. 51, 1885), only records the 

 insect from an unknown locality. Dale mentions it as 

 occurring at Glanvilles Wootton. It has also been seen 

 on larches near Esher, at Wye, Great Staughton, and 

 Budleigh Salterton. It is widely distributed over Europe, 

 where it is now and then sufficiently abundant to become 

 harmful, especially in Germany. Hagen also records it 

 from the United States. 



The adult sawfly has a black thorax, the abdomen red, 

 with the basal seventh and ninth segments black. The 

 legs are dull reddish, with most of the tibiae white, and 

 the posterior feet and apex of the femora black. In length 

 it is about half an inch. The male has not, apparently, 

 been described. 



The larv^ are nearlv three-quarters of an inch long 

 when mature, and feed upon the leaves from the beginning 

 of July to the end of August. In colour they are shiny grey 

 or dark grey, with the back darker grey except on the 

 second segment. The skin is covered with short, black 



