TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 687 



youngest monotreme yet dissected, and concludes that the characters of the mam- 

 malian shoidder-girdle are constant throughout. 



3. On Rudionentary Structures relating to the Human Ooracoid Process. 

 By Professor Macaltstee, F.B.8. 



Sub-Section PHYSIOLOGY. 

 1. Discussion on Cerebral Localisation. 



1i. On the Connection between Molecular Structure and Biological Action. 

 By James Blake, M.D., F.B.C.S., F.C.S. 



The paper contained the results of the author's researches on the connection 

 "between the molecular constitution of inorganic substances and their biological 

 action, and is, in fact, a continuation of previous communications to the Associa- 

 tion, the first of which was made at the meeting at Newcastle in 1838, followed by 

 others in 1843, 1844, and 1846. 



The author showed that these biological reactions are determined, in the case 

 of compounds of all the more electro-positive elements, by the electro -positive 

 ■element of the compound, and that they are closely connected with its isomorphous 

 relations and atomic weight, and that when an element forms two classes of 

 compounds which are members of two different isomorphous groups, as with the 

 ferrous and ferric salts, the biological action of the salts in each class differs, and 

 is analogous to that of the other members of the group to which it belongs, the 

 salts in which the electro-positive element has the highest molecular weight being 

 by far the most active. 



In cases where an element forms a connecting link between two isomorphous 

 groups its biological reactions are such as connect it with each group. Between 

 the metals and metalloids differences exist as regards the connection of biological 

 action with their atomic weights, although the general reaction is still determined 

 by their isomorphous relations. In investigating the biological reactions of com- 

 pounds of forty-two of the elements but two exceptions have been met with to the 

 conclusions above stated connecting molecular constitution with biological action. 

 One of these exceptions (beryllium) is associated with other anomalous molecular 

 reactions of the element. The connection of these facts with the normal reactions 

 of living matter will be considered, and also their bearing on investigations on the 

 molecular structure of bodies. 



In conclusion, the author shows that the objections that have been brought 

 forward to his results have been founded either on imperfect methods of research 

 ■or a false interpretation of facts. 



■3. Supplement to the Paper ' On the Causes and Resxdts of assumed Cycloidal 

 Rotation in Arterial Bed Discs' ^ By Snrg.-Major R. W. Woollcombe. 



The author wishes to record further, that although he then for illustration 

 cited the fact of rotation about the shortest diameter being manifested by ' the 

 rolling on their edges of irregularly shaped leaves, or of scraps of paper on the 

 ground before the wind,' yet he has since found that the above law of rotation 

 obtains even further than he supposed, and to such a degree that he considers it 

 disposes of the objection that certain discs, as those of the ' Camelidae ' and ' Aves ' 



' Vide British Association Report, 1881, p. 722. 



