August 12, 1922] 



NA TURE 



however, soon engrossed him ; in 1665 he spent much 

 time in Paris, where Bernini was building the Louvre, 

 and the great fire of London gave him an oppor- 

 tunity such as has fallen to few men. Estimating 

 the damage done by the fire at over ten million 

 sterling, Wren drew up an elaborate plan for re- 

 building the citv with wide thoroughfares and open 

 spaces, and was appointed "surveyor-general and 

 principal architect for rebuilding the whole city." 



Dr. J. S. Flett, Director of H.M. Geological 

 Survey, will act as one of the delegates of the Geo- 

 logical Society of London at the International 

 Geological Congress at Brussels on August 21 to 

 September 3, in place of Prof. W. W. Watts, who is 

 unfortunately unable to proceed to Brussels for the 

 congress. The other delegates nominated by this 

 society are Prof. E. J. Garwood, Vice-President, and 

 Dr. J. W. Evans, F.R.S. 



The National Research Council of Japan has issued 

 the first number of a new periodical, The Japa 

 Journal of Geology and Geography (Tokyo, 1922), 

 which illustrates once more the wide outlook of science 

 in Japan. In this number all the papers are in 

 English ; they include one by Prof. Hayasaka re- 

 cording for the first time the discovery of marine 

 Lower Carboniferous strata in Japan, and one by 

 Dr. Niiya, with admirable photographic illustrations, 

 on the mud volcanoes of Mimbu, Burma. The ab- 

 stracts of papers published in Japan form an especiallv 

 valuable feature, since they are given in English or 

 German, almost all in English, and serve to make 

 known a wide range of researches published originally 

 in the national language. 



Dr. Michael Grabham has gone to Porto Santo j 

 the northern island of the Madeira group, to stud}' 

 the conditions under which the local race of Portu- 

 guese inhabitants are said to enjoy complete immunity 

 from dental caries. These people possess huge, ugly, 

 yellow, but sound teeth, and Dr. Grabham proposes to 

 bring specimens to London. The recent discovery that 

 Porto Santo, which is almost bare of vegetation, has 

 a desirable climate of its own and, moreover, a valu- 

 able spring of mineral water, is leading to the incursion 

 of Madeira migrants, and it will be instructive to 

 observe how contact with these new-comers will affect 

 the tooth immunity which Dr. Grabham is investi- 

 gating. Valuable knowledge may be thus obtained of 

 a malady which in this country has become a national 

 problem. 



A provisional programme has been issued for 

 the autumn meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute, 

 to be held on September 5 - 8 at York, under the 

 presidency of Mr. F. Samuelson. A number of papers 

 have been promised on subjects which, although 

 within the range of the Institute's activities, are of 

 varied character and give promise of an interesting 

 meeting. Among the topics which will be dealt with 

 are the changes in properties of steels during heat 

 treatment, modern blast-furnace practice, moulding 

 sands, high-speed steel as well as testing and works 

 machinery. Arrangements have been made for mem- 

 bers of the Institute to visit the works of the Staveley 

 Coal and Iron Co. Ltd., near Chesterfield, and of the 

 NO. 2754, VOL. I IO] 



Parkgate Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., and there will also 

 be excursions to places of interest in the neighbour- 

 hood of York. The secretary of the Institute would 

 be glad to hear before August 15 from all who propose 

 to attend the meeting. 



It is announced that proposals for closer co- 

 operation amongst the leading engineering institu- 

 tions, which have recently been under consideration, 

 have now received the approval of the institutions, 

 the representatives of which met in conference, 

 namely, The Institution of Civil Engineers, The 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, The Institution 

 of Naval Architects, and The Institution of Electrical 

 Engineers, and that an engineering joint council 

 composed of representatives of these bodies has been 

 formed. Among the objects of the joint council will 

 be, to improve the status of engineers, to secure the 

 better utilisation of their services in the country's 

 interests and the appointment of properly qualified 

 individuals to responsible engineering positions, and 

 to prevent the unnecessary duplication of activities. 

 It is anticipated that, at a later stage, the number of 

 bodies represented on the joint council may be 

 increased, but this at present remains a matter for 

 future consideration for the joint council and the 

 institutions concerned. 



We have received from the American Bureau of 

 Standards, Washington, Scientific Paper No. 437, 

 on the solubility of dextrose in water. It is show 11 

 from cryoscopic measurements that at temperatures 

 below 90 C. three solid phases can exist — ice, a- 

 dextrose monohydrate, and a-dextrose. The hydrate 

 is stable between - 5-3° C. and 50 C, and has a very 

 high temperature coefficient of solubility. Copies 

 of this paper may be obtained on request to the 

 Bureau of Standards. From the same source we have 

 also received Scientific Paper No. 435, on metallo- 

 graphic etching reagents for copper alloys, nickel, 

 and the a-alloys of nickel, copies of which may also 

 be obtained on application. 



The latest catalogue (No. 434) of Mr. F. Edwards, 

 83 High Street, Marylebone, W.i, is devoted to works 

 on voyages, travels, exploration, and adventure in all 

 parts of the world. The catalogue contains nearly 

 1300 titles. Many rare volumes are listed, including 

 " The Antarctic Voyage of the Erebus and Terror," 

 under the command of Capt. Sir C. J. Ross, 1839-43 — 

 The Botany and Zoology of the Voyage, by Sir J. D. 

 Hooker, Sir J. Richardson, J. E. Gray, R. B. Sharpe, 

 A. Giinther, and others ; and Gabriel Thomas's " An 

 Historical and Geographical Account of the Province 

 and Country of Pensilvania and of West-New- Jersey 

 in America," 1st edition. There is also a set of the 

 " Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Geographical 

 Society of London " from 1S30 to 1919. 



A list of the new books and new editions added 

 to Lewis's Medical and Scientific Circulating Library 

 during April, May, and June has just been issued. 

 It is carefully classified and should be very useful 

 for reference. Copies can be obtained free of charge 

 from the publishers. II. K. Lewis and Co., Ltd., 136 

 Gower Street, W.C.I. 



