The constants of the curves have dostropha) griffithi (M'Coy) was
described
in detail,
been determined for primary rays of different
and the nature of the fine pitting of its external
ROYAL.
been determined for primary rays of different
and the nature of the fine pitting of its external
ROYAL.
Athenaeum - London - 1912a
Awdry, of W.
H.
Smith & Son, who
progress a monumental work on Scottish has done so much as a trustee.
Fortun- died last week in his sixty - fourth
calotypes, with reprints from the original ately, he will be replaced by “one of year, had been since 1882 Librarian of
|
negatives of those by D. 0. Hill & the oldest and best friends of the Institu- the Bodleian, and previously Principal
Adamson of St. Andrews.
tion ”—Mr. Darton. Mr. Longman also Librarian and Superintendent of the
announced that arrangements had been London Institution. He was a man of
THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS have estab- made with the Stationers' Company to remarkable energy and versatility. A
lished a Professorship of Philosophy, and make their Hall the head-quarters of the keen and effective head of his great
have appointed to the Chair Mr. C. M. Institution, and that Mr. William Poulten, library, he found time for all sorts of
Gillespie, who has been Lecturer in the Secretary of the Publishers’ Associa- writing : Keltic researches, New Testa-
Philosophy in the Yorkshire College and tion, had agreed to become the Assistant ment and bibliographical studies, stories,
in the University since 1893.
Secretary.
poems, songs, and pamphlets.
6
>
## p. 367 (#281) ############################################
2
THE ATHENÆUM
4405, MARCH 30, 1912
367
csity
ction
Liam
- he
Tear
the
ner's
of
that
nis-
the
out
ate
cred
Eon,
cest
ted
olk
me
그d
we
8
em
een
of
eff
,
he
ut
2.
A
d
No. once saw that this check in his inocula- hand, become more warlike, and, advan-
SCIENCE
tions with old cultures would have an cing towards the bacilli, proceed to devour
important bearing on the prevention of them. The gradual destruction of the
disease. He began to make exact experi- bacilli can be seen to take place within
THE THEORY OF IMMUNITY.
ments as to the vaccinating effect of the bodies of the phagocytes.
these micro-organisms which had become The advocates of the humoral theory
DR. BURNET has written a book on innocuous. These researches led him to say that the phagocytes by themselves
.
Microbes and Toxins, containing the most the discovery of two great principles, cannot attack the bacilli unless the latter
recent knowledge on this subject. The namely, the attenuation of the virus, and are first made drowsy by the protective
volume has been prepared for the “ Biblio- the vaccinating property of attenuated substances. Metchnikoff does not deny
thèque de Philosophie Scientifique,” and micro-organisms ; for he also proved that, the importance of the protective sub-
Metchnikoff
, in the Introduction, points if a normal animal is vaccinated, first stances, but asserts that one of the chief
out the importance, at this stage in the with the innocuous virus, and subsequently of these substances (the complement) is
history of bacteriological inquiry, of with a poison which gradually increases enclosed in the phagocyte, and cannot
having a book which will set forth the in virulence, it will in due course become escape unless the cell-wall of the phagocyte
general principles on which our knowledge immune to a dose which would otherwise is damaged, thus allowing the complement
is based.
have proved fatal. These principles form to escape. He criticizes the experiment
Now it cannot be said that Dr. Burnet the foundation of our practice at the described above by saying that, in separat-
has succeeded in providing a clear exposi- present day.
ing the phagocyte cells from the blood,
tion of these principles. When
Pasteur, being a chemist, naturally the necessary manipulation probably
read the chapters on immunity, we gave a chemical explanation of the damages the cell-wall of the phagocyte,
feel that a great opportunity has been phenomenon of immunity. He thought and so allows some of the complement to
missed. It is a fact much to be deplored that the reason the bacillus of fowl-escape. His opponents, on the other
that the majority of scientific writers cholera failed to grow in the fowl vacci- hand, assert that the complement is
should be lacking in sense of style. nated against this disease was that the contained in the fluids of the blood, and
This defect is chiefly apparent amongst body of the fowl no longer contained the not in the phagocyte. We cannot enter
those who may be termed “specialists" : necessary foodstuffs for the development here into the details of this interesting
they appear to be so engrossed in the of the microbe.
controversy, but we remark in closing that
details of their experiments that they
the problem of immunity is still far
Later several observers noticed, in from being solved, but perceptibly nearer
fail to give the reader that continuity of
thought which is essential in fixing making, post-mortem examinations in
a solution than it was thirty years ago.
the attention, and the consequence is
cases of diphtheria, &c. , that the bacilli
that the reader's mind wanders, and he were present in the white corpuscles of
the blood, and the idea gained ground
becomes bored.
that these white cells conveyed the
In the first place, we are too conscious poison to distant parts of the body; but
OUR LIBRARY TABLE.
that the book is a translation. The
meaning in some places would, no doubt, these white cells were capable of digesting Conspicuous to the Naked Eye, for the Epoch
it was not until Metchnikoff proved that Catalogue of 9,842 Stars, or All Stars Very
be clearer in the original, and when we
the microbes (intra-cellular digestion), of 1900, by T. W. Backhouse (Sunderland,
compare it with the translation of and thus acted as protectors to the body Hills & Co. ), is a very carefully compiled
Metchnikoff's well-known work on 'Im- against disease, that the theory of phago for the purpose of the construction of a
catalogue of naked-eye stars, undertaken
munity' we are struck by the superiority cytosis took the field. This discovery star atlas suitable to the needs of meteor
of the latter.
proved that immunity is a function of observers. The catalogue is arranged in
Chemistry, under the guidance of cells, that is to say, a biological rather alphabetical order of constellations, and
Pasteur, invaded medicine, and began the than chemical phenomenon. The in order to attain uniformity throughout
revolution. When he set himself to battle between the phagocytes and the the northern and southern hemispheres it
study infectious diseases in their relation microbes can now be actually seen under
was decided to adopt the stellar magnitude
to micro-organisms, the idea of profiting the microscope.
6. 4 of the Harvard scale (which, as is usual
by their discovery and drawing from
nowadays, is here adopted as the standard
The next notable advance in our scale) as the lower limit of faintness which
them a weapon against infections soon knowledge was made by Roux who dis would ensure the inclusion of all objects
arose in his mind.
