Fune it, 1885 | 
NATURE 
I4! 
the local clock at the next hour (11 A.M.) would show that this 
clock had been properly corrected, and would be a guarantee 
for the general accuracy of the time-signals. Preliminary trials 
have shown that the observation of coincidence of vibration of 
two pendulums can be made with great certainty, and Messrs, 
E. Dent and Co. are now arranging for the mounting of an 
auxiliary pendulum on one of the transit of Venus clocks, and 
_ for adapting it to give hourly time-signals. 
The errors of the Westminster clock have been under Is. on 
50 per cent. of the days of observation, between Is. and 2s. on 
29 per cent., between 2s. and 3s. on Io per cent., between 3s. 
and 4s. on 7 per cent., and over 4s. on 4 per cent. 
: During the past year the Observatory has lost the valuable 
services of Mr. Dunkin, who retired on August 25, after an 
honourable service of forty-six years, which has been throughout 
characterised by remarkable zeal and ability, and has contributed 
largely to maintain the credit of the Observatory. Mr. Dunkin 
has been succeeded in the post of Chief Assistant by Mr, H. H. 
Turner, B.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge. 
The report concludes as follows :— 
During the past year the various classes of work carried on 
in this Observatory have been somewhat extended. The 
meridian observations are more numerous than usual, and 
various subsidiary investigations involving considerable labour 
have been undertaken with a view to increase their <ccuracy. A 
large number of spectroscopic determinations of star-motions 
have been obtained, and the long continued maximum of sun- 
spots has made the photographic measurements and computa- 
tions much heavier than in any previous year. Extensions have 
also been made in the magnetic and meteorological branch, which 
appeared very desirable, but which have pressed rather severely 
on Mr. Ellis and his staff. 
Turning to the future, I wish to invite the attention of the 
visitors to the circumstance that an increase in our optical means 
is required to enable us to carry out satisfactorily the determina- 
tions of proper motions of stars in the line of sight with the 
spectroscope, a work which peculiarly belongs to this Observa- 
tory, as supplementing the determinations of proper motions 
from meridian observations. 
The aperture of our largest refractor (12$ inches) is too small 
to allow of our observing successfully with the spectroscope any 
but the brightest stars, and though the Lassell reflector is some- 
| what more powerful, its mounting and clock-work are not 
adapted to carry a heavy spectroscope with the necessary steadi- 
. ness and accuracy of motion. The firmness of the mounting of 
; the south-east equatorial and the perfection of its clock-work 
. would make it peculiarly suitable for this class of work if it 
carried a much larger object-glass. 
After careful consideration of the conditions I have satisfied 
myself that an object-glass of 28 inches aperture and of 28 feet 
focal length could be mounted on the south-east equatorial, in 
place of the present object-glass of less than half that aperture ; 
and I heve ascertained that Mr. Grubb would be prepared to 
undertake the construction of such an object-glass with a tube 
suited to the special requirements of the case, so that the tele- 
scope would be equally available for eye-observation or for 
use withthe spectroscope. With Mr.. Grubb’s assistance, I have 
prepared a model showing how this may be arranged. 
While a large refractor is required specially for spectroscopic 
observations, it seems desirable also on other grounds that this 
Observatory should possess an equatorially mounted telescope 
comparable with those of other first-class observatories, so that 
we may no longer be prevented by deficient optical means from 
obtaining complete series of observations of comets and faint 
satellites. 
aT ee 
VIVISECTION 
} 
RETURN has been issued by the Home Office contain- 
ing the reports of inspectors showing the number of 
experiments performed on living animals during the year 1884 
under licences granted according to the Act 39 and 40 Victoria, 
c. 77, distinguishing painless from painful experiments. 
The former of the two reports deals with England and Scot- 
land, the latter with Ireland. They are as follows :-— 
(1) The names of the 49 persons who held licences during 
any part of the year are given in the subjoined tables, in one of 
, which are entered the names of those licensces who performed 
: any experiments, 34 in number ; and, in -the other, the names 
of those who performed none. 
