105 
ecology of each were discussed as well as the 
morphology. The lecture on Sporozoa, which 
included a résumé of the life history of the 
malaria germ and other disease-producing Pro- 
tozoa, was of unusual popular interest. In the 
sixth lecture Dr. Calkins discussed the renewal 
of vitality through conjugation, and the rela- 
tion of conjugation to sexual reproduction of 
the Metazoa. The last lecture was devoted to 
a study of the Protozoan as a physiological ma- 
chine, and was based largely upon the experi- 
mental work of recent years which has thrown 
so much light on the so-called ‘vital’ phe- 
nomena. 
A point worthy of mention. in connection 
with Dr. Calkins’s lectures, since it contributed 
not a little to the value of the series, was the 
mode of illustration. For this purpose the 
stereopticon with microscope attachment was 
used, and photographic lantern slides, stained 
preparations and living Protozoa were thrown 
on the screen. Living Protozoa have often 
been thus projected, but in this case the highly 
perfected apparatus used rendered possible their 
projection on an unusual scale. Ameba pro- 
teus, for example, appeared five feet long, Para- 
mecium aurelia nearly four feet, so that many 
structures, nuclei, contractile vacuoles, ete., be- 
came plainly visible to a large audience. The 
stereopticon method proved especially valuable 
in demonstrating to large audiences the various 
‘tropisms’ the positive and negative reactions, 
of certain Protozoa to chemical, electrical and 
other stimuli. By means of a specially devised 
electrical apparatus the lecturer was enabled to 
focus the projecting microscope from the lec- 
ture table. 
Though the subject was a very special one, 
the mode of presentation and illustration was 
such as to render it highly interesting to the 
non-specialist, as was clearly shown by the 
large attendance at all the lectures. 
J. H. McG. 
THE BRITISH NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABO- 
RATORY. 
THE Friday evening discourse at the Royal 
Institution, on May 24 was devoted to an ac- 
count of the aims of the National Physical 
SOCLENCE. 
[N.S. Von. XIII. No. 339. 
Laboratory, by Mr. R. T. Glazebrook, its 
principal. According to the London Times, Mr. 
Glazebrook remarked that the idea of a phys- 
ical laboratory, in which problems bearing at. 
once on science and industry might be solved, 
was comparatively new; perhaps the first 
was the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt, 
founded in Berlin by the joint labors of Werner 
von Siemens and yon Helmholtz, during the 
years 1883-87. It was less than ten years ago 
that Dr. Lodge outlined the scheme of work 
for such an institution in England, and in 1895: 
the late Sir Douglas Galton called attention to 
the question. A petition to Lord Salisbury 
followed, and as a consequence a Treasury 
Committee with Lord Rayleigh in the chair 
was appointed to consider the desirability of 
establishing a national physical laboratory. 
This committee examined over 30 witnesses 
and then reported unanimously, ‘That a public 
institution should be founded for standardizing 
and verifying instruments, for testing materials. 
and for the determination of physical constants.” 
It was now realized at any rate by the more 
enlightened of our leaders of industry that sci- 
ence could help them. This fact, however, 
had been grasped by too few in England, though 
our rivals in Germany and America knew it. 
well; and the first aim of the laboratory was 
to bring its truth home to all, to assist in pro- 
moting a union which was certainly necessary 
if England was to maintain her supremacy in 
trade and manufacture, to make the forces of 
science available for the nation, to break down 
by every possible means the barrier between 
theory and practice, and to point out plainly 
the plan which must be followed unless we 
were prepared to see our rivals take our place. 
The effect of the close connection between sci- 
ence and industry on German trade might be 
illustrated, if illustration were wanted, by the 
history of the aniline dye manufacture and 
artificial indigo, and by the German scientific 
apparatus industry, the growth of which had 
been expressly attributed to the influence 
of the Reichsanstalt. Mr. Glazebrook pro- 
ceeded to describe the means at disposal 
for realizing the aims of the laboratory. It 
was to be located at Bushey-house, Ted- 
dington, Kew Observatory remaining as the 
