a lecturer. Now the University and citizens of Padua desire to celebrate the tercentenary of the day on which he delivered his first lecture.

When elected by the Venetian Republic to the Chair of Mathematics on September 26, 1592, he asked to be permitted to delay the beginning of his lectures in order to prepare his inaugural oration, and to attend to some domestic duties which required his presence in the country; thus it was December 7 when he first occupied the professorial chair. This date is confirmed by a letter, written from Padua to Tycho Brahe, and published by the latter in his celebrated "Astronomia Instauratæ Mechanica,” and Galileo's chair is amongst the most precious relics preserved by the ancient and famous University. A week later he began regular lectures, which he continued to give for eighteen years.

In the ancient archives of the University the rolls of the time when Galileo taught are in a great measure preserved, and from these we learn that, in accordance with what was prescribed by the statutes, he alternated astronomical teaching with that of Euclid and the mechanical questions of Aristotle.

The didactic activity of Galileo was not altogether confined to public teaching; it was extended, in conformity with the prescriptions of the statutes, to private teaching. How much influence he exercised in this manner is easily seen from his autographic records which have come down to us. The importance of these private lessons will appear all the greater when we reflect that they dealt not only with the subjects discussed in public, but with matters connected therewith. From contemporary documents we perceive with what precision all such subjects were taught by Galileo: the use of the geometrical and military compass, fortifications, Euclid, perspective, mechanics, geography, arithmetic, geodesy, and cosmography. As to the students, they were for the most part foreigners, namely, Poles, Germans, Danes, French,and Flemings. In the lists of private scholars we find an "illustrious Englishman "very probably Richard Willoughby, who was vicar of the University of Law and Councillor of the English nation. In his honour a stone on the wall of the University is still preserved, and, a still greater honour, a copy of the famous "Difesa " is dedicated to him with Galileo's autograph. Two Scots should also be particularly mentioned as amongst Galileo's pupils; these were John Wodderborn, who wrote a confutation of the libel of Horky against Galileo, and dedicated it to_Henry Wotton, the English ambassador at Venice; also Thomas Segget, Councillor of the Scots nation, in whose "Album Amicorum," now in the Vatican library, there is also an autograph of the great philosopher. It was Seggett who received from Kepler a copy of Galileo's "Sidereus Nuncius," and who in the appendix to the "Narratio" of the same Kepler published the epigrams containing the famous "Vicisti Galilaee."

Besides the ordinary public and private lectures, Galileo held in the University some special public lectures, of which we may mention those upon the new star of October, 1604, and those in which he announced his astronomical discoveries.

ness;

in which he showed the greatest scientific fertility, and in which he prepared the way for all his future labours. We have now reached the completion of the three centuries since Galileo began his teaching in Padua, and the University naturally considers that the anniversary should not be allowed to pass without honourable notice.

Every one tried to render Galileo's stay in Padua as pleasant to him as possible. His freedom in teaching was absolutely complete, and the strong arm of the Venetian Republic defended the professors of the University from the power of Rome. In Padua, from the first, Galileo was received with the greatest kindhe found many faithful friends both in Paduan society and among the Venetian patricians. His salary was repeatedly increased, so that, after the presentation of the telescope, it rose to thrice the amount Conceded to his predecessors. Galileo came to Padua at the age of twenty-eight and remained there during the eighteen years which were the best of his life, those

It is fitting that a celebration relating to the work of a man of science of the highest rank should have a truly national character. The King of Italy has therefore associated himself with the movement; and the Universities, the polytechnic institutions, and the most celebrated academies of the world have been invited to send delegates. Already the Universities have in great number responded to the appeal. Mr. J. Norman Lockyer will represent the Royal Society of London, and Mr. George Howard Darwin the University of Cambridge.

As once scholars from every part of Europe came to Padua to hear the celebrated master, so now from every part of Europe the most celebrated come to honour his memory. ANTONIO FAVARO (Director of the National Edition of Galileo's Works).

A NEW METHOD OF TREATMENT FOR CHOLERA.

IN

N the Times of the 18th inst. there appears an account of a new method of treatment for cholera which, should it ultimately be proved to be founded on accurate observation and well-authenticated cases, gives results seldom, if ever, obtained by any other method during the height of a cholera epidemic. Before criticizing this new method let us see what are its essential features.

