120 
perature in the skin was induced in large part by the muscular 
movement, and in part also otherwise. Whether, however, the 
influence of the stimulation of the brain on the vaso-motor 
system was direct or indirect was a question not to be deter- 
mined either, by experiments of stimulation or by extirpa- 
tion of the part of the cerebral cortex concerned. — Dr. 
Leo communicated his experiments on the formation of fat and 
conveyance of fat in the case of phosphorus-poisoning. Seeing 
that some physiologists ranged themselves on the side of the 
view that fat, and especially in fatty liver after phosphorus- 
poisoning, was formed in the body through decomposition of 
albumen, but others, on the contrary, held that the fat of the 
internal organs was derived from the alimentary fat, either 
directly conveyed to these organs, or transported from the skin, 
where it had been deposited, the speaker instituted the following 
experiments : two young guinea-pigs of the same litter, of very 
similar constitution, and of almost the same dry weight, were 
kept in a state of hunger for a considerable time; then one 
was poisoned with phosphorus, and after three days both were 
killed. On determining the fatty contents of each of the 
animals, it was found that the poisoned animal showed a very 
considerably larger percentage of fat than the other. It had 
now to be ascertained what amount of fat an animal experi- 
mented on had before, and what amount it had after the 
phosphorus-poisoning. For this purpose two rats were employed, 
living under precisely the same conditions. One of them, 
accordingly, was killed on the same day on which the poisoning 
of the second begun. After three days the latter was likewise 
killed, and an essentially smaller quantity of fat was found in the 
poisoned animal than in the former. Finally, experiments were 
made with eighteen frogs, of which six were killed before the 
poisoning, six after the poisoning, and at the same time with 
these, six control frogs were killed. The result was that the six 
poisoned frogs contained a larger per cent. of fat than the six 
killed before the poisoning, and than the six unpoisoned and in 
other respects similar frogs. In all experiments the fatty 
contents of the liver after the phosphorus-poisoning were con- 
siderably greater than in the case of the unpoisoned animals. 
The increase per cent. of the liver fat, in comparison with the 
dry substance, tended to show with great probability that fat 
was not only formed anew, but was conveyed to the liver from 
other quarters. According to present views fat was formed in 
the body of the animal only by decomposition of the albumen, and 
it was conjectured that the lecithin was an intermediate product 
of this transformation. The quantitative determination of the 
lecithin in the animals poisoned with phosphorus, and in the 
control animals yielded, however in both, like percentages, so 
that this conjecture was not confirmed by the experiment. 
ROME 
Reale Accademia dei Lincei, March 15.—The unthink- 
able ; a logico-psychological note by Signor Bonatelli. In 
this note the author proposed to show that what is called 
the impossibility of thinking a thing is not really an im- 
possibility on the part of the thinking subject to form any 
given thought, but rather either the absolute impossibility of 
imagining or the impossibility of the existence of the object. 
And in this fact there is found a confirmation of that philo- 
sophical doctrine which maintains the existence of the ideal. 
That which is absolutely unthinkable is out of all relation to our 
thought, and we can say nothing about it.—Concerning a vase 
found at Metapontum with a Greek alphabet of the Achzean 
colonies of South Italy. Signor Barnabei exhibited a vase found in 
a burying-place during the excavations now being carried on at 
Metapontum, and which may be considered one of the most im- 
portant discoveries that have been made in recent times. The 
vase is in perfect preservation and shows by its form that it 
belongs to about 300 B.c. In the annular space surrounding 
the raised ritn the letters of the entire alphabet are inscribed. 
Signor Barnabei, after citing the opinions of various authors on 
the origin of writing, showed that it could not be attributed to 
the Phcenicians, but that the art of writing was actually intro- 
duced into Italy by the Greeks.—On the distribution in latitude 
of the solar maculz, facule, protuberances, and eruptions ob- 
served in 1884 in the Royal Observatory of the College of 
Rome. In this note Signor Tacchini explained at length the 
methods by which his observations on the solar macule, 
faculz, and protuberances were made, and the tables re- 
lating to them drawn up, as well as the means taken 
to insure the accuracy of both. He defended, against the 
NATURE 
[Sune 4, 1885 
j 
criticisms of Prof. Respighi, the conclusions which he had — 
laid before the last meeting of the Academy on the strength 
of his own observations and those of other astronomers. 
