Fuly 9, 1885] 
NATURE 
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—Note on the monument to be erected to the memory of Nicolas 
Leblanc, inventor of artificial soda, by M. Eug. Peligot. 
various reasons it has been decided to place in the Conservatoire 
des Arts et Meétiers the statue raised by international subscription 
to Leblanc. In the report of the Committee it is stated that 
the illustrious savant was born, not at Issoudun, as is generally 
supposed, but at Yvry-le-Pré, Department of the Cher, on De- 
cember 6, 1742.—Note on the peculiar properties of Poinsot’s | 
“herpolhodie” curve, by M. J. N. Franke.—Remarks on the 
same subject, by M. Darboux.— On the reduction of the problem 
of the brachistochrones to canonical equations, by M. Andoyer. 
—On the secular variation of the magnetic declination at Rio de 
Janeiro, by M. Cruls.—On the crepuscular light, by M. P. J. 
Denza. These after-glows, which seem to have become nearly 
extinct during the past winter, have again begun to appear about 
the beginning of this summer. At Moncalieri, and in other parts | 
of Italy and Sicily, they became very intense towards the end of 
May, and their brilliancy was even increased during the first 
days of the month of June. On the 13th especially the effects 
were most surprising, rivalling those witnessed during the winter 
of 1883. The phases of the phenomenon haye also closely 
resembled those so often described during the periods of its 
greatest intensity. The author considers that all this tends | 
more and more to confirm his own theory, that the crepuscular 
lights are due, not to the Krakatoa eruption, but mainly to the 
vapour of water disseminated throughout the higher regions of 
the atmosphere.—On the reappearance of the crepuscular glows, 
by M. A. Boillot. The author describes the effects seen at 
Paris on June 12 and subsequently, and also considers that their 
reappearance can scarcely be brought into connection with the 
Krakatoa eruption of August, 1883.—On the nacreous crystals 
of sulphur, by M. D. Gernez.—On the properties of the per- 
sulphuret of hydrogen, by M. P. Sabatier.—On the nitrate 
of ‘anhydrous ammoniacal ammonia on iron, zinc, and some 
other metals, by M. G. Arth.—Note on the reduction of the 
hexatomic alcohols, by MM. J. A. Le Bel and M. Wassermann. 
—On a new method of preparing pyrocatechine, by M. J. 
Meunier.—On the action of chlorine and iodine on pilocarpine, 
by M_ Chastaing.—Note on the quantitative analysis of the 
phosphoric acid present in the natural and mineral phosphates 
employed for manuring the soil, by M. E. Aubin.—On the 
development of the vascular glands in the embryo, by M. 
Retterer.—On a new type of Sarcosporidies, by M. R. 
Blanchard.—Calorimetric observations on children, by M. Ch. 
Richet.—New researches on the regeneration of the nerves in 
the periphery of animal organisms, by M. C. Vanlair.—A note 
on the influence of the attraction of the moon on the creation of 
the Gulf Stream was submitted, by M. Ch. Dufour. 
BERLIN 
Meteorological Society, June 2.—Dr. Neuhauss communi- 
cated meteorological observations instituted by him during a 
voyage around the world from April to December last year. 
During the whole passage through the Mediterranean Sea, the 
Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Indian and Pacific Ocean, he had 
regularly every day made observations with a compared thermo- 
meter, aneroid barometer, and psychrometer, of the temperature 
and the atmospheric pressure every two hours from 6 a.m. till 
8 p-m., and three times a day determinations of the humidity. 
His attention was specially directed to determine these meteoro- 
logical conditions within the tropics and more particularly in the 
neighbourhood of the equator. Among the more noteworthy 
results of these observations he showed that the daily range of 
temperature over the Suez Canal amounted to 29°:2 F., from 
a maximum of about 86°‘o toa minimum of 56°°8, while the range 
of temperature on the Red Sea was only about 6°-8 to 9°"0, 
and that on the Indian Ocean in the neighbourhood of the equator 
was still less. The maximum temperature under the equator 
amounted nearly to 99°°5, and always coincided with the cul- 
minating point of the sun. The opinion that the maximum 
temperature in the tropics occurred at 10 a.m. was not con- 
firmed by the observations. What was observed on this 
point was simply that the maximum temperature frequently 
began in the region of the tropics at 10 a.m., and lasted two 
hours, when, from some secondary cause or other, a small abate- 
ment of only a few tenths of a degree might be observed Just at 
I2noon. Squalls and rain-showers were always accompanied 
by a sinking of temperature which occasionally showed a 
range of 4°°5. On his voyage from New Zealand to Hawaii 
in June and July Dr. Neuhauss daily observed within the 
a 
For | 
tropics a constant rising of the temperature till evening, 
reaching the maximum between 6 and 8 p.m. On the open 
sea he nowhere found higher temperatures than those he had 
observed on first crossing the equator. The registrations 
of the barometer within the tropics exhibited the well- 
known daily oscillation of the atmospheric pressure with two 
maxima and two minima. The first maximum showed itself 
at 10 a.m., the second at 6 p.m. It was remarkable that 
the squalls and rain-showers did not affect the regular march 
of the barometer. The hygrometric observations in the 
tropics on the Indian Ocean yielded considerably less daily 
amplitudes than on the Mediterranean Sea and on the Suez Canal. 
