818 REPORT— 1894. 



duction in wrong order. Accordino' to the second method, which resemhles that 

 commonly employed in estimating the value of answers to examination papers, a 

 greater value is assigned to letters according as they correspond more exactly to 

 what was written on the card. A letter which was given in a wrong position or 

 without any hint as to its position had the value 1 attached to it. When a certain 

 imperfect knowledge of its position was present, as when it was located in the right 

 line or in the right order in a group of letters whose correct position was unknown, 

 the value 2 was given. Each letter counted .'i when everything was correct. 

 Letters wrongly inserted were disregarded. From an analysis of the results given 

 by the first method it appeared that the number of insertions does not vary very 

 much, and only in a few cases lias an important influence on the results. 



All the results of over five hundred experiments made with nine observers have 

 been analysed according to the two methods, and the results agree except in a few 

 cases. 



The general conclusion is that the memory is worst when the reagent perform.^ 

 the simple sum in addition (1); it is better when the distraction is caused by 

 exercise of the vocal organ (2) ; that caused by movement of the forefinger (3) 

 does not make the recollection much worse than it is when the observer is not 

 distracted at all (4). This statement holds good with only a few exceptions for 

 every reagent, and is confirmed by the subjective observations given in reply to the 

 questions which were frequently asked. The average of the results given by the 

 nine persons who assisted in the experiments is as follows : the upper line gives 

 the values according to the first method, the lower the values according to the 

 second method of calculation — 



An analysis of the errors shows that the curve of errors of omission follows 

 closely that of the total number of errors : the other two kinds of error are much 

 less numerous, and do not show any very important variation. A detailed analysis 

 of the results, together with a discussion of their meaning and value, will be given 

 in a future number of Mind, 



7. On Typhoid Bacilli in Water. By Dr. L. Olivier. 



WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15. 

 The following Papers and Report were read : — 



1. On some Physiological Effects of the Passage of Rapidly-alternating 

 Currents of great Intensity through Nerve. By Professor Oliver 

 LoDGK, F.R.S., and Professor F. Gotch, F.R.S. 



2. On a Neio Spring Kymograph and Polyrheotome. 

 By Professor T. W. W. Engelmann. 



On the Production ivith the Capillary Electrometer of Photographic 

 Records of Currents prodticed hy Speakioig into a Telej)hone, By 



G. J. BURCH. 



4, Report of the Committee on the Structure and Function of the 

 Mammalian Heart. — See Reports, p. 464. 



