October 15, 1908] 



NA TURE 



605 



Although Prof. Meldola has already dealt with this 

 statement, I should like to be allowed to make a few re- 

 marks on the same subject. The most important point 

 in the whole discussion is the question whether, in the 

 future, it will be possible for the natural product to com- 

 pete successfully with its coal-tar rival. 



If the planters and their adviser, Mr. Bergtheil, can 

 be induced to recognise and e.\tend the results of the 

 scientific investigations carried on in Leeds under my 

 general supervision, I am strongly of opinion that there 

 is still a bright future for natural indigo. The details of 

 these investigations have been published in the Journal 

 of the Society of Chemical Industry, and I cannot go into 

 them again here, but I may be allowed briefly to state 

 the main conclusions which were arrived at and confirmed 

 in the fullest possible manner. 



There can be no doubt that the indigo leaf contains 

 much more indican than was formerly supposed to be 

 the case, and this fact has hitherto "been overlooked 

 because of the defective analytical methods employed by 

 the scientific advisers to the indigo planters. Mr. Bloxam 

 and his colleagues very carefully investigated these 

 analytical processes, and were able to prove conclusively 

 that the persulphate method, carried out according to Mr. 

 Bergtheil's directions, gives results which are quite un- 

 trustworthy. The first step, therefore, was to devise 

 trustworthy analytical methods, and this was ultimately 

 accomplished by the development of the isatin method for 

 determining the indican in the leaf and the tetrasulphonate 

 method for estimating the indigo in the finished cake. A 

 very large number of control analyses, carried out under 

 a great variety of conditions, have shown conclusively 

 that these analytical methods are the only ones which 

 give accurate results. The application of these new 

 methods has proved beyond doubt that there is much more 

 indican in the leaf than is converted into indigo under 

 the present conditions of manufacture. In spite, therefore, 

 of the statement of the general secretary of the Bihar 

 Planters' Association that " nothing further can be done 

 in improving the main processes," I am convinced that 

 there is a great prospect of considerably increasing the 

 yield of indigo provided all the details of manufacture are 

 systematically subjected to searching and skilful scientific 

 investigation. k. G. Perkin. 



Memory in the Germ-plasm. 



If " a lamb's tail is shortened " and the germ-cell 

 " records " the event, surely there is more to be " re- 

 membered " by it than a "momentary cut," viz. a per- 

 manent change of shape? Setting aside mutilations, there 

 remain use-acquirements. From infancy forwards a man 

 develops physically and mentally, principally under the 

 stimulus of use. For instance, the muscles of an infant's 

 limbs do not grow unless used. His mind is almost blank 

 at birth, but grows under the influence of experience (use). 

 In this way he learns to coordinate his muscles and a 

 vast deal more. Prolonged parental protection affords the 

 opportunity. In proportion as animals are low in the 

 scale of life they appear to be less and less capable of 

 making use-acquirements until they are quite incapable. 

 Most insects, for example, are not protected by their 

 parents, and must come into the world fully equipped 

 physically and mentally to cope with the environment. 

 They have no need for use-acquirements, and apparently 

 make none. It seems clear, then, that the power of 

 developing under the stimulus of use (plasticity, as it is 

 called) is a product of evolution. It confers the immensely 

 valuable trait of adaptability on the individual. The posi- 

 tion, then, appears to be this : low animals cannot make 

 use-acquirements, and therefore can transmit none ; higher 

 animals can make use-acquirements, but obviously trans- 

 mit none, for in them the innate has been progressively 

 replaced by the acquired. When we speak of the trans- 

 mission of a use-acquirement, we do not really mean that 

 the child has inherited the parental trait — we mean that 

 the trait has been tvansmuXci into something very 

 different and much less useful, an innate character. In 

 other words, we suppose that the adaptability of the parent 

 is replaced by rigidity in the child, and we suppose this 



NO. 2033, VOL. 78] 



in spite of enormous and conclusive evidence to the con- 

 trary. We close our eyes carefully to facts, and found 

 our science on vague analogies. 



Southsea, October 9. G. Archdall Reid. 



A Red Rainbow at Sunset. 



October 9 was a mild day with south-west wind, and 

 slight showers in the afternoon. The sky was overcast 

 until sunset, when breaks appeared in the clouds. In the 

 west there was a fine effect of orange-yellow sunset colour, 

 while in the south-east at the same time the clouds were 

 pink. Here, on some pink clouds near the horizon, a 

 fine, nearly vertical patch of rosy-red rainbow appeared, 

 which shone more brilliantly, and was of a rather yellower 

 red than the surrounding clouds. The colour, varying in 

 intensity, lasted for about three minutes, and the patch 

 appeared to be from 10° to 12° in length; the occurrence 

 took place about sh. 30m. G.M.T. A similar rainbow is 

 described in the current number of the Gazette astro- 

 noiiiiquc. E. Armit.\ge. 



Dadnor, Herefordshire, October 10. 



OXFORD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM. 

 'X'HE fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the 

 -•■ Oxford University JNIuseum was celebrated on 

 Thursday last, and a large number of distinguished 

 men of science, representing the universities and 

 scientific societies and institutions of Great Britain 

 and Ireland, assembled to do honour to the occasion. 

 The procee;lings were short, and may be very shortly 

 described. The guests assembled in the Sheldonian 

 Theatre, where the honorary degree of Doctor of 

 Science was conferred on Prof. Svante Arrhenius and 

 Mr. A. G. Vernon Harcourt. Fifty years ago Mr. 

 Harcourt was acting as Brodie's lecture assistant, and 

 was engaged in setting up the apparatus for the first 

 lectures delivered in the new museum. Hearty con- 

 gratulations were tendered by those present on his 

 unimpaired vigour and energy after so many years' 

 active and distinguished scientific work. After re- 

 ceiving congratulatory addresses from universities and 

 learned societies, the \'ice-Chancellor read a letter 

 from the Chancellor, and delivered an address which 

 was singularly felicitous both from its style and from 

 the evident sincerity with which he expressed his sym- 

 pathy with the progress of scientific studies in the 

 L'niversity of Oxford. 



In the afternoon Dr. Vernon Harcourt gave an 

 address on the early history of the museum. It was 

 unfortunate that the lecture theatre of the museum 

 was too small to .accommodate a larger audience. 

 Many were unable to gain admittance, but those who 

 were more fortunate had the privilege of hearing an 

 interesting story luminously told, and enlivened by 

 many humorous passages and personal reminiscences. 

 After Dr. Harcourt's address, the Vice-Chancellor un- 

 veiled a bust of the late Prof. \V. F. R. W'eldon, and 

 the company dispersed to tea and to visit the various 

 departments of the museum. 



Though, as the Vice-Chancellor said in his 

 address, fifty years is not a long period in 

 the history of education nor in the history 

 of the University of Oxford, it was fitting that 

 this anniversary should have been commemorated. 

 The building of the Oxford Museum was an indication 

 of a great change in the opinions of educated men 

 in this country, and it is probable that half a century 

 hence the present time will be looked back upon as 

 equally important in the history of the progress of 

 scientific education. In our opinion, too much stress 

 has been laid upon the opposition to the project of 

 building the University Museum ; too little credit has 

 been given to the large and enthusiastic support which 

 enabled the project to be realised. 