He studied Jenner's work on smallpox Behring discovered the antitoxin. Atten than the adopted limit are within the reach
covered the toxin of diphtheria while down to that limit. The author points out
that stars fully half a magnitude fainter
in the hope of finding some suggestions tion was now focussed on the fluid con-
which would put him in the right path, tents of the blood. An enormous amount
of keen eyesight, and regrets that material
and he induced his collaborators to seek of work has been done in this particular complete for both hemispheres, strictly
was not available for bringing the catalogue,
in their experiments some method of im- sphere, and substances which at present to the naked-eye limit. But as Ambronn's
munity for the animal organism against refuse to be analyzed have been isolated Sternverzeichniss, enthaltend alle Sterne
infective micro-organisms.
from the blood serum: they are col- bis zur 6. 5ten Grösse,' published a few years
It is a curious fact that chance seemed lectively termed the protective substances ago, contains only 7,796 stars, it will be
to help in the elucidation of this problem of the blood. Sir Almroth Wright and collating some 2,000 more objects, and in
seen that Mr. Backhouse has succeeded in
In the autumn of 1879 Pasteur and Prof. C. C. Douglas, in this country, this respect it must be conceded that he has
his collaborators returned from their have been the pioneers in this direction. achieved a really useful piece of work.
holidays, and began to resume their These protective substances, as is becoming It is, however, as a register of star mag-
experiments on fowl-cholera, when they daily more apparent, play a very important nitudes that this catalogue will be most
found to their great surprise that doses part in immunity. It can be demonstrated often consulted. The observed magnitudes
of the virus which had formerly killed the that if, for instance, typhoid bacilli and reduced to the standard) appear to have
been collated with care, and combined
fowls now had no effect upon them. phagocytes alone are placed under the with judgment, to form the adopted mag-
The virulent poison which had been microscope, the phagocytes do not attack nitudes, the catalogue furnishes
laid aside during the holiday had under the bacilli; but if to the specimen is to the observer of these lucid
gone some profound change. Pasteur at added some protective substance from a register to which high authority may
Microbes and Toxins. By Dr. Étienne the blood, the bacilli, which previously confidently be attached. The places of the
stars are given to tenths of a minute of
were very active, suddenly become less
Burnet, of the Pasteur Institute of Paris.
time in right ascension, and to minutes of
With a Preface by Élie Metchnikoff.
so, and the observer would say they
had become sleepy. A remarkable change for the epoch 1900 they are already out
of
arc in declination. As these places are
Translated from the French by Dr. Charles
Broquet and Dr. W. M. Scott. (Heine-
however, takes place in the attitude of date, and it is to be regretted that the
mann. )
the phagocytes, for they, on the other approximato values of the precessions have
a
and
stars
## p. 368 (#282) ############################################
368
THE ATHENÆUM
No. 4405, MARCH 30, 1912
not been given, as in this way the incon.
in the hydrogen employed. It appears to be an the excited B-ray is an entity, the direction of
venience might easily have been remedied exceedingly sensitive test for the presence of this which is nearly that of the y-ray exciting it.
by those using the catalogue for practical gasit la bubble of sulphuretted hydrogen is
(4)The chance of a B-ray making a y-ray is roughly
purposes. The following errata have been
and sulphur is deposited on the
glass walls: proportional to the atomic weight of the radiator,
noticed: P. xii, bottom line, for
“ 9858"
After this it is impossible to get rid of the glow provided the B-ray spends its range in the radiator.
read 9842; p. xv, line 24, for “ calula- by freezing.
tion” read calculation; p. xvii, line 25
Greenish-blue glows kindred to the above are
for “Oxeniensis read Oxoniensis ; p. XX,
GEOLOGICAL. —March 21. --Dr. Aubrey Strahan,
obtained if selenium or tellurium is introduced.
line 3 from bottom, for “Fondamental "
It is conjectured that sulphuretted hydrogen President, in the chair. —The following communi-
is decomposed by the discharge, that sulphur cations were read: 'On the Glacial Origin of
read Fundamental.
vapour emerges in a specially active state, and the Clay-with-Flints of Buckinghamshire, and
that it then unites with hydrogen, the blue glow
on a Former Course of the Thames,' by Dr.
accompanying this process.
R. L. Sherlock and Mr. A. H. Noble. The paper
Mr. ‘J. H. Poynting read a paper on the was founded on observations made during the
SOCIETIES.
Changes in the Dimensions of a Steel Wire when mapping of some 280 square miles on the 6-inch
BRITISH ACADEMY. —March 20. -The Master
Twisted, and on the Pressure of Distortional scale in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertford-
of Peterhouse, President, and subsequently Sir if the wire is previously straightened by heating
Waves in Steel. ' In this paper it was shown that shire, and Middlesex. The superficial deposits
are divided into clay-with-flints with the asso-
Arthur Evans, in the chair.
it under tension, the lengthening is, within errors
ciated gravelly drift, and the fluvioglacial gravels.
Mr. G. F. Hill read a paper on 'Some Pales-
of measurement, the same for all loads which There are, in addition, certain high-level gravels,
tinian Cults in the Græco-Roman Age. ' The could be applied, so that, as was supposed, the
older than any of these, and also the river-gravels
paper discussed some of the cults which are shown only function of the load in the earlier experi- and alluvium of the present streams, none of
by the local coinage and other evidence to have
ments is to straighten the wire. In all wires which deposits was dealt with in the paper. Evi-
prevailed in Palestine, especially in Samaritis and examined so far the lowering is symmetrical dence was given to show that the clay-with-flints
Judæa, in the Graeco-Roman age. Such are :
about a point a fraction of a turn, always in the and gravelly drift were formed by an ice-sheet
cults of purely Greek or Roman origin, sometimes counter-clockwise direction from the condition
which came from the north or north-west over
contaminated with local elements ; more definitely of no twist.
the Chiltern Hills. Only the clean upper layers
Syrian cults, such as that of Zeus Heliopolites ;
Messrs. H. S. Patterson, R. S. Cripps, and R. of ice surmounted the escarpment, and this
and the Philistine cults of Ascalon and Gaza.
Whytlaw-Gray communicated a paper on "The produced the clay-with-flints and gravelly drift
At Cæsarea and other cities the figure of a goddess Orthobaric Densities and Critical Constants of from the "head"” (Chalk and Eocene waste),
holding a human bust is to be interpreted as Xenon. '
which had been accumulating for ages. At that
Astarte (functioning as city. goddess) holding the Messrs. W. A. Harwood and J. E. Petavel time the Thames flowed, at the foot of the Eocene
bust of the Emperor. Nysa-Scythopolis and
sent a paper on Experimental Work on a New escarpment, from Bourne End through Beacons-
Raphia provide representations from the legend Standard of Light. The source of light consists field and Rickmansworth to Watford. The ice-
of the birth of Dionysus, episodes of which were
of a strip of platinum heated by an electric
sheet blocked the river-channel between Bourne
associated with these places. At Neapolis in
current. The thermopiles measure the radiation
End and Rickmansworth about the time of maxi-
Samaria there is a remarkable representation of passing through (a) à plate of black fluorspar, mum cold, and diverted the Thames southwards
the sacred mountain Gerizim, on which was the (b) a water-trough. The thermopiles are con-
at Bourne End. The river beyond Watford was
temple of Zeus Hypsistos : he is distinct from
nected in opposition. As the current through further blocked by the Eastern Drift, which has
Zeus Heliopolites, who was also worshipped at
Neapolis, and for whose consort the Neapolitans radiation increases more rapidly than the in- The section of the river between Rickmansworth
the strip is increased, the intensity of the luminous left boulder clay near Hatfield and at Finchley.
seem to have adopted a local modification of the tensity of the radiation of longer wave-length. and the Eastern Drift had its direction of drainage
Ephesian Artemis. The consort of Zeus Hyp- Therefore, for a given thickness of the absorbing reversed, and the water escaped at Rickmans.
sistos appears in a form resembling Hera. A
third goddess, standing on a lion, may be meant
nicdia and distance of the thermopiles, there worth by a new channel which became the Colne.
will be one definite temperature at which the On the melting of the ice, fluvioglacial gravels
for Atergatis. The cult of the Emisene mountain reading of a galvanometer in the thermopile
(plateau gravels of some writers) were left over
god Elagabal prevailed at Neapolis and Ælia
circuit will be zero. A long series of experiments a great area. These gravels are composed chiefly
Capitolina during the reign of Elagabalus. The showed that the light could be kept constant
of Eocene and Cretaceous materials derived from
Philistine cities seem to show no trace of Dagon.