In cholera there are two main, and evidently different, indications for treatment: it is usually maintained that the primary etiological factor in the disease is the Comma" bacillus, which under certain conditions is enabled to live and multiply in the human intestine. There, living as an anaerobic organism, it thrives especially well if, through inflammatory reaction, certain of the albuminous constituents of the blood and lymph are From or in this favourthrown into the intestinal tract. able culture medium it is enabled to produce a most virulent and readily diffusible poison, which has not only a powerful local action, but also a power common to these micro-organismal poisonous products, of acting on the nerve centres. In this way, so long as the bacillus remains alive, the supply of exudation into the intestine is kept up by the local irritant action of the poison, this being accompanied by a rapid abstraction from the blood of its watery elements, and at the same time a supply toxine" is maintained and diffused of the powerful throughout the body. Except in very severe cases, where the paralyzing effect of the toxine on the individual cells of the tissues is extremely rapid and well marked, an effort is made by these cells to destroy the bacilli and by the special secretory cells of the intestine, kidney, and other excretory organs to eject this poison from the body. Not only so, but if the poison can, like the bacillus, be confined to, and eliminated directly from the intestine, the bacillus soon becomes unable to live, and as it multiplies and produces its toxines it is killed off by the various agencies that are conspiring to destroy it.

Up to the present all conceivable methods of treatment have been tried, and almost every drug has been pressed into the attack on cholera, but the most successful and rational attempts have been those in which the destruction of the bacillus and its poison have been aimed at, especially if this has been accompanied by the use of means for promoting the rapid secretion

and excretion of the poison from the body. Here as in the specific infective diseases generally our want is an antiseptic that will help to kill bacteria, directly or indirectly, and that will not damage, but will even give healthy stimulation to the tissue cells.

In this new method of treatment it appears to be claimed that in certain periodate salts we have substances which act not only on the bacillus (as bactericides) in the alimentary canal, but also directly on the "toxines," bringing about their oxidation into less complex and more stable non-poisonous substances, which can be readily excreted by the kidneys, or may be got rid of directly from the intestineal tract. It is also claimed, but apparently with very little reason, that the periodate salts have some direct action on the nerves; this, however, is mere conjecture, and the arguments offered in support of this hypothesis are far from convincing. In the Times article it is stated that "there are two principal drugs employed the crystals of periodate" (of what?) "which are powdered, and a periodate of iron. The last-named is used in such cases as demand an extra strong nerve or cardiac stimulant treatment, and where there are severe neuralgic symptoms. The first is used in several ways: first as a powder to disinfect the alimentary tract; second as a plain water solution, prepared by boiling copiously, and used as a beverage by patients to wash out the stomach in severe vomiting, which abates as soon as the walls of the stomach begin to absorb the fluid, whereby the nervous energy is stimulated, in from two minutes to an hour or two; for transfusion under the skin, and, in cases of collapse, into a vein, for restoration of the suspended circulation of the blood; third, an acid solution of the powdered crystals of much greater strength than the plain watery preparation is found to stimulate the liver and kidney and gall bladder, promoting a free secretion of bile."

It is supposed that by this treatment the body is flushed and sweetened as it were, and so far the treatment would be rational enough could it be thoroughly carried out. Far greater reliance might have been placed on the evidence put forward had the initiator of this treatment been content to place on record facts, instead of attempting to formulate a theory for every thing, as his theories whilst giving evidence of his undoubted enthusiasm, indicate only too plainly that where he gets beyond the use of the test tube he is compelled to draw largely on his imagination for many of his facts and most of his explanations. As regards the percentage of recoveries mentioned, it must be remembered that towards the end of an epidemic the fatal cases always form a much smaller proportion of the total cases than during the earlier stages of the outbreak. The people most susceptible to the attack of the disease, i.e. those with damaged hearts, kidneys, and lungs, have already succumbed, the weaklings have been cleared out of the way, and but the fittest and comparatively well-nourished remain. Attempts have been made to ameliorate the wretched surroundings of those most prone to take the disease; the poor are better fed and better able to withstand the ravages of the cholera organism; the "cholera fright," at first a most potent factor in the preparation of patients for cholera, has to some extent subsided; the cases are not only much less numerous, but they are of a milder type and a less fatal character. Then, too, after the first few batches of patients come in (amongst which the mortality is always extremely high) there ensues a kind of panic amongst the authorities, and the treatment consists of little more than placing the patient in a ward along with others suffering from the same disease, in order to get them away from their healthy companions; other treatment is for long of the most meag e description, and it is only when hygienic conditions have been improved, mode of transport organized, and hospital accommodation arranged that the

medical authorities have time to devote to the treatment, of individual patients. As soon as patients do obtain such individual treatment and attention the percentage of fatal cases rapidly declines

