NA TURE 



[July 20, 1905 



counted for by mechanical disturbance of the apparatus. 

 As already pointed out by Prof. Gotch, there is great 

 advantage in " adapting " the eye to darl^ness or to 

 coloured light for three or four days. 

 Dublin. 

 Royal Dublin Society, June 20. — Prof. W. Noel 

 Hartley, F.R.S., in the chair! — On the supply of water 

 to leaves on a dead branch : Prof. H. H. Dixon.- The 

 fading of leaves on a branch killed by the application 

 of heat is shown experimentally to be due in many cases 

 at least to the introduction into the transpiration current 

 of substances which cause a loss of turgescence of the 

 leaf cells ; consequently this fading does not prove that 

 the water supply in these cases is inadequate, but rather 

 that it is contaminated. A diminution, however, of the 

 water supply may be caused by the high temperature, if 

 this latter determines the rupture of the water columns of 

 the tensile transpiration current or brings about the 

 exudation of clogging substances into the conducting tracts 

 from the dying cells. The conclusion, based on the 

 withering of leaves on a killed branch, that the interven- 

 tion of living cells is necessary to the elevation of the 

 sap is thus rendered superfluous. — On the diagnosis of 

 the eye by means of pinhole-vision ; Prof. W. F. Barrett, 

 F.R.^5. The self-examination of the eye by looking 

 through a pinhole in an opaque screen was termed oitoptic 

 diagnosis by Listing, who submitted this method to careful 

 examination more than fifty years ago. The author was 

 independently led to a similar discovery by noticing fixed 

 shadows on his own retina when a bright spot of light 

 was looked at. These shadows proved to be due to 

 cataract, and led the author to the construction of an 

 instrument which he calls an entoptoscope. whereby the 

 patient can easily draw the exact extent of the obscuration 

 in either eye. By means of two closely adjacent pinholes 

 in a revolving diaphragm in the eye-piece and a trans- 

 parent scale, the actual magnitude and position of the 

 opacity in the eyeball can be accurately determined. — On 

 secondary radiation (part iii.) : Prof. J. A. McClelland. 

 A continuation of the author's researches. 



P.4RIS. 



Academy of Sciences, July 10. — M. Troost in the chair. 

 — On a calculation of the elastic resistance offered by a 

 tube without longitudinal tension to inflation by a cori- 

 tained liquid column : J. Boussinesq. — On some experi- 

 ments relating to the radio-activity induced by uranium : 

 Henri Becquerel. This paper contains a study of the 

 properties of the body formerly discovered by precipitation 

 from the mixed barium and uranium chlorides by sulphuric 

 acid, and since probably identified with Crookes's 

 uranium X. It shows a remarkable stability of activity 

 at very high temperatures. — On the treatment of trypano- 

 somatous disease (surra, mbori) by arsenious acid and 

 trypan red : A. Laveran. Extending his investigations on 

 this method of treatment, the author has definitely cured 

 the disease in dogs, animals in which it has always 

 previously proved fatal. No trace of infection could even be 

 found in the blood of the cured dogs. — On the treat- 

 ment of bone fractures by movement : J. Lucas- 

 Championniere. This new method follows a law which 

 surgery hitherto has ignored, that, in spite of their rigidity, 

 bones, like other tissues, require movement to ensure the 

 vitality necessary for recuperation. The practice which the 

 author follows is a peculiar form of massage, and not only 

 conduces to the formation of the hard tissue, but is also 

 favourable to the quick reparation of other neighbouring 

 organs, such as muscles and tendons, involved in the 

 fracture. — On the use of rockets against hail : E. Vidal. 

 This paper explains how they are effectual in those cases 

 where the storm centre is at a low altitude. — Researches 

 on algebraic integrals in the motion of a solid heavy 

 body about a fixed point : Edouard Husson. — On a new 

 preparation of rubidium and csesium : L. Hackspill. 

 The author finds that these metals can be obtained by a 

 method similar to that for obtaining potassium or sodium, 

 viz. by reduction at a dull red heat of the alkaline 

 chlorides with calcium. The resulting metal does not even 

 attack glass. — A comparison of properties, tests, and 

 classification of ternary steels : L^on Guillet. — On the 

 molecular transformations of hydrated ferric sulphate : A. 



