October 29, 1896J 



.V^ TURE 



6.VS 



under normal conditions, may be classified by ihe micro-chemical 

 reaction of their granules into oxyphile and basophile groups, 

 the distinction breaks down under abnormal conditions, since 

 many leucocytes are then found exhibiting both oxyphile and 

 basophile granulations at the same time. 



Prof. Paul gave a ilemonstration of microphotographs illus- 

 trating some points in dental histology. The chief interest of 

 the work was in regard to the formation of enamel. Whereas 

 the dentine is regarded as a calcification of the intercellular 

 matrix, the enamel is to be regarded as a calcification of cells, 

 and thus tubular enamel is a negative picture of tubular ilentine. 

 Xasmyth's membrane was shown to be epithelial in structure, a 

 fact admitting of easy demonstration after lapid decalcification 

 by the phloro-glucin and nitric acid method ; it was a remnant 

 of the external Layer of enamel epithelium. 



Dr. K. Stevenson read a paper on the effect produced uijon 

 the eye movements by the destruction of the ear. The experi- 

 ments were carrieil out in the dog, an interval elapsing between 

 the lesion of the two sides. The destruction of the right ear 

 cau.sed impairment in the right eye movements, that of both a 

 similar but more marked impairment of both eyes. The effect 

 was great external strabismus, and the movements carried out 

 by the muscles supplied by the third nerve showed a loss of 

 power in these amounting to 75 per cent. 



On Monday the President, Dr. Gaskell, gave his address on 

 the origin of Xertebrates, the Section meeting in conjunction 

 with that of Biology. .\t the President's request the address 

 formed the basis for a discussion, in which several prominent 

 biologists took part. 



On Tuesday Prof. Haycraft gave an account of an investiga- 

 tion into photometry by means of the flicker method. The 

 essential feature of this consists of a rotating disc with black 

 and coloured segments, and the disappearance of flickering at 

 any given speed of rotation is taken as the measurable point of 

 luminosity. He also discussed Purkinje's phenomenon, and 

 showed experiments which proved that one essential factor in 

 its production had been disregarded in previous work upon the 

 subject, this being the persistent p.sycho-retinal effect of light 

 surroundings ; by placing the observer in a dark surrounding, 

 the production of the phenomena is profoundly modified. 



Prof .Allen re.ad a paper on the physical basis of life, in 

 which he advanced the following views. The vital phenomena 

 are essentially related to change in the N atoms of nitrogenous 

 compounds ; they are accompanied by transfer of O, but this 

 transfer is only brought about by the nitrogen ; the nitrogen in 

 the living molecule may be regarded as centrally situated, and in 

 the pentad state ; on death it is peripherally situated, and in the 

 triad state. 



Dr. L.a7.arus Barlow described the recent extension of his work 

 upon osmosis, and particularly u|)on the rate at which this 

 begins and is developed. The resultant initial osmotic pres.sure 

 was shown to be one which, as produced by dift'erent substances, 

 does not run parallel with llie final osmotic pressures. Since in 

 physiological processes such final osmotic pressures are out of the 

 (question, the initial eft'ects are those which must be taken into 

 account in the determination of such questions as the passage of 

 substances through the living cells. A number of experiments, 

 in which the th<iracic outflow of lymph was determined before 

 and after a rapid lowering of the specific gravity of the blood 

 through bleeding, &c., showe<l no initial check in the rate of 

 flow. The discrepancy between the initial effects produced by 

 osmosis and those observed in the body, appeared to leail to the 

 conclusion that osmosis plays but a small jiart in either the 

 absorption of substances into the blood, or their outflow from 

 this into the lymph channels. 



Dr. Kanthack read a paper on the bacteria in food, in which 

 he criticised the method of bacteriological analysis as applied 

 to the determination of suspected food. The number of micro- 

 organisms present in food obtained from very different sources 

 was found to be practically the same, hence the quantitative 

 method is valueless. As regards the qualitative method, the 

 presence of Bacteriiiiii coli and of Proteus forms cannot be con- 

 sidered as conclusive evidence of frecal or sewage contamination, 

 since these two forms are apparently ubiquitous, and may be 

 found in almo.st all food. 



