Notes. 
[May, 
310 
of food. Considering that boron is not an element naturally oc- 
curring in animals or vegetables, we think that its use will require 
to be cautiously watched. 
Dr. Gordon (“ Scottish Naturalist.”) gives an account of a 
fishing frog ( Lophius piscatorius) being found dead with a recent 
specimen of the great black-backed gull ( Lams marinus ) in its 
stomach. He suspecffs that the frog died from having swallowed 
the bird. 
The Senate of the University of Edinburgh has decided to 
confer the honorary degree of LL.D. upon Dr. R. Angus Smith, 
F.R.S., and Dr. John Simon, F.R.S. 
In the “ Medical Press and Circular ” Dr. Mason, of Hull, is 
reported as declaring that zymotic diseases had increased since 
the introduction of the present educational system. This is de- 
cidedly probable. 
M. J. Chappuis (“ Comptes Rendus ”) has examined the ab- 
sorption specftrum of pernitric acid. It is characterised by fine 
black lines, very distinct, and totally unlike the broad, grey, 
somewhat indefinite bands of ozone by which pernitric acid is 
always more or less accompanied. 
M. P. Bert has been elected a member of the Academy of 
Sciences (Section of Medicine and Surgery) vice M. Bouilland, 
deceased. M. Brown-Sequard obtained merely one vote ! 
According to M. J. Tayon (“ Comptes Rendus ”) African asses 
are able to resist splenic fever. Repeated inoculations produced 
merely a local tumour, which remained for about a week, whilst 
the general health of the animals was not affected. 
It is interesting to find that a “ lunatic,” claiming, like Guiteau, 
a divine mission, has shot Dr. J. J. Gray, who was one of the 
witnesses called to rebut the plea of insanity raised on behalf of 
Guiteau. 
Dr. Sozinsky (“ Medical and Surgical Reporter ”) gives as the 
normal stature of a male child, at the end of the first year, 
30 inches in height, and 25 lbs. in weight. 
The Fungi which appear in decaying articles of food, though 
usually harmless, are occasionally, and under unknown condi- 
tions, accompanied by other low organisms of a very deleterious 
character. 
M. G. de Saporta (“ Comptes Rendus ”) has discovered, in the 
Middle Permian beds of Jelovick (Russia), impressions of a 
curious species of Ginkgo, a form represented in our days by a 
single species, and not traced hitherto farther back than the 
Rhaetian. 
