172 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



Unfortunately, considerable difficulty has been experienced in obtain- 

 ing the necessary material, and it is only within the last few months 

 that, thanks to the generosity and enterprise of Messrs. Parke, Davis, 

 & Co., sufficient nuclein of animal origin has become available. Certain 

 preliminary tests have been carried out with the object of determining 

 the most satisfactory method of administration, the dosage, etc. The 

 work has been controlled by careful observation of the effect pro- 

 duced, more especially on the elimination of phosphates in the 

 urine, the daily output of which has been found to be considerably 

 diminished, both relatively and absolutely, in cases of malignant 

 disease. 



At the present stage, however, it is impossible to present any 

 detailed statement, and we therefore propose the reappointment of 

 the Committee for another year, without further grant of money, as 

 last year's residue is still in hand. 



Tissue Metabolism, for the Investigation of the Metabolism of Special 

 Organs. — Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor E. H. 

 Starling (Chairman), Professor T. G. Brodie (Secretary), and 

 Dr. J. S. Haldane. 



The gaseous metabolism first investigated by the Committee was that 

 of the small intestine. A good length of the intestine was isolated and 

 the interior thoroughly washed out with warm saline and then emptied. 

 The loop was then enclosed in an oncometer, so that the rate of blood- 

 flow could be estimated by Brodie 's oncometric method. Samples of 

 the venous blood wei*e collected from a neighbouring branch of the 

 mesenteric vein. Detailed results of these experiments have been pub- 

 lished in the 'Journal of Physiology,' vol. xxxix. 



In the next instance preliminary experiments upon the gaseous 

 metabolism of isolated organs have been undertaken. In the first place, 

 organs perfused with oxygenated saline solutions were examined. This 

 involved an extension of the previous methods of analysis of gases in 

 saline solutions, and apparatus has been designed for the purpose. The 

 results of these experiments agree well with those obtained by other 

 methods, so that this method will probably serve for the investigation 

 of many problems which it would be impossible to attempt in the 

 intact organ. 



The Ductless Glands. — Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor 

 Schafer (Chairman), Professor Swale Vincent (Secretary), 

 Professor A. B. Macallum, Dr. L. E. Shore, and Mrs. W. H. 

 Thompson. (Drawn up by the Secretary.) 



Mrs. Thompson has been continuing her investigations into the neck 

 organs (thyroid, parathyroid, post-branchial body, carotid body, 

 ventral branchial body, thymus, pro-coracoid, and pro-pericardial 

 bodies). During the past year her attention has been chiefly directed 

 to these various structures in the frog and other amphibians. One 

 interesting fact which has come to light is that in frogs the thymus 



