512 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
overthrow the usually accepted hypothesis that these last are derived 
from bone marrow. The author made some experiments to test the 
validity of the hypothesis put forward .by Hankin, namely that these 
eosinophilous granules are the mother substance of alexins. It was 
found that the loach, which does not possess eosinophilous cells, was 
unaffected by subcutaneous and abdominal injections of anthrax, though 
if the water of the aquarium were not kept at the ordinary temperature 
the animals died in a few days. That the eosinophilous cells of the 
skate had no relation to the anthrax bacilli was shown by the fact that 
no changes occurred in the number or character of these cells after 
injection. Moreover, anthrax, when cultivated in skate’s blood, notwith- 
standing the large proportion of eosinophilous cells, throve well and 
retained its virulence ; inoculations of the cultures on guinea-pigs and 
white mice were fatal. 
Changes in Nerve-cells during Functional Activity.* — Dr. G. 
Mann has made experiments to determine whether the functional 
activity of the nervous system is accompanied by demonstrable histo- 
logical changes in the cells, and he finds that during rest certain 
chromatic materials are stored up in the nerve-cell and that these 
materials are used up by it during the performance of its function. 
Activity of nervous tissue is accompanied by an increase in size of the 
cells, the nuclei and nucleoli of sympathetic, ordinary motor and sensory 
ganglion cells. Fatigue of the nerve-cell is accompanied by shrivelling 
of the nucleus and probably also of the cell, and by the formation of a 
diffuse chromatic material in the nucleus. 
y. General. 
Results of the ‘ Challenger ’ Expedition.! — A very handsome 
appreciation of the results of the 4 Challenger ’ voyage is contained in 
an article by Dr. Anton Dohrn on the ‘ Challenger ’ expedition and the 
future of oceanography. Dr. Dohrn remarks that it is well worth while 
to seize this occasion for a few words of reflection on a scientific drama, 
which is equally great in all its parts and dimensions. He rejoices to 
see that in these days of division of labour, combination of labour takes 
its firm hold in the organisation of modern scientific life, and Moltke’s 
maxim, March separately, attack jointly, proves useful in the peaceful 
battles of thought and science. The reports of the 4 Challenger ’ ex- 
pedition not only combine to produce results which close a splendid 
past, but open a future of new research. Dr. Dohrn very properly 
recalls the services of the late W. B. Carpenter in the inauguration of 
the 4 Challenger ’ expedition. He urges with great force that the mental 
and intellectual productions of a nation are not to be the last nor the 
least in their claims on public money, and he maintains with confidence 
that hardly any other expense will so amply repay the budget of a nation 
as the funds handed over for the promotion of research, or more 
correctly, for the organisation of research. The last two volumes of 
the 4 Challenger ’ report, which are the immediate object of Dr. Dohrn’s 
review, are, as he points out, the work of Dr. John Murray, the true 
* Journ. Anat. and Physiol., xxix. (1894) pp. 100-7 (1 pi.). 
f Nature, lii. (1895) pp. 121-6. 
