Sei>tembebj.7, 1S83.] 



SCIENCE, 



3;39 



of 85 parts oxide and 15 parts oxygen, can be breathed 

 for an indefinite time without danger or injury, pro- 

 ducing perfect anaesthesia while thoroughly oxygen- 

 ating the blood. The effect of the pressure of air in 

 the chamber is simply to concentrate the mixture in 

 the gas-bag into smaller space; and, when thus con- 

 centrated, the oxide does the work of producing insen- 

 sibility, while the air or oxygen of the mixture keeps 

 up the vital processes. 



Tbe author gave an historical account of the dis- 

 covery of this method of administration by Paul 

 Bert in 1S7S, and its subsequent applications. Hav- 

 ing used it for many capital ojierations, Dr. Howland 

 recommends the system unhesitatingly. .Some points 

 of its excellence, in addition to those already men- 

 tioned, were stated as follows: By augmenting or 

 diminishing the pressure, the degree of anacstliesia 

 may be regulated at will, and with mathematical 

 precision. Therefore there is no danger of any of 

 the accidents incurred through the use of ether or 

 chloroform. When inhalation of nitrous oxide and 

 oxygen is stopped, the patient recovers consciousness 

 in a few seconds, and feels no subsequent discomfort. 

 The action of compressed air on the surgeon and his 

 assistants is not injurious. 



After the reading of the paper, the operation of the 

 system was exhibited. The air-chamber in this case 

 was a tight box with glass sides; and the patient was 

 a chicken. Perfect aiuaesthesia was produced and 

 proved; and then, after the chicken was restored to 

 consciousness, it was again placed in the chamber, 



and killed by the administration of unmixed nitrous 

 oxide. 



Conscious automatism. 



BY C. p. IIAKT OF WYOMING, O. 



The author confined his inquiry to the manifesta- 

 tion of conscious automatism in man. The question 

 was whether the centres in the cortex of the brain 

 were essential to the production of automatic func- 

 tions of this character. Claiming that the destruc- 

 tion of tliese cortical centres induces complete and 

 permanent motor paralysis, the author drew the con- 

 clusion that conscious automalisra depends upon the 

 integrity of that portion of the brain in which arise 

 consciousness and volition. 



Prof. E. D. Cope, discussing the paper, hinted 

 that tbe author had raised the question upon mis- 

 taken grounds; that conscious automatism, of neces- 

 sity, originated in the cortical portion of the brain, 

 but by the influences of use and heredity became so 

 far habitual that it is independent of volitional im- 

 pulses. The question is evidently not one of auto- 

 matical origination, but of functional independence, 



Ijist of other papers. 

 The following additional papers were read in this 

 section, some of them by title only: A fact bearing 

 upon the evolution of the genus Cypripedium, by E. 

 S. Bastin ; Leaves of the Gramineae with closed 

 sheaths, by IC. J. liial ; Observations on Cephalo- 

 poda, by Alpheus llyatt ; Position of the Compositae 

 in the natural system, by Joseph F. James. 



INTELLiaENOE FROM AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC STATIONS. 



GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. 



National masenm. 

 Pnestley's apparatus. — Priestley's chemical and 

 physical apparatus, now in the possession of his 

 descendants in Northumberland, Penn., has been 

 presented by the latter to the National museum, and 

 will be placed in the collection illustrating the his- 

 tory of science. 



STATE INSTITUTIONS. 



Iowa weather service, Iowa city. 



Weather buUelin/or July. — The weather of July, 

 1SS:B, was very favorable to the crops, being fair, 

 nearly normal in temperature, with an excess of rain- 

 fall, and southerly winds prevailing. 



The mean temperature of the air was but a little 

 over one degree below normal : last year July was 

 nearly five degrees below normal. The number of 

 hot days has been high, especially during the first and 

 last decade, while the middle decade was cool. 



Insolation has been high, because, even during the 

 stormy period, cloudy days were rare, and during 

 the month clear days were numerous. The sun 

 thermometer exceeded 140° on twenty-one days; its 

 highest reading was 1G1°, on the ■2.'5d. 



The total rainfall was below normal in soutliern- 



central Iowa, from Union to Jasper counties: in the 

 balance of the state it was considerably above 

 normal, averaging about six inches in the north-west 

 and in the south-east, and nine inches in the north- 

 east. The highest rainfall, of fourteen inches, for 

 the month, was measured at Dccorah. The number 

 of rainy days averaged ten for the east and north- 

 west, and about six for the balance of the state. 



As usual during July, very heavy rains have oc- 

 curred, but only in the north. The highest rainfall 

 measured on one day was nearly six inches, at Home- 

 dale, south of Sibley, in Osceola county, on the 23d; 

 next to this stands Algona, Kossuth county, with 

 over five inches on the sa«ie date. I5ut the most 

 notable rain period of the month occurred in north- 

 e.-istem Iowa, from the 2()th to the 2'M inclusive, 

 giving very nearly ten inches of rain in Howard and 

 Winnesheik counties. 



No tornadoes have occurred, but several s<|ualls 

 have visited parts of Iowa; yet the most destruc- 

 tive of these storms have but touched Iowa. The 

 S(|uall of the 4lh started about 5 p.m. in central 

 Iowa, and reached south-eastern Iowa about 9 p.m.: 

 it was not very severe. The sijuall of the 12th 

 started about f! p.m. in Black Hawk county, reached 

 the Missi.'^sippi in Scott and Clinton counties about 

 P.M., doing much damage by wind and hail : it 



