JUx\E 13, 1907] 



NA TURE 



165 



Liverpool. — Mr. J. K. Catlcrson-Smith has been 

 appointed demonstrator in electrotechnology, and Dr. G. D. 

 Hope demonstrator and assistant lecturer in organic 

 chemistry. 



From the interest of funds bequeathed to the University 

 by the late J. L. Bowes, the council has decided to 

 allot 100/. per annum towards the permanent endowment 

 of the lectureship on organic chemistry. 



Grants have been made out of fund's provided by H.M. 

 Treasury for the following researches at present being 

 carried out in science laboratories : — for investigation of 

 absorptive properties of vegetable fibres ; for plates to 

 illustrate a monograph on the edible crab ; for materials 

 used in the investigation of Ronlgen radiation ; for 

 apparatus for research on brass annealing ; for apparatus 

 for investigating high-temperature combustion ; for research 

 on three-membered heterocyclic derivatives ; for research 

 on continuous and momentary arcs ; for suction of gases 

 in pipes; and for research on blood pressure. 



The University has decided to confer the degree of 

 D.Sc, Jionoiis causa, at the forthcoming graduation in 

 (ulv, on. the following men of .science : — Prof. A. R 

 Forsyth, F.R.S. ; Prof. F. Gotch, F.R.S. ; Dr. C. L. A. 

 Uaveran, Chef de .Service Honoraire of the Institut 

 Pasteur, Paris; Sir Oliver J. Lodge, F.R.S.; Sir John 

 Murray, K.C.B.. F.R.S.; Prof. W. Osier, F.R.S.; Prof. 

 VV. Ostwald : Sir William Ramsay, K.C.B., F.R.S. ; and 

 Sir henry E. Roscoe, F.R.S. The degree will be con- 

 ferred on Dr. Laveran in absentia. 



Manchester. — His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, who 

 for many years has held the office of president of the 

 Owens College, and more recently of the University, has 

 been elected Chancellor of the University upon the resig- 

 nation of Earl Spencer. The installation ceremony has 

 been fixed for July 10, and on this occasion a number 

 of honorary degrees will be conferred. Prof. E. Ruther- 

 ford, F.R.S., whose appointment as Langworthy professor 

 of physics and director of the physical laboratories has 

 already been noted, is now in Manchester making arrange- 

 ments for taking over the duties of his office in October. 



Prof. Arthur Schuster, F.R.S., has been offered, and has 

 accepted, an appointment as honorary professor of physics ; 

 his continued cooperation in the work of the department 

 is thus assured. 



-Mr. W. H. Jackson, who has for the past five years 

 held the position of assistant lecturer in mathematics, has 

 been appointed assistant professor of mathematics at 

 Haverford College, Pa., L'.S.A. 



Oxford. — Mr. D. L. Chapman has been selected for the 

 official fellowship in natural science at Jesus College. .Mr. 

 Chapman was an e.\hib:.ioner of Christ Church, and since 

 1807 has been a demonstrator in Prof. Di.xon's laboratorv 

 at the \"ictoria University of Manchester. 



On Thursday, June 6, the Buckinghamshire Education 

 Committee closed all their schools so that the teachers 

 could attend a conference, organised by Mr. C. G. Watkins, 

 at Aylesbury, at which a number of the delegates of the 

 Federal Conference on Education were present. Among 

 the subjects discussed was the question as to how the 

 rural schools might be kept in touch with the progress 

 and development of educational life. An important differ- 

 ence between rural schools in the colonies and in the 

 mother country was brought out. In the former the 

 teachers are the best teachers, and quickly move as they 

 are promoted according to the work that they can do. 

 Here the best teachers go at once to the better-paid posts 

 in towns ; those in the rural districts stay where they arc, 

 as there is no system of promotion. Among those from 

 the colonies who spoke on this and other topics were the 

 Hon. Colin Campbell (Minister of Education, Manitoba), 

 Mr. Frank Tate, LS.O. (Victoria), Mr. A. Williams (South 

 .Australia), Mr. J. A. Douglas (Southern Nigeria). Mr. 