But at Ascalon we find the marine Astarte as
withiv 0. 5 per cent when a constant temperature the gravelly drift, but also contain Bunter
was maintained by the above criterion. It was pebbles, which have been brought down the
city-goddess, accompanied by a dove; Derketo
intended to use the method to establish a second-
Thames. The Bunter pebbles are particularly
or Atergatis, with a crescent
on her head, holding ary standard of light which would not be subject abundant in a band between Bourne End and
a dove and standing on a Triton; and a deity,
to the periodic fluctuations of flame standards
Watford ; to the south only a few, presumably
probably male, whose name is given as Phanebalos
or the gradual decay on incandescent standards.
washed out of the band, are found. They are
(ineaning “ manifestation of Baal"): he is a war-
The investigation showed, bowever, that excep-
believed to show that the Thames in times of
deity, and his weapon is a harpé. Egyptian tional care and manipulative
skill were required to
flood returned to its former course. The floods
influence is seen in figures of Osiris and Isis, maintain the apparatus in good working order,
from the melting ice, added to the waters of the
which are, however, syrianized by association
and from a practical point of view this defect
Thames and Colne, produced, by denudation of
with lions. The coins of Gaza are in conformity probably outweighs the advantages gained.
the Eocene clays, the great flat through which
with the traditions of the connexion between Mr. İ. A. Crowther read a paper On the
the Thames now flows east of Maidenhead, and
Gaza and Minoan Crete-traditions which have
Distribution of the Scattered Röntgen Radiation. '
which, opposite Iver, is 8 miles wide. After the
been confirmed by recent discoveries. We find
Experiments have been made to determine
retreat of the ice, the Wye and Misbourne ex.
evidence of the cult of Minos ; of Io, who is repre- accurately the distribution of the scattered
tended their channels over the fluvioglacial gravel
sented both in human form and as a heifer beside Röntgen radiation round a radiator. It has been
flat, and some other small streams were formed.
the city-goddess; and especially of Marnas, the
found that the radiation can be divided into two
Some New Lower Carboniferous Gasteropoda,'
Cretan zeus (whose Syrian-sounding name is
parts— true scattered radiation, distributed in by Mrs. Jane Longstaff (née Donald). Eight
probably Cretan in origin, and who is worshipped accordance with the usually accepted theory of species of gasteropoda were described, sis being
with an Artemis-like figure representing the
the scattering, and an additional or
regarded as belonging to five new genera or sub-
Cretan Britomartis). A discussion followed, in radiation. The curves representing the distribu- genera, the others representing Pithodea (De
which Mr. Hall, Mr. King, Miss Gertrude Bell,
tion of the latter have been found to resemble Koninck), which has not previously been recorded
Dr. Gaster, Dr. Büchler, Prof. Heckler, Dr.
Hirschfeld, and Sir Arthur Evans took part.
those previously obtained for a parallel pencil from the British or Irish carboniferous limestone.
of B-rays after passing through thin sheets Among others, the shell of Pleurotomaria (Tropi.
of matter.
The constants of the curves have dostropha) griffithi (M'Coy) was described in detail,
been determined for primary rays of different
and the nature of the fine pitting of its external
ROYAL. –March 21. - Sir Archibald Geikie,
President, in the chair. -Lord Rayleigh read a
qualities and for radiators of different materials.
surface discussed.
paper. On the Self-Induction of Electric Currents
As the primary rays become harder the whole
in a Thin Anchor-Ring. '
intensity of the excess radiation for a given
Mr. R. J. Strutt read a paper on 'The After-
radiator becomes less, and the angle with the
ZOOLOGICAL. —March 19. --Mr. S. F. Harmer,
V. -P. , in the chair.
Luminosity of Electric Discharge in Hydro primary beam, at which its intensity reaches a
gen observed by Hertz, Hertz observed that if
Mr. G. Dollman exhibited a monkey, belong-
maximum value, becomes smaller. The intensity
leyden - jar discharges were passed through
of the excess radiation becomes greater as the ing to the rare genus Rhinopithecus, from Tonkin,
hydrogen at a pressure of, say, 100 min. , the gas
atomic weight of the radiator is increased.
which he considered to represent a new species,
remains luminous for a small fraction of a second
Within the limits of the experimental error the
and proposed to call Rhinopithecus avunculus.
afterwards. His method of experimenting was
quality of the radiation is the same as that of Mr. A. R. Duginore gave a lantern exhi-
to allow the gas from the discharge tube to be pro-
the primary beam producing it.
bition of a large number of photographic
jected into anotber vessel by the explosive action Mr. E. 4. Owen read a paper on 'The Passage studies of wild animals in British East Africa
of Homogeneous Röntgen Rays through Gases.
and Newfoundland.
of the discharge. The after-luminosity was in
The beautiful series of
this way isolated from the discharge and observed
Mr. J. C. Chapman read a paper on Fluo- ! pictures was briefly described by Mr. Dugmore,
in the auxiliary vessel.
rescent Röntgen Radiation from Elements of
who dwelt particularly on the advantage to be
Hertz did not succeed in determining the exact
High Atomic Weight. '
gained by hunting with the camera.
Mr. J. A. Gray read a paper on 'The Nature of
Mr. E. W. Shann read
conditions for obtaining this effect with certainty.
å paper entitled
'Observations on some Alcyonaria from Singa-
It was stated by Mr. Strutt that the afterglow 7-Rays excited by B-Rays. ' A determination
shows a sulphur spectrum-that developed in
has been made of the relative amount of emergent
pore, with a Brief Discussion on the Classification
the flaine of burning carbon disulphide, or,
and incident y-radiation excited in “radiators
of the Family Nephthyidæ': and Mr. T. H. Withers
better, by sulphur vapour in a stream of active
of different thicknesses and different materials.
on 'Some Early Fossil Cirripedes of the
nitrogen.
Results of the experiments aro : (1) The emergent
Genus Scalpellum. '
By cooling, an annexe to the apparatus in
g-radiation is generally greater in amount than
liquid air the blue glow disappears, and is restored
the incident radiation, and is more penetrating. HISTORICAL. —March 21. -The Ven. Archdeacon
on heating up. The constituent responsible for 2) The ratio of emergent to incident y-radiation Cunningham, President, in the chair. --A paper
it has been frozen out in this treatment, and the is greater, for radiators of the same material, was read by Mr. B. K. Henderson on The
pure hydrogen remaining gives no afterglow the thinner the radiator ; for radiators of different Commonwealth Charters to the Towns. ' Mr.
whatever.
inaterials thick enough to stop the B-rays, the Henderson showed that the Protectorate re-
It is concluded, therefore, that Hertz's effect lower the atoinic weight of the radiator. (3) modelled the corporations to put a party favour-
is due to the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen The results obtained point to the conclusion that able to the existing Government into power,
excESS
one
## p. 369 (#283) ############################################
No. 4405, MARCH 30, 1912
369
THE ATHENÆUM
6
MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
Jox. Society of Engineers, 7. 30. –Ligno-Concrete,' Mr. G. 0. Onge.
Aristotelian, 8. –Symposium : The Time Difficulty in Realist
Theories of Perception,' Dr. W. Brown and others.
Institute of British Architects, 8. -'Art Museums and Picture
Galleries,' Mr. E T. Hall.
