February 20, 1891.] 



SCIENCE. 



lOI 



is formed in the cultures by the bacilli, which (the dose used 

 varied between 0.3 and 0.4 of a gram) produced, a few hours after 

 the injection, a rise of temperature amounting to 1° or 2° C, 

 lasting for one or two days, without any other effect even after 

 repeated injections. Tbe glycerine bouillon cultures lost their 

 virulence on being kept for eight months at a temperature of 39° 

 C, but they retained their vital activity. In experiments made 

 on animals with such cultures of eight months' standing, only 

 negative results were observed with regard to the production of 

 immunity in animals by such cultures; and Hammerschlag, Falk, 

 and Charrin have failed to produce a protective inoculation. 



Physical and Chemical Changes in the Blood in Disease. 



Dr. Sciolla of Genoa, at the Congress of the Italian Society of 

 Internal Medicine, reported some interesting experimental re- 

 rearches on physico-chemical changes of the blood in different 

 morbid conditions. He stated, according to the Lancet, that the 

 density of the blood diminishes during acute febrile states and the 

 first stages of convalescence, increasing afterward with greater or 

 less rapidity according to the natiu-e of the disease. The same 

 thing is always observable in the density of blood-serum, with 

 this difference, that it begins to increase as soon as there is any 

 improvement in the condition of the patient; sometimes, indeed, 

 a short time previously. The density of the serum is increased in 

 malaria, while that of the blood is diminished. Tuberculous 

 affections, unaccompanied by serious alterations of the blood, only 

 slightly modify the density of blood-serum and blood. The den- 

 sities of blood sei'um and blood are both dimini.'shed in catarrhal 

 jaundice, probably owing to defective assimilation of food. The 

 density of tlie blood is almost normal, while that of the serum is 

 increased, in cirrhosis of the liver and in cancer of the gall-blad- 

 der. The densities of blood and serum are not sensibly dimin- 

 ished in benign forms of diabetes. The greatest diminution in 

 the density of the blood is observable in diseases accompanied by 

 grave morbid changes of the blood. The most striking examples 

 were those seen in three fatal cases of pneumonia. Br. Sciolla 

 also observed the chemical modifications of the blood in pneu- 

 monia, typhoid-fever, malaria, anseraia, and in leucasmia. About 

 the fourth or fifth day of croupous pneumonia there is a marked 

 diminution in the albuminoid substances of the blood, especially 

 the globulin. The extractive matters increase during the febrile 

 period. In convalescence the quantity of albuminoids, especially 

 of the globulin, and also that of the serin, increased. The dry 

 residue of the blood is not much diminished during the first stage 

 of the disease, but it so during the second stage, and continues 

 less until convalescence. In typhoid-fever the albumens of the 

 blood diminish progressively (unless the diarrhoea is excessive), 

 and this diminution occurs at the expense of the serin. The ex- 

 tractive matters gradually diminish during the whole of the 

 febrile period, and even during the early stage of convalescence. 

 In malarial fevers the amount of the albuminoids in the blood- 

 serum (especially the serin, and in a less degree the globulin) and 

 the dry residue of tbe blood diminish rapidly, while the dry 

 residue of the serum and the extractive matters of the serum 

 increase with the duration of the fever, — the former in a slight 

 degree, the latter enormously. In chloro-an»mia the albumens 

 of the serum (especially the globulin) and the dry residue of the 

 blood diminish, while the dry residue of the serum increases. In 

 leuc»mia the amount of dry residue of the serum is very high, 

 and the albuminoids of the serum are also above the normal, the 

 serin being especially increased. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The expedition which is to be sent in the spring to the west 

 coast of Greenland, by the committee of the Karl Hitter Endow- 

 ment, is likely to be one of considerable importance. The chief 

 of the expedition, as we learn from Nature of P'eb. .5, will be Dr. 

 E. von Drygalski; Dr. O. Baschin will accompany it, defraying 

 his own charges; and there will be a third scientific expert, who 

 has not yet been selected. Dr. von Drygalski proposes to establish 

 a station near the Umanackfjord, in about 70° 30' north latitude, 

 where Dr. Baschin will carry out a continuous series of meteoro- 



logical observations, and from which he can make long or short 

 excursions inland to study the interior ice. It is expected that 

 the party will remain in Greenland about a year. 



