240 
NATURE 
beautiful crystals, and, both in this connection as also in the form 
of hydrochlorate of gold and inits conjunction with hydrochloric 
acid, had been searchingly examined. This base, altogether 
different both in its quantities and in its composition from 
the bases hitherto known, was named ‘‘cadaverine.” It 
increased in quantity with time while choline and neuridine 
diminished. Later on there appeared another new base 
which was also characterised by its hydrochlorates of platinum 
and gold, as likewise by its chemical composition, which the 
speaker called ‘‘ putrescine ” and was able to show in the form of 
beautiful crystals, both in a pure state and in the hydrochlorates 
of platinum and gold. Both these new bases, cadaverine as well 
as putrescine, acted but weakly on the animal organism. The 
first possessed the well-known smell of coniine, which former 
observers had already noticed in putrefying bodies. Besides 
these weakly acting nitrogenous bases, there were found in the later 
stages of putrefaction two diamines of very powerfully poisonous 
effect, which, injected even in small doses in animals experi- 
mented on, produced death under paralysis. These two were 
presented in distinct crystals and isolated. A survey of the 
whole series of isolated ptomaines taken from corrupting 
nitrogenous substances showed that, contrary to the former 
assumption, they were all simply compound, that they 
were all diamines belonging to the series of fats. Their 
great resemblance to vegetable alkaloids rendered it neces- 
sary that in the case of chemical investigations only such 
alkaloids and bases should be deemed demonstrated to exist in a 
dead body which had been isolated and had been presented in 
their characteristic salt-crystals. In the endeavour to study the 
bases produced by pathogenic bacilli Prof. Brieger had exa- 
mined artificial cultures of bacilli, and first the typhoid bacillus 
on peptone. This led to no positive result. It was the culture 
of the typhoid bacillus on meat infusion and meat jelly which first 
led to the isolation of two new intensely poisonous bases, one 
of which, being injected in small quantities into animals, acted 
similarly to neurine, producing death under a strong flow of 
saliva, paralysis and diarrhoea, while the other produced only 
violent exhausting diarrhoea. The small quantities of these 
poisons did not yet, however, allow them to be sufficiently 
characterised chemically. They appeared to be triamines, and 
should be further investigated. The method adopted in the 
course of this investigation promised additional important re- 
sults.—Dr. H. Virchow communicated the observations he had 
made on the cells of the vitreous humour, regarding which the 
opinion had hitherto been entertained that they were lymph cells 
which had emigrated from the blood-vessels, and which, by 
reason of their amceboid movements, presented the most various 
forms either on the surface or in the interior :of the vitreous 
body. Dr. Virchow had first examined the vitreous body of 
very different species of fish, and in the case of these animals, 
which were provided with vessels of the vitreous humour, he 
had established that the cells were perfectly fixed, invariable 
formations, which manifested themselves so characteristically 
that it was possible to distinguish the particular species 
by the particular form of the cells of the vitreous humour. 
This conclusion determined the speaker to examine the vitreous 
humour of other cold-blooded animals, and he chose frogs 
for this purpose, and had, besides, examined the vitreous 
body in an Alpaca sheep and in the fowl. After a de- 
scription of the methods of examination he had adopted, 
he described minutely the forms of the cells of the vitreous 
body he had found in these different animals. In the case of 
the sheep he found them ranged only on the surface in per- 
fectly definite order; they here consisted of small, round 
nuclei surrounded by ‘large masses of protoplasm manifoldly 
sinuated and branched. In the case of the fowl the cells like- 
wise lay on the surface of the vitreous body in regular arrange- 
ment. The protoplasm surrounding the nuclei was, however, 
in part drawn out lengthwise and branched at the ends, in part 
stellate, divided into thin rays, in part irregularly arranged. 
In the case of the frogs the greatest multiplicity of forms was 
met with. The cells lay either between the blood-capillaries or 
on them, and in this case were to be recognised only with great 
difficulty. The nuclei were mostly longish, and around these 
nuclei extended the delicate protoplasm, often spun out in fine 
lines of fibres between the vessels, or covering them. In the 
case of a few cells long processes extended from the protoplasm, 
of which single pieces had detached themselves. In the case of 
others the protoplasm had spread itself out into a very wide, 
uncommonly delicate film covering the vitreous body. Other 
cells, again, had granular protoplasm, and were either round, 
with a large round nucleus, or were more or less lengthened to the 
degree even of a filiform shape. To relate these different forms 
of the cells of the vitreous humour each to an integral charac- 
teristic difference in the species to which it belonged, was more 
than the speaker had been able to accomplish. Towards the 
solution of this problem further investigations would be required. 