Society of Arts, 8. -'Materials and Methods of Decorative
Painting. ' Lecture III, Mr. N. Heaton. Cantor Lecture. )
Geographical, 8. 30. - The Mountains of Northern Sikkim and
Garhwal,' Mr. A. M. Kellas.
of Water to the City of Birmingham from Mid-Wales,'
Messrs. E. L. and W. L. Mansergh.
Zoological, 8. 30.
WED. Entomological, 8.
much on the same lines as thoso followed after-
wards by Charles II. and James II. , principally
to secure election to Parliament of well-affected
Science Gossip.
FINE ARTS
members for the borougbs.
Prof. T. N. Mathur of Agra was declared
elected a Fellow. Mr. J. W. Fortescue, King's
M. DANIEL BERTHELOT, the distinguished
Librarian at Windsor, had been co-opted as a son of a distinguished father, has just The Heroic Age. By H. Munro Chadwick.
meinber of the Council.
published a lecture delivered by him to
the Société de Pathologie comparée upon
(Cambridge University Press. )
MALONE. - March 20. --Annual Meeting. --Mr.
* The Physiological Effect of the Ultra-
E. K. Chambers, President, in the chair. - Violet Rays. ' In its course he had to tell This important book is a careful and
The Report on the Society's work for 1911 was the sad story of Dr. Billon - Daguerre, learned study of a certain stage through
adopted, and the officers were re-elected for the nephew of the inventor of photography, which several Indo-European races seem
ensuing year. The Report showed that the Society who suddenly lost the sight of one eye to have passed, though at periods differing
in 1907 of printing five plays and one part of while looking at a mercury-vapour lamp
as widely as 1,500 years. Mr. Chadwick
Collections (notes on the publications, dramatic without glasses. M. Berthelot showed with calls it the Heroic Age, owing to the
The five parts of Collections now issued are pro: activity of the ultra-violet rays is their peculiar literature it has in each case
vided with an index and title-page, and it is not extraordinarily high temperature, which, produced, and the social conditions de-
Society's yearly output. The list of publications given off by the mercury-vapour lamp,
in place of which a sixth play will appear in the according to him, is, in the case of those scribed in that literature. He thinks
that, had these analogous literatures been
for 1911 is Apius and Virginia,' 4to, 1575 ; greater than that of the sun. It is to this the echo of the beliefs common to the
* Edward I. ,' 4to, 1593 ; George a Green, 4to, that he attributes both their microbicide
1599 ;
Cæsar's Revenge,' 4to (1607); and 'Sir
race before its separation by migrations,
Thomas More," from Ms. 'Harl. 7368 ; 'ånd Collec- and their vivifying properties, as shown in there could not have been so wide à
tions, vol. i. part iv. (held over from 1910) and v. their action on the growth of plants. As he
The list of plays to be printed in 1912 is: The says, we have not yet succeeded in producing Ages as that of the Greeks and of the
severance in the dates of such Heroic
Two Angry Women of Abingdon;', 4to, 1599 : colouring matter, which plants produce
Teutons. He also observes that all
The Weakest Goeth to the Wall,' 4to, 1600 ;
Wily Beguiled,' 4to, 1606 ; Englishmen for every day in the sun's light, and, when we can branches of the race do not afford evidence
My Money, 4to, 1610 ; and two plays on Christ's do so, the problem of the chemical basis of life of it. Thus the Lithuanians show no
Resurrection, from a private MS.
will be advanced a long step towards solution. trace of it, so far as we know. He tells
*** We hold over various reports till next week.
That plants contain ferments and other
us this, but omits any imilar remark
matters acting as catalysere able to reduce regarding the Latin branch. Is there
changes brought about by them is, as he the same absence here, or is it in some
says, probable; and thus, he thinks, the respect supplied by the legends of the
rays which cause death to lower organisms early kings of Rome? It is perhaps too
may prove our guide to the mysteries of life. exacting to expect him to cover the whole
PROF. J. KÖNIGSBERGER has lately made field, but when a comparative study is
Tues. Institution of Civil Engineers, 8. – The Works for the Supply
researches into the connexion of the electron announced, we feel ourselves justified in
with chemical affinity, and decides that it demanding at least a page to tell us why
possesses two sorts of affinity with regard a leading branch of the race makes
to the atom. One of these, which he calls
no figure in the book.
external affinity, is determined by the
When we come to the Celtic branch,
electrostatic attraction acting at a great
the omission is even clearer. He gives
ANTHROPOMETRIC LABORATORIES. distance, and the other, which he names
DR. VENN of Cambridge has written to us
internal affinity, is the electro-chemical
us a few pages on the heroic poems of
with reference to the paragraph in our
one excited within the atom by electric the Welsh, but regarding the Irish he
Science Gossip’ of the Ith inst. recording the vapours of sodium
and mercury, which that most of their records have reached
forces. Thus he accounts for the fact that excuses himself by saying in one place
the establishment of the Anthropometric give off no electrons, are virtually non-
Laboratory at Oxford. He says that
us in a prose form—which is no proper
conducting. This internal affinity, he
“just twenty-five years ago a similar scheme was
started at Cambridge by the late Francis Galton. negative ions in the canal-rays under certain and controversy that he must leave it
thinks, is also shown in the production of that the subject is so full of difficulty
reason for ignoring them—and in another
time to time. As long ago as March 13th, 1890. conditions.
an article appeared in Nature containing a careful
to the specialists. That is exactly what
analysis of some 3,000 cases taken from our
The phenomena supposed to be exhi.
students here. This contained, in particular, bited by the divining-rod, lately inves.
a comparative study should not do.
an elaborate investigation of the correlation, so tigated in this country by Prof. Barrett, The specialists are sure to take narrow
far as this could be determined, between mental have now been seriously tested in German views; it is from, such broad students as
and physical capacity. '
South-West Africa, where something like Mr. Chadwick that we hope for light.
Our belief is that the late Sir Francis 800 experiments were made with it in search We notice that he includes Servian
Galton first proposed an anthropometric of water, about 80 per cent of these being heroic poetry, on which he does not claim
laboratory in an article in The Fortnightly súccessful. It has also been used with to be an expert. The Irish Aryans stand
Review 1882, and from 1884 to success in Hanover to indicate the presence,
1891 maintained, at his own expense, such or otherwise, of veins of salts of potash in
so independent in language from both
a laboratory in connexion with the exhibi. the soil. The Ministry of A
lture in
Greeks and Teutons, and are
tions at South Kensington.
France has appointed å departmental com- portant in the likenesses and contrasts
After Galton's laboratory was closed, no mittee to make similar experiments.
their literature shows to either, that we
attempt was made to replace it until 1909,
A CANADIAN
William
cannot but regret keenly that the author
when
the Royal Anthropological Institute Barnes Fotheringham of Montreal, has nearly did not delay his work for a year or two and
exhibition at Shepherd's Bush. This bureau completed for publication a work entitled include this branch of his subject. For
* The Human Face: a Study of Physio- comparative purposes he need hardly
was continued at subsequent exhibitions in
1910 and 1911, under the direction of Mr. I gnomical Varieties. . The author classifies have been expected to learn Old Irish”;
John Gray, the Treasurer of the Royal of face, and explains in detail, with numerous
upwards of seventy distinct structural types and the famous prose version of Ossian
Anthropological Institute. A considerable
has surely been sufficiently sifted to
number of measurements of the cranium photographs and drawings, the physiological show him what was genuinely old and
and body were made, and also mental
for variation from the Hellenic
standard.
progress a monumental work on Scottish has done so much as a trustee.