—Resumption of the observations of red glows. Prof. Ricco 
communicated the conclusion of his previous note, in which he 
gave an account of all the observations made by him on red 
glows from December, 1883, to April, 1884. As some features 
of the phenomenon would induce us to admit the presence of © 
an extremely fine dust at a great height in the atmosphere, Prof. 
Ricco wished to ascertain the fact as to whether fresh dust had 
fallen during and after the glows. But the examination of the 
dust collected at those times in rain-water or water long exposed 
to the air, showed no traces of fresh dust in the atmospheric 
deposits, and, in particular, no recognisable traces of volcanic 
dust.—Other communications :—Prof. Millosevich communi- 
cated the observations made by him on a new planetoid between 
Mars and Jupiter (245), discovered by Signor Borelly.—Drs. 
Ciamician and Silber explained the reactions by means of which 
they had succeeded in obtaining acetyl-pyrrol in a state of per- 
fect purity without any trace of pyrrol-methyl-ketone. 
also stated the result of their experiments with a view to ob- 
tain a sulphur acid from pyrrol-methyl-ketone: experiments 
which show clearly the analogy between pyrrol, pyrridin, and 
benzol.—Prof. Besso communicated a note by himself on trino- 
mial equations, and in particular on those of the seventh degree. 
—-Dr. Bianchi communicated a note by ‘himself on the triple 
orthogonal systems of Weingarten. 
CHRISTIANIA 
Society of Science, May 4.—The President, Prof. Guld- 
berg, in giving an account of the working of the Society last 
year, stated that there had been eighteen meetings, and that 
fifty-two articles and papers had been presented by members.— 
The number of members is at present 112.—Prof. Lochman 
gave a lecture on biology in relation to life. 
CONTENTS PAGE 
The Deinocerata of Wyoming. By Arch. Geikie, 
BORIS. 9 S53 & a fel go hey oie 97 
Remsen’s ‘‘ Organic Chemistry.” By M. M, Patti- 
son Muir. . 05. 2s -% ig is cs set) 99 
Mineralogy in California ......:... 4.) oo 
VN -{: Oe EO MORCEOIOECEC Od Ou cr MD 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Ocular After-Images and Lightning.—Shelford Bid- 
i.) OCA SEre og Gos OS! 
Iridescent Crystals of Potassium Chlorate.—H. G. 
Madan PROMO EOEDCso oo oS 
Pre-Existence and Post-Existence of Thought.—Dr. 
Hyde. Clarke... ca bee. 1 ey 
Long Sight.—A. Shaw Page. . 103 
Museums.—The Author of ‘‘ Museums of Natural 
FListory ?-Oc0y ee) ) sical ee 
A New Example of the Use of the Infinite and 
Imaginary in the Service of the Finite and Real. 
By Prof. J. J: sylvester, URS.) 2) ce eee 
Gresham College 3). 3) (2 2) c= <1) = 
Electricity at the Inventions Exhibition ..... 106 
Vesuvius. By Dr. H. J. Johnston-Lavis ..... 108 
The Ruahine Range, New Zealand ....... 108 
INOteS: oe oie ie eco ew oe mie 0a) ee ce 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
The Observatory of Paris. <<. = =) =| aieemeeielnlsinenmnnnnIN 
The Comet Tempel-Swift (1869-80) ....... JI12 
Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1885, 
June F013) ews eo We wee oe) an 
Geographical/Notes 20) 0. se eis tel 
Artificial Earthquakes <. = 2 =<. = < («Sennen 
The Influence of Forests on Climate ...... 115 
Originvof the (Cereals\ (9°29) ss =) = =) =e 
University and Educational Intelligence ..... 116 
Scientific Serials. ys). io) net or) uted a0) toned aE 
Societies and Academies. .......... 117 
They | 
7 +. Ss #”" 