‘€(2) The total number of experiments of all kinds performed 
during the year was about 441. 
*< Of these, 140 were done under the restrictions of the licence 
alone, 78 under the same restrictions, but under certificates in 
column 1 (lecture illustrations) ; 145 under certificates in column 
2; 76 under those in column 3; and 2 under a certificate in 
column 4. 
*¢(3) With regard to the infliction of pain, as in all the 
experiments, except those under special certificates in columns 2, 
3, and 4, the animals are rendered insensible during the whole 
of the experiment, and are not allowed to recover consciousness, 
no appreciable suffering would be caused if the provisions of the 
Act are faithfully carried out, as there is not the least reason to 
doubt they were. 
‘© With respect to experiments under certificates in columns 2, 
3, and 4, which dispense either wholly or partially with the use 
of anzsthetics, it should be stated :— 
‘<(a) That of the 145 experiments performed under certificates 
in column 2, 99 consisted in simple inoculation with a morbid 
virus, in which no operation beyond the prick of a needle was 
required, and for which the administration of an anesthetic 
would only have entailed needless annoyance and distress to the 
animal. In these experiments any appreciable suffering would 
be felt only in those cases in which the inoculation took effect, 
involving about the same amount of pain as ensues on ordinary 
vaccination, before the brief period the animals were allowed to 
survive. Of such cases, according to the returns I have received, 
about 16 occurred. Of the remaining 46 experiments under 
these certificates, 24 were performed for the purpose of medico- 
legal inquiries in cases of suspected poisoning, resulting in the 
death by tetanus of three frogs and six mice, which survived, 
however, only a few minutes ; 10 other cases under the same 
head were experiments on the infection of fish with a species of 
fungus, very destructive in certain rivers and streams ; and five 
on the effects of immersion of fish in distilled water, which 
proved fatal to about thirty minnows and sticklebacks. In none 
of these cases could it be said that any appreciable suffering was 
inflicted. In seven cases, in which salts of ammonia were hypo- 
dermically injected, two are returned as haying suffered pain, 
but of a very trifling character. 
‘<(5) Of the 76 experiments under certificates in column 3, 
47 required a simple operation, but this being done under an- 
zesthesia, was unfelt, and the after-effects, though in many of 
the cases resulting in partial paralysis, are reported as having 
been unattended with actual pain in any case. The remaining 
29 were by simple inoculation, and none were attended with 
ain. 
pe (4) In conclusion, therefore, it may be stated that the 
amount of direct or indirect actual suffering, as the result of 
physiological and therapeutical experiments performed in Eng- 
land and Scotland, under the Act in the year 1884, was wholly 
insignificant. ‘* GEORGE Busk, Inspector 
‘©The Right Hon. the Secretary of State.” 
“16, Harcourt Street, Dublin, May 17 
‘« Srr,—In accordance with your instructions I beg to submit 
the following table, showing the licences in force in Ireland 
during the year 1884 under the Act 39 and 40 Wicts, cy 772 eNO: 
certificate has been allowed during the year. 
«¢ Several of the licences in force during the previous year 
have expired, and renewals have not been sought for. 
‘* Under the licences in force thirteen experiments have been 
made; they were all painless. I am of opinion that the experi- 
ments in question were useful ones; eleven of them were 
intended to elucidate the actions of drugs, and the remaining 
two to assist the investigation of certain circulatory phenomena 
which have a bearing upon the treatment cf disease. 
*‘T have, &c., 
‘© W. THORNLEY STOKER 
‘To the Right Hon. the Chief Secretary for Ireland.” 
In each case the report is followed by a list of all persons who 
hold such licences, the places where they are permitted to make 
experiments, and the nature of the certificate held. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE 
CAMBRIDGE.—The Annual Report of the Museums and 
Lecture-Rooms Syndicate, recently published, contains the 