These periodates, analogous salts to the chlorates, are apparently the direct heirs to the qualities that at one time were ascribed to the chlorates, for which it was claimed that they had great power of supplying oxygen for the transformation of poisonous products in the body. It was found, however, that these chlorates when administered in large doses made their appearance in the secretions in a very slightly altered condition; not only so, but they exerted an exceedingly deleterious effect on the blood, reducing the hæmoglobin to methæmoglobin, and stopping the respiration and bringing about a fall of the blood pressure to zero. This periodate, which is apparently extremely insoluble except in acids, may be tolerated in small doses, but its physiological action, especially when administered in large doses, can scarcely yet have been studied.

As to the action on the kidneys through the nervous system, we have as yet little or no evidence that there is any direct action of the nerves on the secretion by the kidneys except through the vaso-motor system. It is usually maintained that the suppression of urine cholera is due primarily to the extremely low genera blood-pressure owing to the rapid abstraction of the fluid elements of the blood brought about by the passage of watery stools, but also in part to the irritative action on the secreting cells of the kidney of the cholera toxines, as a result of which secretion is more or less paralyzed. I order to overcome this stoppage of excretion by the kid neys, the practice of injecting warm normal saline solution has in recent epidemics been practised with some success, especially when boldly and repeatedly carried out. This treatment has the additional advantage that it not only supplies fluid to the parched tissues, but also increases the volume of blood on which the heart may contract and helps to wash away the specific poison. It is utilized to a very great extent in the new method described in the Times, but whether the periodates are better than common salt as a substance with which to raise the specific gravity of the warm water, yet remains to be determined. As yet the details supplied are far too meagre to allow of any definite opinion as to the value of this periodate treatment being arrived at.

It is fortunate that we have no cholera epidemic with us at present, otherwise we should have a right to complain that the Times has been made the medium through which what must be a very imperfect--and certainly from a physiological point of view-incorrect theory, has been presented to the public, and it will be well to await the exact accounts of those who have been entrusted with the carrying out of the treatment in the wards of the Seamen's Hospital, and the results of fuller chemical physiological, and therapeutic experiments, minutely detailed and recorded, before we allow ourselves to be buoyed up by hopes which, previous experience has taught us to fear, may be very summarily and completely dashed. We hope that we may have no opportunity of testing the value of this new treatment in England, but there is too much reason to fear that, abroad, oppor tunities in abundance will be afforded during next spring and summer.

How much of the success obtained in Hamburg is to be ascribed to the factors above mentioned, and how much to the careful treatment and nursing of confident medica men, inspired by the enthusiasm of the "inventor" or promoter of the "periodates," it is difficult to say, and we shall await with interest, but with well disciplined and chastened expectation, the report of the German doctors mentioned in the Times on the results of their observations.

NOTES.

MR. W. H. PREECE, F. R.S., has been appointed engineerin-chief and electrician to the Post Office.

A CIVIL LIST pension of £75 per annum has been granted to Mrs. Dittmar, widow of Dr. William Dittmar, F. R.S., Proessor of Chemistry in Anderson's College, Glasgow, in consideration of her husband's distinguished services.

THE Linnean Society, at its ordinary meeting on the 17th inst., adopted an address of congratulation to the Rev. Leonard Blomefield on the completion of the seventieth year of his Fellowship of the Society, he being the father of the Society, having joined it on November 19, 1822, and being how in the ninety-third year of his age. At the time when Mr. Blomefield (then Jenyns) became a Fellow of the Linnean Society, it was still under the presidency of its first President, Sir J. E. Smith; he was also an original Fellow of the Zooogical Society, and is one of four survivors of the founders of he Entomological Society. He joined the British Association n the second year of its existence. Mr. Blomefield was Mr. Darwin's senior at Cambridge, was closely associated with him n his zoological researches until Mr. Darwin's death, and was ɔne of his most frequent correspondents. His early bias towards the study of nature was due to his reading White's "Natural History of Selborne" while at Eton. This was then a very scarce book. Having borrowed a copy of it from a riend, being uncertain whether he should ever see it again, he copied the whole of it in manuscript with his own hand. The address of congratulation was moved by Sir William H. Flower, econded by Mr. St. George Mivart, and acknowledged by the Rev. Geo. Henslow, a nephew of Mr. Blomefield.

