561 
of Edinburgh, Session 1868-69. 
paralysing one. They have, besides, added minute quantities of 
strychnia to specimens of salts of methyl and of ethyl-strychnium 
of perfect purity, and they found that the effects which were then 
produced were exactly the same as those described by Messrs Jolyet 
and Cahours. The correctness of the statements previously com- 
municated to this Society by the authors was thus established in 
the most undoubted manner. 
In their first experiments with these strychnia derivatives, and 
especially with that formed by iodide of ethyl, the authors obtained 
results similar to those described by Messrs Jolyet and Cahours; 
and they have been induced to enter thus fully into the subject 
from the knowledge, gained by their experience, of the importance 
as well as of the difficulty of obtaining these bodies in a state of 
absolute purity. This is apparent if it be recollected that the 
presence of OT per cent, of strychnia is sufficient to vitiate the 
results of such experiments. It was only after the authors had 
adopted precautions, which seemed at first to be perfectly unneces- 
sary, that they succeeded in eliminating this source of error, and in 
obtaining their substances in a state of physiological purity. 
The following Gentleman was elected a Fellow of the 
Society : — 
Robert Henry Bow, Esq., C.E. 
Monday , 31s£ May 1869. 
Dr CHRISTISON, President, in the Chair. 
The following Communications were read : — 
1. On the Annual Range of Temperature over the Globe. 
By Mr Keith Johnston, jun. Communicated by Mr 
Buchan, Secretary of the Scottish Meteorological Society. 
(With a Plate.) 
The subject of range of temperature has been divided by meteor- 
ologists into the two main heads of Diurnal and Annual range, 
the former being measured by the variation of temperature between 
the warmest and coldest hours of the day, the latter by the differ- 