NO. 1S64, VOL, 72 



Recoura. If a concentrated solution of ferric sulphate 

 be allowed to stand for some days a deposit forms, which 

 rapldlv grows until the liquid becomes practically solid. 

 This occurs through the formation of a mixture of 

 basic sulphate and free acid. — On dextro-dilactide : E. 

 Jung-fleisch and M. Godchot. — On the hydrogenation of 

 the ketoximes. .A synthesis of new amines : A. Mailhe. 

 .\mong others, acetoxime by reduction with finely divided 

 nickel gives a mixture of isopropylamine and di-isopropyl- 

 amine. — On the synthesis of a new leucine : L. Bouveault 

 and Rene Locquin. This body is probably one of the 

 four possible amino-butyl-acetic acids. — On sparteine, and 

 the svmmetric character of the molecule : Charles Moureu 

 and Amand Valeur. — On a sulphate of chromium which 

 resists the action of reagents : Albert Colson. — On the 

 figures formed bv pressure or percussion on plastic crystal- 

 line metals : F. Osmond and G. Cartaud. These consist 

 of groups of lines, curved on iron, straight on other plastic 

 metals of the cubic system. — On some points in the 

 morphology of the schizopods : H. Coutiere. — On the 

 segmentary organs at the moment of sexual maturity 

 among the H^sionians and the Lvcoridians : Louis 

 Page. — On the retraction of the mouth in the Chetopods : 

 C. Vigfuier. — On an estimation of the red corpuscles in 

 human blood made at the summit of Mont Blanc : Raoul 

 Bayeux. .\fter giving a table of results, the author con- 

 cludes that a rapid increase in the number of red cor- 

 puscles takes place with increasing altitude. This number 

 soon falls off with some rapidity, but remains abnormally 

 high even some time after a return to the lowest point. — 

 On intestinal poisons (their nature, and precautions to be 

 taken against them) : MM. Charrin and Le Play. — On 

 the preparation and properties of protoplasmic extracts 

 from blood corpuscles : .Auguste Lumiere, L. Lumi&re, 

 and J. Chevrotier. — On the activity brought about in pure 

 pancreatic juice by the combined influence of colloids and 

 electrolytes : Larguier des Banceis. An inactive pan- 

 creatic juice becomes under these conditions capable of 

 digesting albumin. — On the decomposition of albuminoids 

 bv Actinomyces : E. Mace — On the Tertiarv beds of 

 Ouennougha and Medjana (Algeria) : E. Ficheur and J. 

 Savornin. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Arctic Meteorological Observations 265 



European and Asiatic Geese. By J. G. M. . , . 266 



The Electric Furnace. By R. S. Hutton 267 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Scales: "Elementary Microscopy.'' —J. E. B. , . . 268 



"The Practical Photographer's Annual, 1905 " . . 268 



" Murray's Handbook of Travel-Talk" 269 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Pressure of Radiation on a Clear Glass Vane — 



T. H. Havelock 269 



An Omitted Safeguard. — Richard Bentley . . 269 

 The Hydrometer as a Seismometer.— Dr. C. V. 



Burton 269 



Notes on Stonehenge. VIII.— On the Dartmoor 

 Avenues iCoii/i/iiic-i/) Ui/itsfra/ed.) By Sir Norman 



Lockyer, K.C. B., F.R.S 270 



The Botanical Congress at 'Vienna. By Dr. A. B. 



Rendle 272 



Entrance Examination to the Indian Forest Service 274 



Notes 274 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Solar Activity. (Illustrated.) 279 



A Projection on Mars 279 



Observations of Perseids 279 



The French Eclipse Expeditions 279 



A Remarkable Meteor 279 



The Society of Chemical Industry 279 



The University of Sheffield. (Illustrated.) . ... 282 



Geological Notes. By G. A. J. C. . . 2S4 



University and Educational Intellipence . 2S5 



Societies and Academies 285 