THE following gentlemen have been appointed to form the Fishery Board for Scotland :-Mr. Peter Esslemont is Chairman, he other members being Mr. John Guthrie Smith, Sheriff of Aberdeen, Kincardine, and Banff; Mr. George H. Thoms, Sheriff of Caithness, Orkney, and Shetland; Mr. Dugald M'Kechnie, Sheriff of Argyle; Mr. William Boyd, solicitor, Peterhead; Mr. James Johnston, fish-curer, Montrose; Mr. William Anderson Smith, Ledaig; Professor Mackintosh, St. Andrews; and Mr. J. Ritchie Welch, St. Andrews.

THE Royal Microscopical Society will hold a conversazione n the Banqueting Saloon, St. James's Hall Restaurant, on Vednesday, November 30, at 8 p.m.

THE annual dinner of the Institution of Electrical Engineers was held on Friday evening at the Criterion. The president, rof. W. E. Ayrton, F.R.S., was in the chair. Responding to he toast of the Learned Societies (proposed by the chairman à a humorous speech), Prof. G. F. Fitzgerald said that learned ocieties were never more flourishing than they were now. The -operation of theory and practice had been the fruitful parent nearly all the advances of the present generation. We had ch enormous stores of energy at our service that almost measurable prospects were open for the material improvement man's estate. Mr. Latimer Clark (past president) proposed The Engineering Societies." He said these societies were in nger of being overlooked. They first perfected the steamgine, then improved manufacturing implements, then the -am-boat. The engineering societies had done much more to omote the great prosperity of this country than the politicians o had so wickedly usurped the greater part of the credit. W. Anderson responded. The Chairman then proposed Our Guests," with which he joined the name of Mr. Mundella, esident of the Board of Trade, who exercised a sort of

was to

parental supervision over them all. No doubt sometimes there was a little disposition to grumble, as children did occasionally, at the form in which that fatherly affection displayed itself But, whatever their feelings about the Board of Trade, there was no doubt about their feelings with respect to its president. Mr. Mundella, in response, said that, whatever grievances the engineers might have against the politicians, his withers were unwrung. The Board of Trade might have given the electrical engineers some trouble: if so, it was not due to him. Mr. Latimer Clark had complained of the appropriation of all the credit of material progress by the politicians. Let them halve the difference. The politicians had, at all events, appointed Dr. Anderson. He was speaking to a comparatively young institution, but it one which was growing more and more and would advance to still greater degrees of greatThe Board of Trade owed much to the electrical engineers, who had devised systems and methods of the utmost value. He believed we were now at the outset of a great advance in the science of electric lighting. Progress would be assured when they could assure shareholders of a reasonable dividend. Two millions had already been expended in the metropolis, and we might soon hope to overtake the United States and Continental countries, which were, he feared, still to some extent in advance of ourselves. The Board of Trade had no desire to hamper the progress of electricity by needless rules, and hoped that in this, as in all other branches, science would go on its beneficent course untrammelled by any unnecessary regulations. Sir James Sivewright, Commissioner of Public Works, Cape Colony, proposed "The Institution of Electrical Engineers," to which the president briefly responded.

ness.

WE print elsewhere an abstract of a most interesting paper on stability and instability of viscous liquids, read before the Royal Society, by Mr. A. B. Basset. It presents in a new way the various problems involved in the calming effect of oil poured on troubled waters.

PROF. J. E. HUMPHREY, of the Massachusetts Agricultura Experiment Station, is about to visit Jamaica for the purpose of making a study of the algae and fungi of that island.