Fortun- died last week in his sixty - fourth
calotypes, with reprints from the original ately, he will be replaced by “one of year, had been since 1882 Librarian of
|
negatives of those by D. 0. Hill & the oldest and best friends of the Institu- the Bodleian, and previously Principal
Adamson of St. Andrews.
tion ”—Mr. Darton. Mr. Longman also Librarian and Superintendent of the
announced that arrangements had been London Institution. He was a man of
THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS have estab- made with the Stationers' Company to remarkable energy and versatility. A
lished a Professorship of Philosophy, and make their Hall the head-quarters of the keen and effective head of his great
have appointed to the Chair Mr. C. M. Institution, and that Mr. William Poulten, library, he found time for all sorts of
Gillespie, who has been Lecturer in the Secretary of the Publishers’ Associa- writing : Keltic researches, New Testa-
Philosophy in the Yorkshire College and tion, had agreed to become the Assistant ment and bibliographical studies, stories,
in the University since 1893.
Secretary.
poems, songs, and pamphlets.
6
>
## p. 367 (#281) ############################################
2
THE ATHENÆUM
4405, MARCH 30, 1912
367
csity
ction
Liam
- he
Tear
the
ner's
of
that
nis-
the
out
ate
cred
Eon,
cest
ted
olk
me
그d
we
8
em
een
of
eff
,
he
ut
2.
A
d
No. once saw that this check in his inocula- hand, become more warlike, and, advan-
SCIENCE
tions with old cultures would have an cing towards the bacilli, proceed to devour
important bearing on the prevention of them. The gradual destruction of the
disease. He began to make exact experi- bacilli can be seen to take place within
THE THEORY OF IMMUNITY.
ments as to the vaccinating effect of the bodies of the phagocytes.
these micro-organisms which had become The advocates of the humoral theory
DR. BURNET has written a book on innocuous. These researches led him to say that the phagocytes by themselves
.
Microbes and Toxins, containing the most the discovery of two great principles, cannot attack the bacilli unless the latter
recent knowledge on this subject. The namely, the attenuation of the virus, and are first made drowsy by the protective
volume has been prepared for the “ Biblio- the vaccinating property of attenuated substances. Metchnikoff does not deny
thèque de Philosophie Scientifique,” and micro-organisms ; for he also proved that, the importance of the protective sub-
Metchnikoff
, in the Introduction, points if a normal animal is vaccinated, first stances, but asserts that one of the chief
out the importance, at this stage in the with the innocuous virus, and subsequently of these substances (the complement) is
history of bacteriological inquiry, of with a poison which gradually increases enclosed in the phagocyte, and cannot
having a book which will set forth the in virulence, it will in due course become escape unless the cell-wall of the phagocyte
general principles on which our knowledge immune to a dose which would otherwise is damaged, thus allowing the complement
is based.
have proved fatal. These principles form to escape. He criticizes the experiment
Now it cannot be said that Dr. Burnet the foundation of our practice at the described above by saying that, in separat-
has succeeded in providing a clear exposi- present day.
ing the phagocyte cells from the blood,
tion of these principles. When
Pasteur, being a chemist, naturally the necessary manipulation probably
read the chapters on immunity, we gave a chemical explanation of the damages the cell-wall of the phagocyte,
feel that a great opportunity has been phenomenon of immunity. He thought and so allows some of the complement to
missed. It is a fact much to be deplored that the reason the bacillus of fowl-escape. His opponents, on the other
that the majority of scientific writers cholera failed to grow in the fowl vacci- hand, assert that the complement is
should be lacking in sense of style. nated against this disease was that the contained in the fluids of the blood, and
This defect is chiefly apparent amongst body of the fowl no longer contained the not in the phagocyte. We cannot enter
those who may be termed “specialists" : necessary foodstuffs for the development here into the details of this interesting
they appear to be so engrossed in the of the microbe.
controversy, but we remark in closing that
details of their experiments that they
the problem of immunity is still far
Later several observers noticed, in from being solved, but perceptibly nearer
fail to give the reader that continuity of
thought which is essential in fixing making, post-mortem examinations in
a solution than it was thirty years ago.
the attention, and the consequence is
cases of diphtheria, &c. , that the bacilli
that the reader's mind wanders, and he were present in the white corpuscles of
the blood, and the idea gained ground
becomes bored.
that these white cells conveyed the
In the first place, we are too conscious poison to distant parts of the body; but
OUR LIBRARY TABLE.
that the book is a translation. The
meaning in some places would, no doubt, these white cells were capable of digesting Conspicuous to the Naked Eye, for the Epoch
it was not until Metchnikoff proved that Catalogue of 9,842 Stars, or All Stars Very
be clearer in the original, and when we
the microbes (intra-cellular digestion), of 1900, by T. W. Backhouse (Sunderland,
compare it with the translation of and thus acted as protectors to the body Hills & Co. ), is a very carefully compiled
Metchnikoff's well-known work on 'Im- against disease, that the theory of phago for the purpose of the construction of a
catalogue of naked-eye stars, undertaken
munity' we are struck by the superiority cytosis took the field. This discovery star atlas suitable to the needs of meteor
of the latter.
proved that immunity is a function of observers. The catalogue is arranged in
Chemistry, under the guidance of cells, that is to say, a biological rather alphabetical order of constellations, and
Pasteur, invaded medicine, and began the than chemical phenomenon. The in order to attain uniformity throughout
revolution. When he set himself to battle between the phagocytes and the the northern and southern hemispheres it
study infectious diseases in their relation microbes can now be actually seen under
was decided to adopt the stellar magnitude
to micro-organisms, the idea of profiting the microscope.
6. 4 of the Harvard scale (which, as is usual
by their discovery and drawing from
nowadays, is here adopted as the standard
The next notable advance in our scale) as the lower limit of faintness which
them a weapon against infections soon knowledge was made by Roux who dis would ensure the inclusion of all objects
arose in his mind.
He studied Jenner's work on smallpox Behring discovered the antitoxin. Atten than the adopted limit are within the reach
covered the toxin of diphtheria while down to that limit. The author points out
that stars fully half a magnitude fainter
in the hope of finding some suggestions tion was now focussed on the fluid con-
which would put him in the right path, tents of the blood. An enormous amount
of keen eyesight, and regrets that material
and he induced his collaborators to seek of work has been done in this particular complete for both hemispheres, strictly
was not available for bringing the catalogue,
in their experiments some method of im- sphere, and substances which at present to the naked-eye limit. But as Ambronn's
munity for the animal organism against refuse to be analyzed have been isolated Sternverzeichniss, enthaltend alle Sterne
infective micro-organisms.
from the blood serum: they are col- bis zur 6. 5ten Grösse,' published a few years
It is a curious fact that chance seemed lectively termed the protective substances ago, contains only 7,796 stars, it will be
to help in the elucidation of this problem of the blood. Sir Almroth Wright and collating some 2,000 more objects, and in
seen that Mr. Backhouse has succeeded in
In the autumn of 1879 Pasteur and Prof. C. C. Douglas, in this country, this respect it must be conceded that he has
his collaborators returned from their have been the pioneers in this direction. achieved a really useful piece of work.
