Notes. 
568 
bright violet-red colour, soluble in chloroform and ether, and 
distinguished from indigo which accompanies it by two distindt 
absorption bands, between D and E, though nearer to the former, 
and one between b and F, nearer the latter. 
M. Le Bon (“ Comptes Rendus ”) shows that the emanations 
of putrid liquids are most dangerous to inhale after the odour of 
sulphuretted hydrogen has disappeared, and after their virulent 
acftion on subcutaneous injection has disappeared. 
Dr. Greenley (“ Louisville Medical News ”), anent recent 
fasters, such as Dr. Tanner, remarks that the inferior animals, 
especially the pig, possess greater endurance in this respecft 
than man. This power of endurance depends in a great measure 
on the fadt that in the hog there is no (?) mental activity : hence 
the greater ability possessed by the imbecile to fast than by those 
whose mental faculties are in a normal condition. 
The absurdity of the English law against vivisedfion is well 
illustrated by a remark of Sir James Paget. He says, “ I may 
pay a rat-catcher to destroy all the rats in my house with any 
poison he pleases, but I may not myself, unless with a license 
from the Home Secretary, poison them with snake-poison.” 
According to Dr. Hewson (“ Boston Journal of Chemistry ”) 
the common European sparrow is capable of having and of com- 
municating smallpox. 
It is asserted (“ New York Medical Journal ”) that no authen- 
ticated case of rabies has ever occurred on the Pacific coast of 
America. 
It is found that drunkenness is increasing in France just in 
proportion as wine is ceasing to be the national drink. 
Prof. Spring, of Liege, finds that various bodies undergo im- 
portant chemico-physical transformations at high pressures. 
Thus red phosphorus is converted into the black form at a 
pressure of 7000 atmospheres. 
Dr. A. L. Adams, F.R.S. and F.G.S., who has been suc- 
cessively Professor of Natural History at Dublin and Cork, died 
since our last issue. He was well known for his “ Wanderings 
of a Naturalist in India.” 
Prof. Ewart, the present occupant of the chair of Natural 
History at Edinburgh, does not find things working smoothly. 
We cannot, of course, presume to say where the fault lies, but 
it is reported that all the class assistants have resigned. 
r. 
