192 



NA TURE 



[June 22, 1905 



nitrogen : G. D. Hinrichs. The author gives his reasons 

 for supposing that the atomic weights of the elements can 

 be more accurately determined by calculation than by experi- 

 ment. — On a mode of formation of acetol by the direct 

 oxidation of acetone : M. Pastureau. By the oxidation 

 of acetone in acid solution by hydrogen peroxide, the 

 author shows that in addition to the peroxide already 

 described by Baeyer and Villiger, acetol and pyruvic acid 

 are always formed, the yield of the latter amounting to 

 75 per cent, of the weight of acetone taken. The appli- 

 cation of the reaction to higher ketones would appear to 

 show that in addition to the ketone peroxide, the keto- 

 alcohols and ketonic acids are always formed. — The action 

 of sodium on the esters of the fatty acids : M. Bouveault 

 and R. Locquin. By the action of sodium on . a cooled 

 ethereal solution of ethyl butyrate, the principal product 

 is the keto-alcohol C,H,— CO— CH(OH)— C^H,, a small 

 quantity of dibutyryl also being obtained. — On some 

 aromatic substitution derivatives of ethylene oxide : MM. 

 Fourneau and Titfeneau. The substituted ethylene 

 R — CH = CH, is treated with iodine and yellow mercuric 

 o.xide, and the iodohydrin thus obtained digested with 

 powdered caustic potash. Details are given of the prepar- 

 ation and properties of phenyl, benzyl, methoxyphenyl, and 

 methylphenyl ethylene oxide. — The action of chloroacetic 

 esters on the halogen magnesium derivatives of aniline ; F. 

 Bodroux. — On some compounds of azelaic acid : A. 

 Bouchonnet. The preparation of the phenyl ester and of 

 thioazelaic acid is described. — ^On sparteine and its reaction 

 with methyl iodide : Charles Moureu and Amand Valeur. 

 The authors have isolated from this reaction, besides the 

 iodomethylate already known, an isomer, probably a 

 stereoisomer, distinguished by its higher rotatory power and 

 its solubility in water. — On the pyrolysis of gum lac : A. 

 Etard and E. Wallee. — On the affinity of artificial colour- 

 ing matters for conjunctive tissue : M. Curtis and P. 

 Lemoult. A study of the various stains in use in histo- 

 logical work from the point of view of their permanence. 

 — On the reserve carbohydrates in evergreens : Leclerc 

 du Sablon. — On a new banana tree of Madagascar : 

 Pascal Claverie. The species described appears to be 

 new, and is named by the author il/usa Perrieri. — On 

 O'idium lactis and the ripening of cream and cheese : P. 

 Maze. Remarks on a paper on the same subject by M. 

 Arthaud-Berthet. — The ancient coastal lines of the Sahel 

 d'Alger : General de Lamothe. — On gladkaite, a new 

 rock in dunite : L. Duparc and F. Pearce. Veins of the 

 new mineral are found in the dunite mass on the river 

 Wagran in the N. L'ral. It is a silicate of iron, alumina, 

 lime, magnesia, soda, and potash. — On the probable yield 

 of the springs in the basin of the Seine during the second 

 quarter of 1905 : F. Launay and E. Maillet. 



New South W.ales. 

 Linnean Society, April 26. — Mr. T. Steel, president, in 

 the chair. — Revisional notes on Australian Carabidse, 

 part ii., tribe vi., Scaritini : T. G. Sloane. Critical 

 observations and tabular lists are offered, and six species 

 are described as new.' — The possible relationship between 

 bacteria and the gum of Hakea saligna : Dr. R. Greig 

 Smith. The conclusions to which this research has led 

 are as follow : — (1) The gum of Hakea saligna is neither 

 arabin, metarabin, nor pararabin. The hydrolytic pro- 

 ducts consist of reducing bodies that yield indefinite 

 osazones, and are probably akin to the furfuroids of Cross, 

 Bevan, and Smith.. It is not pectin, although it approaches 

 this substance in some respects. (2) Of the bacteria 

 occurring in the tissues of the plant, the most probable 

 producer of the gum is one intermediate between Bact. 