Dr. Sims Woodhead called attention to the desir.ability 

 of the organisation of bacteriological research in connec- 

 tion with public health. He referred to the results obtained 

 by the co-operation of public bodies with those directly 

 concerned in the creation and management of scientific 



in.slitutions. In London, the Metropolitan Asylums Board has 

 approached the Laboratories of the Colleges of Surgeons and 

 Physicians ; in Manchester and Liverimol, the Public Health 

 Committees have made arrangements with the Pathological 

 Departments of Owens and of University College. The results 

 have been of great utility to both sides, and these are examples of 

 what can be achieved by spasmodic eft'orts. Could this co-opera- 

 lion be systematised and extended, the possibilities of benefit 10 

 the community would be enormous. The rapid investigation of 

 matters immeiliately affecting public health would be the gain of 

 the pubHc, whilst the better equipment, and, above all, adequate 

 maintenance of skilled .scientific investigators, through the 

 financial help of public bodies, would Ije the gain of science. 



On Wedne.sday Dr. Hill, Master of Downing College, read a 

 paper on the minute structure of the cerebellum, in which, 

 among other points of interest, he brought forward evidence in 

 favour of the view that the processes of the Purkinje nerve cells 

 could be traced into direct continuity with the peripheral arbor- 

 isations of nerve fibres entering the grey substance from below. 



Prof. Fokker read a paper on the basis of the bacteriological 

 theory founded upon observations upon the fermentation of 

 milk. 



Dr. Copeman gave an account of experiments as to the action 

 of glycerine upon the growth of bacteria. In this important 

 communication the results of further experiments on the bac- 

 teriology of small-pox and vaccinia were brought forward, and 

 thus the question of the purification and preservation of vaccine 

 lymph was discussed. It was shown that whereas ordinary 

 lymph is apt to contain numerous micro-organisms, no visible 

 development of these takes place in lymph treated with 30 per 

 cent, of glycerine. When a mixture of peptone broth and glycerine 

 is inoculated with such organisms as StreptOiOcciis pyogenes, 

 Staphylocociin pyogenes, aureus, and alhus, Bacillus pyocyaneus, 

 suhtilis, Coli communis, diphtheriic, and tuberculosis, the 

 microbes are all killed in less than a month by 30 to 40 per 

 cent, of glycerine with the exception of B. coli communis and 

 suhtilis. Bacillus coli communis, unlike B. typhosus, resists 

 the action of even 50 per cent, of glycerine for a considerable 

 time in the cold, and this property may serve to differentiate 

 between these varieties. Dr. Copeman"s discovery that tlie 

 monkey is suscejitible to vaccination, has enabled him to ascer- 

 tain that small-pox and vaccine material retain their efficacy when 

 completely sterilised for extraneous microbes by the action of 40 

 per cent, glycerine. He has succeeded in obtaining cultures 

 from such sterilised vaccine, and considers that the single small 

 bacillus present in these may not improbably be the micro- 

 organism of vaccinia. 



Dr. Copeman was heartily congratulated by Sir Joseph Lister 

 and Prof. Burdon-Sanderson on the important contribution he 

 had made to preventive medicine. 



Dr. Durham read a paper on some points in the mechanism 

 of the reaction to peritoneal infections. He first referred to the 

 work done by liimself in conjunction with Prof Griiber of 

 Vienna, in relation to the alleged jiaucity of the hyaline ar.d 

 coarsely granular oxyphil leucocytes in the peritoneal liquid, the 

 so-called leucopenia of Lowit. This paucity has been attributed 

 to their destruction due, according to Metschnikoff, to the in- 

 creased bactericidal power of the peritoneal fluid. The re- 

 searches carried out at \'ienna, and now described, showed that 

 a large deposit of hyaline and the oxyphil cells is found deposited 

 on the omentum, probably through the exceptionally active 

 peristalsis which accompanies the early stages of peritonitis : 

 with these are mixed the bacteria which were used for the local 

 infection ; and when these are of low virulence, they are ingested 

 by the hyaline cells quite independent of any previous action of 

 oxyphil cells. The passing away of the state of leucopenia is 

 associated with tlie presence, in abnormal amount, of a poly- 

 nuclear leucocyte or finely granular oxyphil cell. 



The above is not the sole factor in the production of leucopenia ; 

 a second one of great importance was shciwn to be the flow of 

 lymph along the lymphatics in connection with the peritoneal 

 cavity. Both bacteria and cells are carried in great numbers 

 along these channels. 



The coarsely granular or megoxyphil cells are thus never 

 abmidant in the peritoneal cavity as free cells ; on the other 

 hand, the finely granular or microxyphil cells rapidly increase in 

 number, especLilly during recovery from local infection, and 

 synchronously with their jiresence the peritoneal liquid increases 

 in bactericidal power. 



Prof. Boyce brought forward tlie combined report of Prof. 



NO. 1409, VOL. 54] 



