774 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 124. 



Paraphysis in Amia,' by A. C. Eycleshymer and 

 B. M. Davis. This paper describes and fully 

 illustrates the early development of the same 

 structures treated in the preceding article ; 

 each, therefore, supplements the other. The 

 first vesicle of Hill (i. e. , the smaller more 

 cephalic vesicle and the one termed ' secondary 

 vesicle ' by Eycleshymer and Davis) arises as 

 an evagination from the dorsal wall of the 

 other vesicle and some four or five days later. 



It then shifts to the left side (occasionally to 

 the right) and in one instance was seen to re- 

 ceive nerve fibers from the superior commis- 

 sure. A critical review of the theories of the re- 

 lation of the epiphysial outgrowths to the seg- 

 mental sense organs follows. 



The editor-in-chief gives a few aphorisms on 

 'The Ethics of Criticism,' which, though trite, 

 are not, perhaps, wholly unnecessary. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ; THE 94TH 

 REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 11. 



The first paper, ' Some Theories of Crystal 

 Structure,' was by Mr. Wirt Tassin. After re- 

 viewing earlier hypothesis the author took 

 up the more recent structural theory of Federow 

 and Schonflies, which requires only that the 

 structure of the crystal consist of similar mole- 

 cules and allows the chemist and the physicist 

 to decide the character of these molecules. It 

 was pointed out that the essential difference 

 between the Sohnckian hypothesis and that of 

 Schonflies was that Sohncke requires that, in a 

 system of points which is to have the characters 

 required by a crystal structure, around every 

 point the arrangement of the remainder is the 

 same as around every other point ; and all of 

 his structures are derived by moving one point 

 to another by sliding, rotating and screw mo- 

 tions. Schonflies, on the other hand, defines a 

 crystal as ' consisting of absolutely similar 

 molecules, so arranged that each molecule is 

 environed in the same way by all the other 

 molecules, ' so that one part of the system may be 

 derived from the other by reflection. Mention 

 was made of Harlow's work and examples 

 given, and the paper closed with a list of pre- 

 dictions of new compounds which have been 



verified and which were based upon theories 

 treating of the relations between form, structure 

 and composition. 



As a supplement to Mr. Tassin's paper. Dr. 

 F. K. Cameron read a short r6sum6 on ' The 

 Eflfect of Substitution on Isomorphism and 

 Crystal Structure in Organic Compounds.' Sub- 

 stitution may cause the system to increase or 

 diminish in symmetry or may cause the length- 

 ening or shortening of axes. With the substi- 

 tution of one or a few atoms by other atoms or 

 groups the system generally changes and to 

 one of less symmetry. If all, or nearly all, the 

 equivalent atoms or groups are placed alike- 

 the derivative generally regains the symmetry 

 of the original substance. The effect of sub- 

 stitution on crystal structure was illustrated by 

 a comparison of the benzol and of the ammonium 

 platino-chloride compounds. Neither (OH) nor 

 (NO2) seem to have much morphotropic value. 

 Repeated substitution in the platino-chlorides 

 often restores the symmetry of the mother sub- 

 stance, but the substitution of ethyl brings 

 about a complete change. 



Messrs. Wm. H. Krug and J. E. Blomen pre- 

 sented a paper, entitled ' A Recalculation of 

 Wein's Table of Starch Equivalent to Copper 

 Found Based on the Factor 0.92.' Starch or 

 dextrine can be directly obtained from the cop- 

 per found by converting the starch into dex- 

 trine and determining the latter with Allihn's 

 solution. This table is based on the factor 0.90, 

 which assumes that the formula of starch is 

 (C6Hio06)n and that it is all converted into dex- 

 trose. Nagelli determined the formula of 

 starch to be CssHjjOjj and if this is correct the 

 factor becomes 0.918. Ost, working with the 

 Sacchse method, decided upon the factor 0.925. 

 In view of all these conflicting data Wiley 

 recommends the factor 0.92, a man between the - 

 two last cited, which will give the analyst fairly 

 accurate results. This factor has been used 

 in the recalculation of the table. 



The last paper, entitled 'Malt Wine,' was 

 read by Dr. D. J. Kelly. He pointed 

 out how Ordonneau, Jacquemin, Tetteliu, 

 Rommier and Sauer recognized the profound 

 changes produced in the fermentation of a 

 sweet liquid according to the kind of ferment 

 employed. They found that when the juice of 