The phenomena of the twilight on the Indian Ocean, whose 
magnificence of colour was described, were particularly beauti- 
ful. Very noteworthy were the observations on the duration 
of the twilight, but a regular difference between the evening 
and the morning twilight was not established. Their respective 
durations on particular days were, on the other hand, very 
unequal. The astronomical twilight-—z.c. the time from sunset 
till the last evanescence of light in the western sky—usually 
lasted from an hour to an hour and a quarter. The 
end of the twilight at sea could be precisely determined to 
a second. A great charm was afforded in the observations 
of the zodiacal light, which Dr. Neuhauss was able to watch 
every morning before sunrise on the Indian Ocean. In the 
evening with fatigued eyes the observation of the zodiacal light 
was not successful. In the morning, on the other hand, the 
bluish-white light pyramid could be followed by the eye to the 
zenith. Its brightness excelled that of the brightest parts of the 
Milky Way ; its light was quite steady without any quiverings, 
and thus showed no polarisation. This phenomenon, still so 
little understood, was recommended as an object of observation 
to marine officers.—Prof. Sporer described a whirlwind observed 
at Potsdam on April 15 at 12 noon. The air was quite still, 
the sky perfectly clear, when, from a grassy sward begirt by 
bu-h, an eye-witness observed the whirlwind arise. He first 
heard a rustling in the leaves of the shrubs, and then observed 
a column of dust, of abont the height of the surrounding 
inclosures, which, on its continued movement, split into two 
vortices. One of these, or perhaps only a branch of one, 
moving onward, without leaving any traces on its way, arrived 
at a neighbouring garden, where, at a particular spot, it tore up 
and carried aloft in a whirling manner to a considerable height 
the windows of several hot-beds, rending them in pieces. The 
weight of each of these windows was about 30 lbs. Thence 
the whirlwind advanced towards a neighbouring garden and tore 
off the windows, which were open in the direction from which 
the whirlwind was coming. On its further course, which was 
marked out by a powerful rushing noise and by a very high 
dust-column, the whirlwind inflicted no more destruction. Prof. 
Sporer was of opinion that the whirlwind originated and grew 
in intensity over ground which was greatly heated, just as happens 
in volcanic outbursts and high protuberances of the sun, when 
in the one case ashes and in the other hydrogen are swept aloft 
over highly heated surfaces. 
Physiological Society, June 5.—Prof. Brieger, following 
up his communications of a year ago, reported on his further 
investigations into the ptomaines. In his former communica- 
tions the speaker had described five well-characterised bases 
—neurine, muscarine, neuridine, and two other diamines—ex- 
tracted from the ptomaines, which were developed in putre- 
fying nitrogenous substances, and in the form of beautiful crys- 
tallised salts, and had subjected them to precise chemical and 
physiological analysis. As the result of this analysis, neurine, 
muscarine, and a base similar to, but not identical with, tri- 
methyldiamine had were found to be very violent poisons, 
while the two others showed themselves to be less poisonous. 
Seeing that the ptomaines must here be regarded as products o 
the putrefactive bacteria, Prof. Brieger set himself the task o 
studying the products of pathogenic bacteria. He proceeded, 
however, beforehand to investigate the ptomaines which de- 
veloped under natural putrefaction in the case of human 
corpses, and found that here quite different bases came to 
light than those which appeared under artificial putrefaction. 
Immediately after death lecithin decomposed itself, and large 
quantities of choline became developed, and, along with this 
base, neuridine appeared on the third day of putrefaction, in- 
creasing in quantity with the progress of putrefaction. From 
the seventh day after death there came to view an entirely new 
base, which, with hydrochlorate of platinum, yielded very 