—Herr Aronsohn communicated the further experiences which, 
in conjunction with Herr Sachs, he had collected relative 
to the heat-centre in the cerebrum, discovered by him last 
year. When on a perfectly definite part of the cerebrum 
he pricked with a needle so deeply as to touch the parts 
lying under the cortex, then he observed a rise of tempera- 
ture in the rectum, in the muscles, and in the skin of 
from about 1° to 2°C. The prick had to touch the corpus 
striatum in order to produce a rise of temperature, and in 
point of fact it was only the median part of the corpus striatum 
which, on being touched, gave rise to this result. No other 
part, however nearly situated to this spot, could, on being 
touched, produce this rise of temperature. The increase of tem- 
perature continued for about three hours after the prick, and 
affected the two sides even when the wounding of the brain was 
only one-sided. Electrical stimulation of the same limited spot 
produced a similar result. Whether there were ganglions lying 
on the spot in question, which influenced the production of 
warmth, or whether only definite nerye-tracts were touched, 
was a question which could not be decided. In order to ascer- 
tain the immediate cause of the increase of temperature, experi- 
ments regarding the respiration, and determinations of the urea 
were simultaneously carried out. These experiments showed 
that immediately after the corpus striatum was pricked the in- 
halation of oxygen and the exhalation of carbonic acid were in- 
creased, and that the secretion of urea was augmented. It was 
therefore clear that an increase in the metabolism generally 
followed the prick, an increase which, in the opinion of the 
speaker, was due to the heightened innervation of the muscular 
system caused by the prick or the electrical stimulation. 
CONTENTS 
The International Sanitary Conference in Rome 
A Naturalist’s Wanderings in the Eastern Archi- 
PAGE 
pelago. By Alfred R. Wallace . Pe does) | its 
Five Elementary Text-Books of Hygiene . woos oo an 
Our Book Shelf :— 
Arnett’s ‘* Euclid, Book WL.” ei ce: cs Safe! ie) ee 
Murche’s “ Botany ” MERON, obo 5 5) 222 
“* Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of 
England”. . ACMOMPECEN CIC on do 
Letters to the Editor :— 
“* An Earthquake Invention.” —M. . 222 
On the Occurrence of sas lampetriformis and 
Gadiculus argenteus off Aberdeen.—Francis Day 223 
Swallows.—Wm, Watts; OFS) es te 223 
“The Evolution of Vegetation. "J. Clayton . Bee uh 2G; 
Foul Water.—W.. H,’Shrubsole!. < -). a0. 223 
Composite Portraits.—Dr. C. M. Ingleby . . . 224 
Iridescent Crystals of Chlorate of Potash. By Prof. 
GaiGM Stokes) Seco Ruse cine PP fe EL 
Experimental Farming. . . Paige oon 22) 
Electricity at the Inventions Exhibition | «el ney LR 
The Afghan Delimitation Commission. By Dr. 
Joe. Aitchison: HVRiSi ele 226 
An Old Drawing of a Mammoth. By Baron A. E. 
Nordenskiold (///ustrated) .. 228 
Niagara Falls: the Rate at which ‘they Recede 
Southwards. By Edward Wesson (/ilustrated) . 229 
Notes . = . Sa el 
Our Astronomical Column; — 
The Comet of 1472. . . * Sea eee 
Astronomical Phenomena for the “Week 1885, 
July 52218 5. 2 see 0 so ce oss eur ne eee 
Geographical Notes . . + + 232 
On a Radiant Energy Recorder. ir, ‘W. Clark |: 233 
The Growth of Cereals. . . a Mog cil 
The Royal Society of New South “Wales Pepeo deo 2h 
University and Educational Intelligence . .... 237 
Scientific’Serials ope.) nee) en ee eee 
Societies*’and'Academies.. 2-7-0 «cue es Cut nou 
[Fuly 9, 1885 
——— ee | 
