4IO SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— I. 



Friday, September 3. 



Dr. F. W. Edridge-Green, C.B.E. — The fundamental facts of colour vision 

 and colour blindness (ii.o). 



If a large number of persons be examined with a spectroscope the number 

 of colours seen by each varies considerably. Some see seven colours in 

 the spectrum, others six, five, four, three, two or none, and therefore may 

 be correctly classified as heptachromic, hexachromic, pentachromic, 

 tetrachromic, trichromic, dichromic or achromic. The length of the 

 visible spectrum varies considerably and is an independent defect. 



The spectrum may also be examined in another way with or without a 

 double-image prism ; it may be divided into a series of monochromatic 

 divisions and these may be projected with the aid of a double-image prisjn 

 upon a screen, the red side of one image may be made to touch the violet 

 side of the other and yet no one in a large audience may be able to see any 

 difference between the two ; the monochromatic division is therefore a 

 physiological unit. 



The older theories of colour-vision do not agree with the facts. For 

 instance, a mixed white compounded of red, green and violet lights which is 

 made to match a simple white behaves differently, when viewed after fatigue 

 with red light, from the simple white. Again 90 per cent, of the colour- 

 blind agree with the normal white equation but may also agree with 

 anomalous equations. 



Dr. A. C. Frazer and Dr. H. C. Stewart. — Detoxication of bacterial 

 toxins by adsorption at the oil-ioater interface in finely dispersed oil-in- 

 water emulsions (11.30). 



Mixture with finely dispersed oil-in-water emulsion prior to injection 

 renders a lethal dose of bacterial toxin quite innocuous. This can be 

 shown with such toxins as diphtheria, tetanus, staphylococcal, and Welchii 

 toxins, to mention a few, and a similar detoxication has also been demon- 

 strated with Cobra Venom. The detoxicating mechanism is essentially 

 that of adsorption of the toxin at the oil-water interface, which prevents the 

 toxin from exerting any harmful influence upon the body cells. Adsorption 

 at the interface does not, however, interfere with the antigenic properties 

 of the toxin, which are essential for the elaboration of protective antibodies. 

 The adsorption is more rapid and complete at body temperature than at 

 room temperature. 



The administration of finely dispersed oil-in-water emulsion in toxaemic 

 conditions modifies the course of the disease to a marked degree, possibly 

 due to a similar adsorptive action. In the administration of vaccines and 

 similar preparations the toxic reaction obtained with large doses can be 

 avoided by admixture with emulsion prior to injection. 



Mr. S. J. Hopkins, Mr. G. A. Jelly, Mr. G. C. Kennedy and Mr. A. J. 

 Walker. — The effect of small meals on the metabolism of muscular 

 exercise (12.0). 



Prof. Dr. E. Atzler. — Einige Beobachtungen ilber die ermudungsbekam- 

 pfende Wirkung von Colopraparaten (12.30). 



Afternoon. 

 Visit to Boots' Pharmacological Laboratories, Island Street, Nottingham. 



