Fbbrtjabt 4, 1887.] 



8CIENCJE], 



107 



derous. M. Vulpian stated that out of 136 cases 

 of bites taflicted in the face by animals known to 

 be rabid, treated by the ordinary method, there 

 were 10 deaths ; out of 50 similar cases treated 

 by the intensive method, no deaths. As to the 

 oharge that the method is useless, that is refuted 

 by statistics already familiar to those interested 

 in the subject. 



M. Vulpian spoke at some length on the possibil- 

 ity of encountering the paralytic form of hydro- 

 phobia in man under ordinary conditions, men- 

 tioning some cases which prove that it does 

 sometimes exist where the person bitten by rabid 

 animals has not been subjected to preventive in- 

 oculation. 



The discussion is ended for the present, but it 

 will doubtless begin again at some future time. 

 Though M. Peter was somewhat moderate in his 

 remarks at the last meeting of the academy, he 

 does not seem to possess the spirit of scientific 

 criticism, perceiving neither the w^eight of the 

 arguments advanced in opposition to his assertions 

 nor the fallacy of some of his own. 



As M. Pasteur has been accused, though wrong- 

 fully, of concealing the results of his treatment, it 

 has been decided to publish statistics monthly, 

 instead of quarterly as heretofore. They wiU 

 appear in the Annates de I' institut Pasteur, which 

 will be published under the direction of M. Du- 

 claux. 



ST. PETERSBURG LETTER. 

 The geographical event of the season is the 

 return of Potanin, who is expected here in time 

 to attend the annual meeting of the Russian geo- 

 graphical society this month. A large map of the 

 route travelled by him is being prepared by Colonel 

 Bolschew, the military cartographer. The pre- 

 vious travels of Potanin were especially note- 

 worthy on account of his ethnological and anthro- 

 pological studies ; but the chief importance of the 

 expedition from which he now returns lies in the 

 geographical studies made by him in the higher 

 parts of Asia, not only because he has visited 

 regions heretofore untrodden by civilized man, 

 but also because of the accuracy of his observa- 

 tions in those regions. The latitude and longitude 

 of sixty different points have been ascertained, 

 and the barometrical observations of the expedi- 

 tion will permit of a tolerably accurate determina- 

 tion of heights. There were 4,500 versts of 

 accurate survey made, and this in the parts least 

 known, while in the more thickly settled regions 

 approximate surveys only were found possible. 

 The co-operation as topographer of Skassi, who 

 accompanied Severtzow on many of his travels, 

 contributed much to these results. The travellers 



were exceedingly well received by the Chinese 

 authorities, who furnished them with guides and 

 all necessary information. The most important 

 work was done on the journey from Koko-Nor 

 directly north to Kiachta by way of the Gobi 

 desert. The river Ersin-Gol was followed over a 

 great part of its course to the point where it falls 

 into Lake Soyok-Norinto. Farther northward 

 four ranges of mountains were found. 



The second in importance of the Russian scien- 

 tific expeditions of the past year was the so-called 

 Chan-Tengri expedition, headed by Ignatiew, who 

 visited the glaciers of that mountain. The results 

 of the expedition are not yet made public. He 

 travelled through the Muzart pass, and found it to 

 be as difiicult of access as it was generally believed 

 to be. The botanist Krasnow took a more easterly 

 road, and, traversing the Bedel pass, went to 

 Utsch-Turfan. Much is to be expected from the 

 latest work of this young naturalist, if we may- 

 judge by what he has already accomplished. 



The secretary of the Geographical society, A. 

 W. Grigoriew, recently attempted to visit the 

 Solovetz Islands in the White Sea, desiring to 

 make observations on the depth and temperature 

 of the waters there, but, as he could find no ship 

 to transport him thither, did not succeed in reach- 

 ing the islands. He made a,n excursion, however, 

 to the waterfalls of Kiwatsch and Por-Porog, 

 from Petrozavodsk on Lake Onega. The position 

 of the latter waterfall, as well as of its river, is 

 not shown on any map as yet. There is a great 

 lack of astronomically determined points and of 

 accurate surveys in that part of Russia, and there 

 is but little hope of any thing being accomplished 

 there at present by the military surveyors. It 

 would be a good field for private enterprise, as the 

 region may be easily reached from St. Petersburg 

 by means of the steamers plying on Lakes 

 Ladoga and Onega. It is a picturesque country, 

 with numerous lakes and waterfalls, and affords 

 excellent salmon and trout fishing. 



Some new data on the topography of the coun- 

 try between Vologda and Archangel were obtained 

 during the past summer by Kusnezow. The 

 greatest elevation on the watershed between the 

 Volga and the Dwina was found to be 756 feet. 

 Thus the topographical work of Russia is slowly 

 advancing. 



The Geographical society has under considera- 

 tion some short practical instructions to explorers, 

 the main point aimed at beiag to draw their at- 

 tention to the alleged gradual drying-up of the 

 inland waters of the Asiatic continent. It has 

 already been mentioned that Jadrinzew, on com- 

 paring last-century maps with those of recent 

 years, finds that the lakes of the Baraba steppe. 



