BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 551 
“ Dr. Gibb read an interesting paper 4 On Saccharine Fermentation 
within the Female Breast, and its Influence on the Child.’ He showed 
that from various causes of a constitutional nature, in which the nervous 
system played an important part, the saccharine element of the milk 
underwent fermentation at the moment of its secretion, and gave rise to 
the generation of two species of animalcules—namely, vibriones and 
monads. The milk containing these was usually rich in sugar, but, 
owing to the fact of its having undergone fermentation within the gland 
itself, its healthy character was destroyed, and it was not therefore 
capable of assimilation within the stomach of the infant, as evidenced 
by the most extreme degree of emaciation—in fact, the child was 
undergoing starvation. The animalcules were developed within the 
breasts. The author had proved the correctness of his views in a series 
of experiments and researches into this question since 1854. In the 
discussion which ensued, much credit was given to the author for his 
labours in this novel field of inquiry; and numerous questions were put 
to him in relation to the condition of the blood and other fluids, in 
such conditions as he had described. 
“ Professor Corbett read a paper ‘ On the Deglutition of Alimentary 
Fluids/ in which he attempted to prove that the epiglottis did not 
always fall back upon the glottis during the swallowing of fluids. This 
was denied by some of the speakers, who thought it always did occur. 
“One of the most valuable papers of the Physiological Section was 
an elaborate one from Mr Arthur E. Durham, being an experimental 
inquiry into the nature of sleep. He described the appearances of the 
brains of animals, as evidenced through openings made in their skulls, 
and supported by a process of ingenious reasoning his hypothesis upon 
this most important subject. Mr. Durham stated that during sleep the 
brain was pale, and comparatively bloodless ; that during functional 
activity the pia mater and brain-substance were highly injected, and 
full of rapidly moving blood. He suggested that the increased amount 
of oxigenated blood coursing through the vessels during wakefulness 
was the cause of the functional activity of the brain, and that the oppo¬ 
site state of the circulation gave rise to the cerebral inactivity of sleep. 
The state of sleep was accurately distinguishable from that occurring 
in all varieties of coma. Mr. Durham’s views were ably supported by 
Profes*or Draper, of New York, but dissented from by Dr. Beale. 
“ Dr. R. M‘Donell considered the subject of ‘ Sugar and Amyloid Sub¬ 
stance in the Animal Economy/ and detailed a number of experiments. 
“ M. Ollier, of Lyons, exhibited a series of experiments illustrating 
the‘Artificial Production of Bone and Osseous Grafts.* His observations 
were wholly in French, and a portion of the discussion was in the same 
language. In one specimen the radius had been wholly removed, leav¬ 
ing the periosteum entire, and the bone was reproduced. In a similar 
experiment, with the removal of the periosteum as well, there was no 
regeneration of bone. Fie transplanted portions of periosteum round 
the muscles of the thigh, and they secreted bone. This was done 
in the form of strips twisted round, and they secreted bone of a spiral 
shape. In fact, any form of bony secretion can be obtained almost at 
the fancy of the experimenter. M. Ollier transplanted portions of 
periosteum from one part of the body to another, beneath the skin 
of the head and elsewhere, and not in contact with bone, and obtained 
bony secretions from them. This could also be obtained by trans¬ 
planting this membrane from one animal to another. He transplanted 
entire bones and portions of bones with their proper membranes, and 
they retained their vitality ; if the membranes were removed in these 
