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POPULAK SCIENCE EEVIET7. 
therapeutic properties of chloride of aluminium.” This is of course too 
clear, and we are surprised that a volume so well known should not have 
been previously consulted by Professor Gamgee. 
An Examination of the Doctrine of Atomicities is the title of a paper 
originally read at the Troy Meeting of the American Association. It has 
since been reproduced by the “ Chemical News,” and it will, we think, repay 
perusal. It is not a paper which could be profitably abstracted, or we should 
attempt it for our readers. 
Escape of the Abbe Moigno and Injury to M. Ch. Girard. — The u Chemical 
News ” of February 24 states that it has just received a letter from the 1 
Abbe, dated Paris, February 15, 1871. From this it understands that the 
distinguished savant had a narrow escape during the bombardment. A 
shell exploded in his bedroom, and destroyed more than a thousand valuable 
books, but he escaped uninjured. Les Mondes, the publication of which was 
suspended last September, will reappear as soon as communications are 
open. M. Ch. Girard has, we regret to say, received serious injury from 
the fall of a shell, but our readers will be glad to hear that he is now con- 
valescent. 
Making Mcdt without Germination. — In a paper which appears in “Dingler’s 
Journal” for January 1871, Dr. H. Fleck gives the detailed account of a 
series of experiments made by him with the view to ascertain how far it 
is possible to substitute for the ordinary process of malting the method of 
steeping the grain (barley or any other) desired to be converted into malt, 
in weak and dilute acids, to obtain thereby the same effect as produced by 
germination, and, moreover, in a far shorter period of time. It appears that, 
provisionally, the author has succeeded in his attempt, but is engaged in 
further experiments. Dilute nitric acid, containing 1 per cent, of acid, yields 
excellent results. 
Death of Dr. Muspratt. — It is with much regret that we have to announce 
the death of Professor James Sheridan Muspratt, M.D., F.R.S.E., &c., 
which took place at West Derby, Liverpool, on February 3. The deceased 
was born at Dublin on March 8, 1821, and was the son of the well-known 
founder of extensive chemical works established near Liverpool. The Pro- 
fessor was a pupil of the late Mr. Graham, first at Anderson’s University, 
Glasgow, and afterwards in London, and also studied under Baron von 
Liebig at Giessen. The deceased was the founder of a College of Chemistry 
at Liverpool, and was well and widely known in the scientific world by a 
variety of scientific publications. 
Detection of Sewage Matter in Water. — Since the statements of Mr. 
Heisch this subject has attracted much attention. The best article upon it 
is that; of Professor Frankland, which concludes as follows : — Potable water 
mixed with sewage, urine, albumen, and certain other matters, or brought 
into contact with animal charcoal, subsequently developes fungoid growths 
when small quantities of sugar are dissolved in them and they are exposed 
to a summer temperature. The germs of these organisms are present in the 
atmosphere, and every water contains them after a momentary contact with 
the air. The development of these germs cannot take place without the 
presence of phosphoric acid, or a phosphate or phosphorus in some form of 
combination. Water, however much contaminated, if free from phosphorus, 