holidays, and began to resume their These protective substances, as is becoming It is, however, as a register of star mag-
experiments on fowl-cholera, when they daily more apparent, play a very important nitudes that this catalogue will be most
found to their great surprise that doses part in immunity. It can be demonstrated often consulted. The observed magnitudes
of the virus which had formerly killed the that if, for instance, typhoid bacilli and reduced to the standard) appear to have
been collated with care, and combined
fowls now had no effect upon them. phagocytes alone are placed under the with judgment, to form the adopted mag-
The virulent poison which had been microscope, the phagocytes do not attack nitudes, the catalogue furnishes
laid aside during the holiday had under the bacilli; but if to the specimen is to the observer of these lucid
gone some profound change. Pasteur at added some protective substance from a register to which high authority may
Microbes and Toxins. By Dr. Étienne the blood, the bacilli, which previously confidently be attached. The places of the
stars are given to tenths of a minute of
were very active, suddenly become less
Burnet, of the Pasteur Institute of Paris.
time in right ascension, and to minutes of
With a Preface by Élie Metchnikoff.
so, and the observer would say they
had become sleepy. A remarkable change for the epoch 1900 they are already out
of
arc in declination. As these places are
Translated from the French by Dr. Charles
Broquet and Dr. W. M. Scott. (Heine-
however, takes place in the attitude of date, and it is to be regretted that the
mann. )
the phagocytes, for they, on the other approximato values of the precessions have
a
and
stars
## p. 368 (#282) ############################################
368
THE ATHENÆUM
No. 4405, MARCH 30, 1912
not been given, as in this way the incon.
in the hydrogen employed. It appears to be an the excited B-ray is an entity, the direction of
venience might easily have been remedied exceedingly sensitive test for the presence of this which is nearly that of the y-ray exciting it.
by those using the catalogue for practical gasit la bubble of sulphuretted hydrogen is
(4)The chance of a B-ray making a y-ray is roughly
purposes. The following errata have been
and sulphur is deposited on the
glass walls: proportional to the atomic weight of the radiator,
noticed: P. xii, bottom line, for
“ 9858"
After this it is impossible to get rid of the glow provided the B-ray spends its range in the radiator.
read 9842; p. xv, line 24, for “ calula- by freezing.
tion” read calculation; p. xvii, line 25
Greenish-blue glows kindred to the above are
for “Oxeniensis read Oxoniensis ; p. XX,
GEOLOGICAL. —March 21. --Dr. Aubrey Strahan,
obtained if selenium or tellurium is introduced.
line 3 from bottom, for “Fondamental "
It is conjectured that sulphuretted hydrogen President, in the chair. —The following communi-
is decomposed by the discharge, that sulphur cations were read: 'On the Glacial Origin of
read Fundamental.
vapour emerges in a specially active state, and the Clay-with-Flints of Buckinghamshire, and
that it then unites with hydrogen, the blue glow
on a Former Course of the Thames,' by Dr.
accompanying this process.
R. L. Sherlock and Mr. A. H. Noble. The paper
Mr. ‘J. H. Poynting read a paper on the was founded on observations made during the
SOCIETIES.
Changes in the Dimensions of a Steel Wire when mapping of some 280 square miles on the 6-inch
BRITISH ACADEMY. —March 20. -The Master
Twisted, and on the Pressure of Distortional scale in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertford-
of Peterhouse, President, and subsequently Sir if the wire is previously straightened by heating
Waves in Steel. ' In this paper it was shown that shire, and Middlesex. The superficial deposits
are divided into clay-with-flints with the asso-
Arthur Evans, in the chair.
it under tension, the lengthening is, within errors
ciated gravelly drift, and the fluvioglacial gravels.
Mr. G. F. Hill read a paper on 'Some Pales-
of measurement, the same for all loads which There are, in addition, certain high-level gravels,
tinian Cults in the Græco-Roman Age. ' The could be applied, so that, as was supposed, the
older than any of these, and also the river-gravels
paper discussed some of the cults which are shown only function of the load in the earlier experi- and alluvium of the present streams, none of
by the local coinage and other evidence to have
ments is to straighten the wire. In all wires which deposits was dealt with in the paper. Evi-
prevailed in Palestine, especially in Samaritis and examined so far the lowering is symmetrical dence was given to show that the clay-with-flints
Judæa, in the Graeco-Roman age. Such are :
about a point a fraction of a turn, always in the and gravelly drift were formed by an ice-sheet
cults of purely Greek or Roman origin, sometimes counter-clockwise direction from the condition
which came from the north or north-west over
contaminated with local elements ; more definitely of no twist.
the Chiltern Hills. Only the clean upper layers
Syrian cults, such as that of Zeus Heliopolites ;
Messrs. H. S. Patterson, R. S. Cripps, and R. of ice surmounted the escarpment, and this
and the Philistine cults of Ascalon and Gaza.
Whytlaw-Gray communicated a paper on "The produced the clay-with-flints and gravelly drift
At Cæsarea and other cities the figure of a goddess Orthobaric Densities and Critical Constants of from the "head"” (Chalk and Eocene waste),
holding a human bust is to be interpreted as Xenon. '
which had been accumulating for ages. At that
Astarte (functioning as city. goddess) holding the Messrs. W. A. Harwood and J. E. Petavel time the Thames flowed, at the foot of the Eocene
bust of the Emperor. Nysa-Scythopolis and
sent a paper on Experimental Work on a New escarpment, from Bourne End through Beacons-
Raphia provide representations from the legend Standard of Light. The source of light consists field and Rickmansworth to Watford. The ice-
of the birth of Dionysus, episodes of which were
of a strip of platinum heated by an electric
sheet blocked the river-channel between Bourne
associated with these places. At Neapolis in
current. The thermopiles measure the radiation
End and Rickmansworth about the time of maxi-
Samaria there is a remarkable representation of passing through (a) à plate of black fluorspar, mum cold, and diverted the Thames southwards
the sacred mountain Gerizim, on which was the (b) a water-trough. The thermopiles are con-
at Bourne End. The river beyond Watford was
temple of Zeus Hypsistos : he is distinct from
nected in opposition. As the current through further blocked by the Eastern Drift, which has
Zeus Heliopolites, who was also worshipped at
Neapolis, and for whose consort the Neapolitans radiation increases more rapidly than the in- The section of the river between Rickmansworth
the strip is increased, the intensity of the luminous left boulder clay near Hatfield and at Finchley.
seem to have adopted a local modification of the tensity of the radiation of longer wave-length. and the Eastern Drift had its direction of drainage
Ephesian Artemis. The consort of Zeus Hyp- Therefore, for a given thickness of the absorbing reversed, and the water escaped at Rickmans.
sistos appears in a form resembling Hera. A
third goddess, standing on a lion, may be meant
nicdia and distance of the thermopiles, there worth by a new channel which became the Colne.
will be one definite temperature at which the On the melting of the ice, fluvioglacial gravels
for Atergatis. The cult of the Emisene mountain reading of a galvanometer in the thermopile
(plateau gravels of some writers) were left over
god Elagabal prevailed at Neapolis and Ælia
circuit will be zero. A long series of experiments a great area. These gravels are composed chiefly
Capitolina during the reign of Elagabalus. The showed that the light could be kept constant
of Eocene and Cretaceous materials derived from
Philistine cities seem to show no trace of Dagon.
