454 
Notes . 
[June, 
Benzol, taken internally, reduces the arterial tension by one- 
half, and thus aproximates in its action to nicotin. The venous 
tension is at the same time increased, and the action of the 
heart accelerated. The secretions are modified ; glycosuria is 
produced in guinea-pigs, but rarely in rabbits, and never in dogs. 
Phenic acid has been in some cases detected in the blood and 
the urine. 
M. J. Rambosson has communicated to the Academy of 
Sciences (“ Comptes Rendus,” April 14th) a paper on the propa- 
gation of nervous phenomena. He proposes the following law : 
— “ A purely physical movement may be transformed into a 
physiological movement, and into a psychic or cerebral move- 
ment, by transmission to these different media ; and reciprocally 
a psychic movement may be converted into a physiological and 
into a physical movement by a corresponding transmission, 
without any alteration in its nature,— that is to say, it reproduces 
the same phenomena after all these transmissions and trans- 
formations on returning into the same medium. 
Dr. Broca has received the brain of an individual of the spe- 
cies Gorilla Savag’d , aged 2\ years. In the fresh state it 
weighed 416 grms., which is heavier than the specimen sent in 
1876 by Dr. Negre, which weighed only 363 grms., and belonged 
to another species. 
At a recent session of the Anthropological Society of Paris a 
debate took place on the origin of the blonde race of mankind. 
Some of the speakers considered that the region of Turkestan 
was their original seat, whilst others — in particular Madame C. 
Royer— maintained that they had originated in Europe. 
MM. Bancel and Husson have communicated to the Academy 
of Sciences observations on the phosphorescence of the flesh of 
the lobster. They consider it due to a fermentation in which 
carbo- and phospho-hydrogens are liberated, and which is 
destroyed by putrefaction, just as the bacteria of carbuncle are 
destroyed by the vibriones of putrefaction. 
M. L. Collot has discovered the true Phylloxera vastatrix upon 
Vitis caribcea, a wild species of vine found in the forests of 
Panama, far removed from any vineyards or localities where the 
true vine (V. vinifera ) is cultivated. This strongly confirms the 
opinion that the Phylloxera is indigenous in America. 
Experiments conducted in the laboratory of Prof. Kuhn, of 
Heidelberg, lead to the conclusion that the so-called “ visual 
purple ” of the eye is not essential to vision. It is wanting in 
several animals which we must consider to be possessed of the 
sense of sight, and in men it is absent in the “ yellow spot,” — 
that part of the retina in which vision is most distinct. 
Dr. A. Horwarth, writing in “ Pfliiger’s Archive ” (xvii., Heft 
I. and II.), contends that — in addition to heat, light, oxygen, and 
nutrition — rest is needful for the production and maintenance of 