— Two Frenchmen, Dr. Besson and Pere Tulazac, have suc- 

 ceeded in making the first ascent to the summit of Ambondrombo, 

 dreaded by tbe Betsileos as sacred, or tabu. They, however, 

 found five Betsileos willing to accompany them to the top. 

 According to the January " Proceedings of the Royal Geographical 

 Society," the party started from Amboasary, the nearest village 

 to the mountain, and reached the summit in seven hours. Axes 

 and knives had frequently to be used to clear the way. The 

 mountain is rugged and wooded, reaching a height of 6,334 feet. 

 The party had to cross many ravines during the ascent. 



— From Dorsetshire, England, a singular instance of starlingi> 

 being eaten by rooks is reported {Nature, Feb. 5). It seems that; 

 during the very severe weather there this winter, a flock of star- 

 lings was observed on a farm at West Stafford, near Dorchester, 

 followed by a number of rooks in hot pursuit. The larger birds 

 soon came up with their prey, and quickly despatched them, and, 

 after stripping them of their feathers, devoured them then and 

 there. When the scene of the occurrence was inspected just 

 afterwards, the ground was found to be strewn with their 

 feathers, but beyond these not a vestige of the starlings could 

 be discovered. It seems that the rooks, from sheer hunger, must 

 have been driven to this extremity, owing to the scarcity of other 

 kinds of food. 



— A method of repairing incandescent lamps, the invention of 

 a lM. Pauthonier, is described in a recent number of UElectricien. 

 The lamp to be repaired is first taken to a glass-blower, as quoted 

 in Engineering of Feb. 6, who pierces a hole in the bulb suflBcient- 

 ly large to allow of the old filament being taken out and a nevf 

 one inserted. From the hands of this workman the lamp passes 

 to a second, who cuts off the ends of the broken filament and 

 removes it, taking care, however, at the same time to leave about 

 one millimetre of the filament at each of the platinum electrodes; 

 and it is to these short lengths of the old filament that the new 

 one is welded. This is done by filling the bulb with a liquid 

 hydrocarbon, after which the new filament, which has been 

 previously standardized, is introduced. One end of the filament 

 is then pressed against the fragment of the old one already re- 

 ferred to, and a current passed through the joint. The hydro- 

 carbon is decomposed, and a deposit of solid carbon occurs round 

 the joint, and securely fastens the new filament in place. The 

 other end of the filament is joined to the other electrode in the 

 same way. The next process is the bleaching of the glass, which 

 is so thoroughly done that the glass of the repaired lamps is said 

 to be more brilliant and transparent than that of perfectly new 

 ones. The repaired lamps are said to last quite as long as new- 

 ones, to which they are in no respect inferior. The process is 

 said to be peculiarly adapted to the repair of lamps of the " Sun- 

 beam " type. 



— To stimulate the collection of photographs to be used in 

 showing the need of improved roads in the United States, the 

 Connecticut division joins the New York division of the League 

 of American Wheelmen in offering three prizes aggregating $100, 

 as follows : one prize of $50 for the best collection of not less 

 than three photographs, one prize of $30 for the second best 

 collection of not less than three photographs, one prize of $30 

 for the third best collection of not less than three photographs. 

 There are wanted photographs showing the common spectacle 

 of the farmer's team and wagon, hub-deep and knee-deep in the 

 muddy road ; photographs showing rough, rutty, and muddy 

 roads in their worst condition ; photographs showing the every- 

 day break-down caused by rough or muddy roads or steep grades; 

 photographs showing smooth, hard surfaced roads and (if possible) 

 teams hauHng loads over the same ; and other pictures illustrat- 

 ing the goodness of good roads and the badness of bad roads. 

 The prizes will be awarded before May 15, 1891. Further infor- 

 mation will be fui-nished on application to either Isaac B. Potter, 

 278 Potter Building, New York, N.Y., or Charles L. Burdett, 

 Hartford, Conn. 