But at Ascalon we find the marine Astarte as
withiv 0. 5 per cent when a constant temperature the gravelly drift, but also contain Bunter
was maintained by the above criterion. It was pebbles, which have been brought down the
city-goddess, accompanied by a dove; Derketo
intended to use the method to establish a second-
Thames. The Bunter pebbles are particularly
or Atergatis, with a crescent
on her head, holding ary standard of light which would not be subject abundant in a band between Bourne End and
a dove and standing on a Triton; and a deity,
to the periodic fluctuations of flame standards
Watford ; to the south only a few, presumably
probably male, whose name is given as Phanebalos
or the gradual decay on incandescent standards.
washed out of the band, are found. They are
(ineaning “ manifestation of Baal"): he is a war-
The investigation showed, bowever, that excep-
believed to show that the Thames in times of
deity, and his weapon is a harpé. Egyptian tional care and manipulative
skill were required to
flood returned to its former course. The floods
influence is seen in figures of Osiris and Isis, maintain the apparatus in good working order,
from the melting ice, added to the waters of the
which are, however, syrianized by association
and from a practical point of view this defect
Thames and Colne, produced, by denudation of
with lions. The coins of Gaza are in conformity probably outweighs the advantages gained.
the Eocene clays, the great flat through which
with the traditions of the connexion between Mr. İ. A. Crowther read a paper On the
the Thames now flows east of Maidenhead, and
Gaza and Minoan Crete-traditions which have
Distribution of the Scattered Röntgen Radiation. '
which, opposite Iver, is 8 miles wide. After the
been confirmed by recent discoveries. We find
Experiments have been made to determine
retreat of the ice, the Wye and Misbourne ex.
evidence of the cult of Minos ; of Io, who is repre- accurately the distribution of the scattered
tended their channels over the fluvioglacial gravel
sented both in human form and as a heifer beside Röntgen radiation round a radiator. It has been
flat, and some other small streams were formed.
the city-goddess; and especially of Marnas, the
found that the radiation can be divided into two
Some New Lower Carboniferous Gasteropoda,'
Cretan zeus (whose Syrian-sounding name is
parts— true scattered radiation, distributed in by Mrs. Jane Longstaff (née Donald). Eight
probably Cretan in origin, and who is worshipped accordance with the usually accepted theory of species of gasteropoda were described, sis being
with an Artemis-like figure representing the
the scattering, and an additional or
regarded as belonging to five new genera or sub-
Cretan Britomartis). A discussion followed, in radiation. The curves representing the distribu- genera, the others representing Pithodea (De
which Mr. Hall, Mr. King, Miss Gertrude Bell,
tion of the latter have been found to resemble Koninck), which has not previously been recorded
Dr. Gaster, Dr. Büchler, Prof. Heckler, Dr.
Hirschfeld, and Sir Arthur Evans took part.
those previously obtained for a parallel pencil from the British or Irish carboniferous limestone.
of B-rays after passing through thin sheets Among others, the shell of Pleurotomaria (Tropi.
of matter.
The constants of the curves have dostropha) griffithi (M'Coy) was described in detail,
been determined for primary rays of different
and the nature of the fine pitting of its external
ROYAL. –March 21. - Sir Archibald Geikie,
President, in the chair. -Lord Rayleigh read a
qualities and for radiators of different materials.
surface discussed.
paper. On the Self-Induction of Electric Currents
As the primary rays become harder the whole
in a Thin Anchor-Ring. '
intensity of the excess radiation for a given
Mr. R. J. Strutt read a paper on 'The After-
radiator becomes less, and the angle with the
ZOOLOGICAL. —March 19. --Mr. S. F. Harmer,
V. -P. , in the chair.
Luminosity of Electric Discharge in Hydro primary beam, at which its intensity reaches a
gen observed by Hertz, Hertz observed that if
Mr. G. Dollman exhibited a monkey, belong-
maximum value, becomes smaller. The intensity
leyden - jar discharges were passed through
of the excess radiation becomes greater as the ing to the rare genus Rhinopithecus, from Tonkin,
hydrogen at a pressure of, say, 100 min. , the gas
atomic weight of the radiator is increased.
which he considered to represent a new species,
remains luminous for a small fraction of a second
Within the limits of the experimental error the
and proposed to call Rhinopithecus avunculus.
afterwards. His method of experimenting was
quality of the radiation is the same as that of Mr. A. R. Duginore gave a lantern exhi-
to allow the gas from the discharge tube to be pro-
the primary beam producing it.
bition of a large number of photographic
jected into anotber vessel by the explosive action Mr. E. 4. Owen read a paper on 'The Passage studies of wild animals in British East Africa
of Homogeneous Röntgen Rays through Gases.
and Newfoundland.
of the discharge. The after-luminosity was in
The beautiful series of
this way isolated from the discharge and observed
Mr. J. C. Chapman read a paper on Fluo- ! pictures was briefly described by Mr. Dugmore,
in the auxiliary vessel.
rescent Röntgen Radiation from Elements of
who dwelt particularly on the advantage to be
Hertz did not succeed in determining the exact
High Atomic Weight. '
gained by hunting with the camera.
Mr. J. A. Gray read a paper on 'The Nature of
Mr. E. W. Shann read
conditions for obtaining this effect with certainty.
å paper entitled
'Observations on some Alcyonaria from Singa-
It was stated by Mr. Strutt that the afterglow 7-Rays excited by B-Rays. ' A determination
shows a sulphur spectrum-that developed in
has been made of the relative amount of emergent
pore, with a Brief Discussion on the Classification
the flaine of burning carbon disulphide, or,
and incident y-radiation excited in “radiators
of the Family Nephthyidæ': and Mr. T. H. Withers
better, by sulphur vapour in a stream of active
of different thicknesses and different materials.
on 'Some Early Fossil Cirripedes of the
nitrogen.
Results of the experiments aro : (1) The emergent
Genus Scalpellum. '
By cooling, an annexe to the apparatus in
g-radiation is generally greater in amount than
liquid air the blue glow disappears, and is restored
the incident radiation, and is more penetrating. HISTORICAL. —March 21. -The Ven. Archdeacon
on heating up. The constituent responsible for 2) The ratio of emergent to incident y-radiation Cunningham, President, in the chair. --A paper
it has been frozen out in this treatment, and the is greater, for radiators of the same material, was read by Mr. B. K. Henderson on The
pure hydrogen remaining gives no afterglow the thinner the radiator ; for radiators of different Commonwealth Charters to the Towns. ' Mr.
whatever.
inaterials thick enough to stop the B-rays, the Henderson showed that the Protectorate re-
It is concluded, therefore, that Hertz's effect lower the atoinic weight of the radiator. (3) modelled the corporations to put a party favour-
is due to the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen The results obtained point to the conclusion that able to the existing Government into power,
excESS
one
## p. 369 (#283) ############################################
No. 4405, MARCH 30, 1912
369
THE ATHENÆUM
6
MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
Jox. Society of Engineers, 7. 30. –Ligno-Concrete,' Mr. G. 0. Onge.
Aristotelian, 8. –Symposium : The Time Difficulty in Realist
Theories of Perception,' Dr. W. Brown and others.
Institute of British Architects, 8. -'Art Museums and Picture
Galleries,' Mr. E T. Hall.
