Sept. ist, 1887.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



147 



works, the residual ammonium chloride obtained by the 

 ammonia method is decomposed. The reactions are simple ; 

 the ammonium of the ammonium chloride combines with 

 the sulphur existing in the waste as calcium sulphide, 

 to form ammonium sulphide, while a liquor containing cal- 

 cium chloride remains behind. The ammonium sulphide 

 being in the gaseous form is readily passed into the salt 

 solution, where, on the addition of carbon dioxide, it is 

 decomposed into sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonium 

 bicarbonate, whence, by a double decomposition, is derived 

 the bicarbonate of soda. The sulphuretted hydrogen is, of 

 course, driven off; it is then stored in a gas-holder and, by 

 a process called by the inventors " restricted combustion," 

 is made to yield up its sulphur. If the statements of the 

 inventors that a ton of lime is saved, and six hundredweight 

 of sulphur recovered, for every ton of carbonate produced, 

 are borne out when the process is tried on a large scale, the 

 alkali industry will assuredly enter upon a new phase of 

 its chequered existence. 



University Degrees for Women. — In the face of the 

 record of steady work, crowned by many notable successes, 

 to which the Tripos Examinations of Cambridge bear wit- 

 ness, it seems a strange anomaly that women should still be 

 prevented from taking de jure that position which de faclo 

 they have won for themselves. The anomaly has this year 

 become almost ludicrous, for we are presented with the 

 spectacle of a degree-less Senior Classic, while every " poll " 

 man duly graduates. Cambridge has done much for women, 

 but she must now do more, for such absence of logical con- 

 sistency is unworthy of the great University. Two steps are 

 necessary. Women must be admitted formally to degrees, 

 and the ordinary or "poll" degree must be thrown open to 

 them. There is a peculiar absurdity in allowing them ad- 

 mission only through the Tripos Examinations, the gate of 

 greatest difficulty ; let them enter by any way free to men. 

 The action of the London University in consenting to ignore 

 entirely difterences of sex, as of race or colour, is worthy of 

 imitation, though from the absence of many complicating 

 circumstances it does not furnish an exact parallel. Its 

 recent pass and honour lists show that the equality recog- 

 nised by the University is not one existing in name only : 

 ladies have distinguished themselves in arts, in science, and 

 in medicine ; and it certainly is not too much to say that, as 

 far as such tests go, they have conclusively proved the use- 

 lessness of such antiquated restrictions as are still held by 

 the older University to be necessary. 



The Technical Edlxation Bill. — In our July number 

 we described the provisions of this Bill, which at one time 

 seemed to have a fair chance of being passed, as it had not 

 been made a party question. The Government have how- 

 ever decided not to proceed with it during the present 

 Session. Sir W. Hart Dyke introduced the Bill in the 

 House of Commons with a judicious speech, but its weak 

 point, no doubt, was the fact that it was merely permissive. 



and that the administration of the funds would have been 

 practically in the hands of the Science and Art Depart- 

 ment, whose management is by many considered extrava- 

 gant. The funds would have to be provided by the rate- 

 payers, and they might object to have them dispensed by 

 persons more or less irresponsible. 



The British Associ.\tion. — The meeting at Manchestei 

 bids fair to be one of unprecedented importance, and there 

 will not only be a large number of members present, but 

 many foreign visitors of eminence are also expected. The 

 number of papers proposed to be read is said to be very 

 large, and we trust that the recommendations referred to in 

 our last number, for the business conduct of the meeting, 

 may not be unheeded. The local secretaries have published 

 a letter, in which they point out that the main purpose of 

 the Association is to bring together, from various and even 

 remote districts, those who are engaged either profes- 

 sionally or as amateurs in scientific research, or who take 

 an interest in scientific work. Obscure observers and un- 

 known lovers of scientific culture are thus brought into 

 more or less personal relation with the leaders of scientific 

 thought. The numbers present will doubtless be large, and 

 the majority will be eager to profit by the opportunity of 

 instruction thus afforded them. 



The Progress of Medicine. — At the recent meeting of 

 the British Medical Association held in Dublin, Professor 

 Gairdner, the President elect, read an important paper on 

 " Medicine." In the course of his elaborate and interesting 

 address be referred to the evolution of the healing art which, 

 amidst the rise and fall of doctrines, of methods, of ten- 

 dencies, and currents of opinion, was recognisable as the 

 years went by, and he asked whether there were any ruling 

 principles at all throughout this vast field of medical ex- 

 perience, or was it a mere aggregate of laborious investiga- 

 tions guided by no common purpose, nofi.^ed or polar star? 

 He reminded his audience that a few years ago Sir William 

 Hamilton hsd even still more pointedly asked the rather start- 

 ling question : " Has the practice of medicine (/.f., the art as 

 distinguished from the science) made a single step since 

 Hippocrates ? " Professor Gairdner's conclusion is that no 

 exclusive or single principle or law of the healing art can 

 be said to exist ; in other words, he said, the healing of 

 disease is still largely empirical, and what is more, it takes 

 no shame to itself in being and remaining so. It is guided 

 and moulded, every day more and more, by advancing 

 science, but it remains in the end only the application of a 

 more carefully instructed experience. It is true we are 

 told that rational and empirical medicine are not opposed, 

 but that they rather interpenetrate each other more and 

 more, and that each is the better for it. No one knows 

 better than Professor Gairdner what are the actual facts 

 of the case, and doubtless his version is the true one, 

 but we fear that our lay readers will be rather surprised 

 and disappointed. 



