6 W. M. HAMLET. 



Bio-chemistry, working in the physiological laboratory of 

 the University of Sydney, published last year the discovery 

 of a new Solanaceous alkaloid, obtained from Solandra 

 laevis growing as an evergreen shrub in the Botanic 

 Gardens. The new alkaloid belongs to the atropine group 

 and resembles hyoscine. It produces strong dilatation of 

 the pupil, and is a powerful nerve and muscle poison. The 

 name ' Solandrine ' is proposed for this new substance. 



Dr. Petrie has also published in the Journal of the 

 Linnean Society of N. S. Wales an historical summary of 

 the literature on plant nitrogen, in which he traces the 

 life-cycle of the compounds of nitrogen and the part played 

 by these in the metabolism of plants. In the same Journal 

 is published the results of a number of experiments on seeds, 

 showing the proportion of the total nitrogen which actually 

 exists as protein. It has been the custom to regard the 

 nitrogen of ripe seeds as existing almost entirely in protein, 

 whereas his experiments shew that as much as half the 

 nitrogen may be present in non-protein compounds. 



During the year an important change has been made in 

 the performance of microbiological work by the Government. 

 Formerly there existed one well equipped bacteriological 

 laboratory associated with the Department of Public 

 Health, and two or three other small imperfect ones in the 

 Department of Agriculture. The reconstruction of the 

 latter department involved proper provision for the perform- 

 ance of the microbiological and biochemical observations 

 which have now become an integral part of scientific agri- 

 culture. It was at first proposed to create a separate 

 institution for this purpose, but having regard to the 

 essential unity of the operations even though designed to 

 effect different ends, the Cabinet decided to make use of 

 the plant and equipment already available in the microbio- 

 logical laboratory of the Board of Health, and, by enlarging 