Society of Arts, 8. -'Materials and Methods of Decorative
Painting. ' Lecture III, Mr. N. Heaton. Cantor Lecture. )
Geographical, 8. 30. - The Mountains of Northern Sikkim and
Garhwal,' Mr. A. M. Kellas.
of Water to the City of Birmingham from Mid-Wales,'
Messrs. E. L. and W. L. Mansergh.
Zoological, 8. 30.
WED. Entomological, 8.
much on the same lines as thoso followed after-
wards by Charles II. and James II. , principally
to secure election to Parliament of well-affected
Science Gossip.
FINE ARTS
members for the borougbs.
Prof. T. N. Mathur of Agra was declared
elected a Fellow. Mr. J. W. Fortescue, King's
M. DANIEL BERTHELOT, the distinguished
Librarian at Windsor, had been co-opted as a son of a distinguished father, has just The Heroic Age. By H. Munro Chadwick.
meinber of the Council.
published a lecture delivered by him to
the Société de Pathologie comparée upon
(Cambridge University Press. )
MALONE. - March 20. --Annual Meeting. --Mr.
* The Physiological Effect of the Ultra-
E. K. Chambers, President, in the chair. - Violet Rays. ' In its course he had to tell This important book is a careful and
The Report on the Society's work for 1911 was the sad story of Dr. Billon - Daguerre, learned study of a certain stage through
adopted, and the officers were re-elected for the nephew of the inventor of photography, which several Indo-European races seem
ensuing year. The Report showed that the Society who suddenly lost the sight of one eye to have passed, though at periods differing
in 1907 of printing five plays and one part of while looking at a mercury-vapour lamp
as widely as 1,500 years. Mr. Chadwick
Collections (notes on the publications, dramatic without glasses. M. Berthelot showed with calls it the Heroic Age, owing to the
The five parts of Collections now issued are pro: activity of the ultra-violet rays is their peculiar literature it has in each case
vided with an index and title-page, and it is not extraordinarily high temperature, which, produced, and the social conditions de-
Society's yearly output. The list of publications given off by the mercury-vapour lamp,
in place of which a sixth play will appear in the according to him, is, in the case of those scribed in that literature. He thinks
that, had these analogous literatures been
for 1911 is Apius and Virginia,' 4to, 1575 ; greater than that of the sun. It is to this the echo of the beliefs common to the
* Edward I. ,' 4to, 1593 ; George a Green, 4to, that he attributes both their microbicide
1599 ;
Cæsar's Revenge,' 4to (1607); and 'Sir
race before its separation by migrations,
Thomas More," from Ms. 'Harl. 7368 ; 'ånd Collec- and their vivifying properties, as shown in there could not have been so wide à
tions, vol. i. part iv. (held over from 1910) and v. their action on the growth of plants. As he
The list of plays to be printed in 1912 is: The says, we have not yet succeeded in producing Ages as that of the Greeks and of the
severance in the dates of such Heroic
Two Angry Women of Abingdon;', 4to, 1599 : colouring matter, which plants produce
Teutons. He also observes that all
The Weakest Goeth to the Wall,' 4to, 1600 ;
Wily Beguiled,' 4to, 1606 ; Englishmen for every day in the sun's light, and, when we can branches of the race do not afford evidence
My Money, 4to, 1610 ; and two plays on Christ's do so, the problem of the chemical basis of life of it. Thus the Lithuanians show no
Resurrection, from a private MS.
will be advanced a long step towards solution. trace of it, so far as we know. He tells
*** We hold over various reports till next week.
That plants contain ferments and other
us this, but omits any imilar remark
matters acting as catalysere able to reduce regarding the Latin branch. Is there
changes brought about by them is, as he the same absence here, or is it in some
says, probable; and thus, he thinks, the respect supplied by the legends of the
rays which cause death to lower organisms early kings of Rome? It is perhaps too
may prove our guide to the mysteries of life. exacting to expect him to cover the whole
PROF. J. KÖNIGSBERGER has lately made field, but when a comparative study is
Tues. Institution of Civil Engineers, 8. – The Works for the Supply
researches into the connexion of the electron announced, we feel ourselves justified in
with chemical affinity, and decides that it demanding at least a page to tell us why
possesses two sorts of affinity with regard a leading branch of the race makes
to the atom. One of these, which he calls
no figure in the book.
external affinity, is determined by the
When we come to the Celtic branch,
electrostatic attraction acting at a great
the omission is even clearer. He gives
ANTHROPOMETRIC LABORATORIES. distance, and the other, which he names
DR. VENN of Cambridge has written to us
internal affinity, is the electro-chemical
us a few pages on the heroic poems of
with reference to the paragraph in our
one excited within the atom by electric the Welsh, but regarding the Irish he
Science Gossip’ of the Ith inst. recording the vapours of sodium
and mercury, which that most of their records have reached
forces. Thus he accounts for the fact that excuses himself by saying in one place
the establishment of the Anthropometric give off no electrons, are virtually non-
Laboratory at Oxford. He says that
us in a prose form—which is no proper
conducting. This internal affinity, he
“just twenty-five years ago a similar scheme was
started at Cambridge by the late Francis Galton. negative ions in the canal-rays under certain and controversy that he must leave it
thinks, is also shown in the production of that the subject is so full of difficulty
reason for ignoring them—and in another
time to time. As long ago as March 13th, 1890. conditions.
an article appeared in Nature containing a careful
to the specialists. That is exactly what
analysis of some 3,000 cases taken from our
The phenomena supposed to be exhi.
students here. This contained, in particular, bited by the divining-rod, lately inves.
a comparative study should not do.
an elaborate investigation of the correlation, so tigated in this country by Prof. Barrett, The specialists are sure to take narrow
far as this could be determined, between mental have now been seriously tested in German views; it is from, such broad students as
and physical capacity. '
South-West Africa, where something like Mr. Chadwick that we hope for light.
Our belief is that the late Sir Francis 800 experiments were made with it in search We notice that he includes Servian
Galton first proposed an anthropometric of water, about 80 per cent of these being heroic poetry, on which he does not claim
laboratory in an article in The Fortnightly súccessful. It has also been used with to be an expert. The Irish Aryans stand
Review 1882, and from 1884 to success in Hanover to indicate the presence,
1891 maintained, at his own expense, such or otherwise, of veins of salts of potash in
so independent in language from both
a laboratory in connexion with the exhibi. the soil. The Ministry of A
lture in
Greeks and Teutons, and are
tions at South Kensington.
France has appointed å departmental com- portant in the likenesses and contrasts
After Galton's laboratory was closed, no mittee to make similar experiments.
their literature shows to either, that we
attempt was made to replace it until 1909,
A CANADIAN
William
cannot but regret keenly that the author
when
the Royal Anthropological Institute Barnes Fotheringham of Montreal, has nearly did not delay his work for a year or two and
exhibition at Shepherd's Bush. This bureau completed for publication a work entitled include this branch of his subject. For
* The Human Face: a Study of Physio- comparative purposes he need hardly
was continued at subsequent exhibitions in
1910 and 1911, under the direction of Mr. I gnomical Varieties. . The author classifies have been expected to learn Old Irish”;
John Gray, the Treasurer of the Royal of face, and explains in detail, with numerous
upwards of seventy distinct structural types and the famous prose version of Ossian
Anthropological Institute. A considerable
has surely been sufficiently sifted to
number of measurements of the cranium photographs and drawings, the physiological show him what was genuinely old and
and body were made, and also mental
for variation from the Hellenic
standard.