 W. M. Webb pointed to the use that could be made of 

 museums fixed and circulating in the training of teachers, 

 particularly in rural districts, and he mentioned the resolu- 

 tions passed at the Federal Conference with regard to a 

 collection that should bring before teachers fresh methods 

 and new appliances. 



NO, 1963, VOL. 76] 



The board of trustees of the University of Illinois has 

 voted that the Engineering Experiment Station be 

 authorised to offer ten research fellowships in the college 

 of engineering each of an annual value of 100/. A 

 pamphlet received from the Lniversity gives information 

 concerning these fellowships, and describes the facilities 

 for experimental work now available in the college of 

 engineering. 



\^"E have received a copy of a brochure, presented to 

 the British editors on the occasion of their visit to Berlin 

 last month, which provides an instructive account of the 

 Handelshochschule founded by the Berlin Merchants' 

 Corporation. It is the only institution of its kind in 

 Germany which owes its existence to the efforts of a body 

 of business men, and is maintained solely at their expense. 

 The school is particularly meant for commercial students 

 who have gone through a regular apprenticeship, and, 

 besides, have attained that degree of general training which 

 entitles to the privilege of serving the shorter term of one 

 year in the German Army or Navy. Exceptions are made 

 in the case of students otherwise suitably prepared. The 

 object constantly held in view is " to provide instruction 

 and opportunities for research in the sciences necessary 

 and most useful for a commercial career." The approved 

 course of work extends over two years. The school was 

 opened in October, 1906, and during the first session 1371 

 persons were in attendance on lectures. The inauguration 

 of the scheme serves to show that German merchants 

 possess initiative enough themselves to supply any 

 deficiency which may exist in the State system of education. 

 A DEPUT.ATiON from the British Medical Association, the 

 Board of Hygiene and Temperance, and the 1904 Com- 

 mittee of the Medical Profession, waited upon the Presi- 

 dent of the Board of Education on June 6 to urge the 

 teaching of hygiene and temperance in all schools and 

 training colleges under the Board, and the establishment 

 of a medical bureau in the Education Department. Mr. 

 McKenna, M.P., in reply, said that the chief difficulty is 

 to obtain competent teachers, and the next is to get the 

 teachers to teach the children. To come into immediate 

 contact with the schools, it is necessary to have teachers 

 to teach children in 21,000 schools, and these are not 

 available. .'\s to medical inspection, the Bill dealing with 

 this subject has not yet passed through the House of 

 Commons, but it is to be pressed, and Mr. McKenna 

 believes it will obtain the support of the House and be- 

 come law. L'ntil the Bill is passed it would be undesirable 

 to declare in advance what the settled policy of the Board 

 is as to the details of carrying out the proposals of the 

 Bill. Naturally the desire of the Board will be to have 

 expert medical advice, if the Bill passes, upon the various 

 topics with which it is concerned, but no definite lines 

 could be laid down now on the proposal for the establish- 

 ment of a medical bureau. On the general question, Mr. 

 McKenna expressed himself as heartily in sympathy, as 

 the whole of the Government are, with the objects laid 

 before him. It is most desirable for children in elementary 

 schools to be taught hygiene and temperance. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 London. 



Royal Society, Ap il 18. — " On Reciprocal Innervation cf 

 .\ntagonistic Muscles." Tenth note. By Prof. C. S. 

 Sherrington, F.R.S. 



This communication furnishes fresh examples of re- 

 ciprocal innervation of antagonistic muscles. These ex- 

 amples are taken from the great fiexion-reflex of the leg. 

 The paper shows that in that reflex the extensors of the 

 ankle are inhibited concurrently with excitation of flexors 

 of the ankle. It also shows that the adductors of the 

 hip are relaxed by inhibition concurrently with reflex con- 

 traction of the abductors, and that the external rotators 

 of the hip similarly are relaxed by inhibition concurrently 

 with contraction of the internal rotators. These new- 

 instances of reciprocal innervation of antagonistic muscles 

 are important, because of the desirability of seeing how 

 far reciprocal innervation may be considered a general or 



