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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



SCIENCE IX 1901. 



By John T. Caerixgton. 



The past year has been remarkable for the 

 number of important persons whose work has 

 ended. One of the first and the most notable of all 

 was Queen Victoria, who, though a lady of the 

 highest intelligence, was brought up in her child- 

 hood at a time when it was the fashion to smile at 

 matters scientific. She lived, however, to see that 

 all altered, and to respect the work of the worthies 

 of Science, who in her time by their discoveries 

 changed, not only the system of education, but 

 even the habits and customs of the people in the 

 civilised world at large. Her successor, His Majesty 

 the King, has ever held out the helping hand with 

 the powerful influence of his position. No one has 

 a higher appreciation of the value of scientific 

 investigation and discovery. 



Death has, indeed, reaped a great harvest of 

 those who could least be spared from among us. 

 To mention only a few of those who have passed 

 away, there were Lord Armstrong, F.R.S. ; Major 

 Serpa Pinto, African explorer ; F. W. Egan. of the 

 Geological Survey of Ireland ; John Henry Leech, 

 the palaearctic entomologist ; Dr. Walter Myers, 

 who died from yellow fever whilst studying its 

 origin ; James Bennie, Scotch geologist ; Dr. J. G. 

 Agardah, the Swedish botanist ; Professor Elisha 

 Gray, associated with invention of telephones ; 

 Professor George Fitzgerald, physicist of Dublin ; 

 Dr. G. W. Dawson, Director of the Canadian 

 Geological Survey ; W. Hodgson, a Cumberland 

 botanist ; Dr. Adolph Hirsch, the German Astro- 

 nomer; Professor Viriamu Jones, F.R.S. ; Professor 

 Tait, of Edinburgh ; Eleanor Ormerod, the economic 

 entomologist; William Schur, astronomer: Baron 

 von Nordenskjold, Arctic discoverer ; Dr. Tkudi- 

 chum, physiological chemist ; Professor Schimper, 

 physiological botanist ; William West, botanist ; 

 Dr. Meldrum, meteorologist ; Sir William Mac- 

 Cormac, the eminent surgeon ; Samuel R. Pattison, 

 geologist ; the Rev. Hugh A.'Macpherson, a Cum- 

 berland naturalist ; and others. 



Among those who have retired from positions of 

 consequence in the world of Science, but who are, 

 happily, with us, are Sir Archibald Geikie, 

 Director of the Geological Survey of the United 

 Kingdom ; Professor R. Blanchard, after twenty- 

 three years' service as General Secretary of the 

 Zoological Society of France ; Professor A. W. 

 Riicker, Secretary of the Royal Society, on being 

 appointed Principal of the University of London ; 

 Dr. Henry Woodward, twenty years Keeper of 

 Geology at the British Museum. 



During a wild storm on New Year's Eve, 1900, 

 two large stones in the great circle of Stonehenge 

 fell to the ground. This has led to a renewal of 

 interest in these prehistoric remains, and to their 

 enclosure. A clever paper upon the probable origin 



of this monument was read before the Royal 

 Society by Sir Norman Lockyer, F.R.S., and Dr. 

 F. C. Penrose, F.R.S., in which it is shown there is 

 little doubt that it was a temple of sun -worshippers, 

 and arranged with astronomical accuracy. 



The establishment of the National Physical 

 Laboratory in Bushey Park has been completed, and 

 some of the work of testing formerly carried on at 

 Kew Observatory has been absorbed in consequence 

 of expected electrical disturbance from the electric 

 tram-lines extending past Kew Gardens. 



Antarctic exploration has been active during the 

 year ; both England and Germany have sent out 

 expeditions. The arrangement of the former was 

 marred in the first instance by an unfortunate dis- 

 pute between the naval and scientific commands. 



The scientific investigation of disease in human 

 beings has received valuable attention. The treat- 

 ment of several by light has been more or less 

 successful. The application of the X-rays to epi- 

 dermical affections applies to external cancer, etc. 

 Lupus has been successfully cured by the concen- 

 trated rays of a powerful arc-electric light. Much 

 relief from suffering is to be hoped from this 

 branch of science, which is now entitled photo- 

 therapy. The Congress on tuberculosis held in 

 London must aid in reducing that terrible scourge. 

 Applied science has produced the new ' ; Mond '" 

 gas, which promises to revolutionise domestic heat- 

 ing and production of power for engines engaged 

 in driving machinery. It is said to be cheaper than 

 coal, emit no smoke nor soot, so we may still hope 

 to see our cities beautiful ; whilst staving off the 

 exhaustion of our national coal supply. 



There seems to be a serious effort to be made to 

 obtain a better understanding of the causes and 

 prevention of fogs in large cities. The London 

 County Council has granted a sum of money to 

 carry out these investigations in the Metropolis. 



This year having been the tercentenary of that 

 father of Astronomy, Tycho-Brahe. many cere- 

 monies in his appreciation have taken place. 

 Jubilees have also been kept in honour of Professor 

 Virchow and M. Berthelot, where eminent English 

 men of science have been received with honour. 



The long-expected Nobel prizes have been 

 awarded. They amount to about £8,000 each, and 

 three of them are allotted to Science. That for 

 medicine goes to Dr. E. A. Behring ; for chemistry 

 to Professor J. H. van't Hoff ; and for physics to 

 W. K. Rontgen. The benefactions to educational 

 and scientific institutions have been without 

 parallel. Millionaires have vied with each other? 

 but all have been eclipsed by the munificence of 

 Mr. Andrew Carnegie, who has given such vast 

 sums for these purposes. 



The future of Science, and the benefits to be 

 conferred by it upon mankind never looked more 

 promising. We may expect anything to occur during 

 the next few years. We hope our readers may long 

 have opportunity of enjoying these benefits. 