 acaciae and its variety Bact. metarabinuni, but as we do 

 not yet know that the host plant can alter a gum once 

 formed by a bacterium, it cannot be said that the gum is 

 produced by this micro-organism. — The origin of natural 

 immunity towards the putrefactive bacteria : Dr. R. Greig 

 Smith. The author shows : — (i) That there is a close 

 analogy or identity between the production of bacteriolytic 

 bodies and the digestion of food. (2) That bacteria' do 

 traverse the intesti-nal wall, and that negative experimental 

 results regarding the same are untrustworthy. (3) That 

 natural immunity, especially towards the bacteria that 



NO. i860 VOL. 72] 



normally inhabit the intestinal tract, is occasioned and 

 maintained by the comparatively few bacteria which, in 

 crossing the intestinal wall and possibly gaining access to 

 the body fluids and organs, stimulate the cells to produce 

 immune bodies. (4) That the agglutination of bacteria 

 may claim a much more active part in the production of 

 immunity than is generally supposed. — The probable bac- 

 terial origin of the gum of linseed mucilage : Dr. R. Greig 

 Smith. Following is a summary of the research : — (i) The 

 gums of linseed mucilages vary in their chemical reactions, 

 and, therefore, probably vary in their chemical constitu- 

 tion. (2) The products of hydrolysis consist of galactose 

 and reducing substances which yield indefinite osazones 

 that are possibly akin to the furfuroids of Cross, Bevan, 

 and Sm.ith. (3) The gum bacteria in the tissues of 

 Linum are relatively very numerous, and consist chiefly 

 of races of two species. (4) The chemical reactions of the 

 gums from these are practically identical with the reactions 

 of average linseed gum. (5) The gum of one of the bacteria 

 is hydrolysed to galactose, and of the other to galactose 

 and a reducing substance that yields an indefinite osazone. 

 Both gums contain a large proportion of the furfuroid 

 substances. (6) The gum formed by bacteria is probably 

 altered by the plant into mucilage and other substances 

 required in the plant economy. (7) A number of so-called 

 species of gum bacteria have probably one common origin ; 

 the host plant can alter the nature of the gum product 

 which influences the growth characters. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Chemistry of Plants. By F. Escombe ... 169 

 The Electromagnetic Theory of Inertia. By Dr. 



Harold A. Wilson 170 



A Botanist's Recreations on the Riviera. By Prof. 



G. H. Bryan, F.R.S 171 



International Physics 172 



Light and Health 172 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Graebner : " Handbuch der Heidekultur " . . . 173 



Frassetto : "I Nuovi Indirizzi e le Promesse della 



Odierna Antropologia."— N. W. T 173 



Hampson : " Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phala;na: 



in the British Museum," Vol. v 174 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Spinthariscope and Retinal Excitability. — 



Prof. Francis Gotch, F.R.S 174 



Solar Changes and Weather. — A. B' M. ; Dr. 



William J. S. Lockyer 175 



Fictitious Problems in Mathematics. — Prof. G. H. 



Bryan, F.R.S 175 



History of a White Rhinoceros Skull.— Dr. C. 



Stewart, F.R.S 175 



The Romance of the Nitrogen Atom. — Dr. E. P. 



Perman 176 



Notes on the Habits of Testacella. — Oswald H. 



Latter 176 



Researches on Ovulation. — A. Sedgwick, F.R.S. . 176 

 Aboriginal Methods of Determining the Seasons. 



By William E. Rolston 176 



The Fourth International Ornithological Congress 177 

 The Thames Flow and British Pressure and Rain- 

 fall Changes. {H'ly/i Bmgrams.) By Dr. William 



J. S. Lockyer 178 



Notes iSo 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Stars with Peculiar Spectra 183 



Variable Stars in the Clusters Messier 3 and 5 . . . 183 



Spectroheliograph Results 1S3 



VisibiUty of D3 as a Dark Line in the Solar Spectrum 184 



West Hendon House Observatory 184 



Nature and Man 1S4 



Science and the State 1S4 



Coral Anatomy and Development. (Illustrated.) By 



S. J. H 185 



Gas Calorimetry. By G, N. H 186 



University and Educational Intelligence 1S6 



Societies and Academies 188 