THE weather during the past week has, upon the whole, considerably improved; it has been mostly fine in the southern and eastern parts of the kingdom, but less settled in the west and north. Temperature has been decidedly lower, and over the central and eastern parts of England sharp frosts have been experienced. The distribution of pressure has been generally cyclonic over these islands, but over the west of Europe the anticyclonic has still held its ground. The eastern portion of England has been brought under the influence of both high and low pressure systems, being situated about mid-way between the cyclones which have skirted our western coast, and the anticyclone over western Europe. These conditions were accompanied by very quiet weather, with a good deal of local fog. On Sunday a depression, which passed along the Irish coast, caused southerly gales on that and following days in the south of Ireland and the English Channel, with very heavy rainfall in Ireland; the amount measured at Roche's Point on Monday and Tuesday mornings was nearly 2.5 inches. Towards the close of the period the European anticyclone was spreading westwards, and the barometer was high and uniform over Great Britain. For the week ended the 19th instant the official reports show that the rainfall was considerably in excess of the average over Ireland and the south of England. From the beginning of the year the deficiency in the latter district is 2'3 inches, and in the south-west of England 84 inches, or more than 23 per cent. of the average amount. Bright sunshine was

as

66

south of the 50th parallel.

SEVERAL shocks of earthquake have been felt lately in the island of Ponza. On the evening of November 16, according to a Reuter's telegram, the walls of several houses were slightly cracked by one of these shocks, which was accompanied by subterranean rumblings. No one was hurt, but alarm spread rapidly among the inhabitants, half of whom took refuge on small vessels lying along the coast, while the remainder encamped on the

beach.

THE Age-Herald of Birmingham, Alabama, gave on October

28 an account of a great meteor which had been seen on the previous day to pass over that city and disappear in a south

westerly direction. We learn from the Mobile Daily Register

of October 29 that at Gadsden a brilliant meteor was seen at the same time, that is, between five and six o'clock on the afternoon of October 27. It passed near the zenith. Two young

men employed in the Daily Register office at Mobile saw at the same hour in the afternoon a bright meteor in the north-west. It was about 45° above the horizon. When it neared the western horizon it exploded like a sky rocket.

A MALE gorilla (Gorilla gina) has lately been acquired by the Berlin Aquarium. He is larger than any gorilla that has yet been brought to Europe. He is supposed to be eight or nine years old, and was for six years in the possession of a chieftain on the Gaboon. Captain Clarke brought him to England. The Naturwissenschaftliche Wochenschrift-which estimates the value of this "splendid animal" as not less than 10,000 marks-says he has not yet shown any very friendly feeling

for man.

It appears from a report issued by the Board of Trade that the examinations and comparisons of the Parliamentary copies of the Imperial standards show that no measurable change has taken place in the length of the Imperial standard of measure. The Imperial standard pound weight appears, however, by comparison with the Parliamentary copies of the Imperial standard pound, to have decreased in weight since it was restored and legalized by the Standards Act of 1855. The amount of diminution in the weight of the Imperial standard pound would not be appreciable in trade, and had probably arisen before the year 1872, but the Board of Trade are taking into consideration the question of restoring this standard in the manner provided by Section 6 of the Act of 1878.

THE South Australian Government has issued a full report of the proceedings of the Rust in Wheat Conference during its

third session, held in March of the present year. Amer resolutions adopted by the Conference was one to the that a practical system for the production and distrils ↑ rust-resisting wheats suitable to different districts should b mediately established, and that this system—subject to fications needed by each colony-should be conducted following lines:-A central station for each colony for the

liminary testing of new wheats introduced into the col the production of new varieties by cross-fertilization z selection, and for the distribution of suitable what obtained to representative districts of the colony, to be subjected to a sufficient test, and, if necessary, fixed in characters by farmers and others competent for the warthat such wheats as pass satisfactorily this test should h distributed to the farmers around in such a manner and by agency as would be most suitable to the conditions a colony. The Conference will meet at Brisbane in 1894 ! hoped that in the meantime the various colonies will pets results of the experiments which are to be carried on an the coming year.

MR. XANTHUS SMITH, a well-known American photogrz has formed a high opinion of some of the work done in ph graphy in England. "There is no doubt," he has lately "that the English photographers excel us Americans in scape photography, and mainly for two reasons, the first their appreciation of atmospheric effects, which is no duch result of their moist climate; and second, the extreme which they are willing to take in order to secure an effe picture." The Photographic News considers it quite a e fort to record a statement like this, not because it praises Ea work, but because it acknowledges the pictorial effect obtainable from a misty atmosphere." "Those who are ign of the subject," adds our contemporary, "invariably creat alleged superiority of foreign photographs to the greater of

ness of the atmosphere which is supposed to prevail outside confines of Great Britain."

AN interesting case of a wild rabbit living in an almost condition is recorded by Helen J. Murray in the current n of Nature Notes, the Selborne Society's magazine. Mrs a fisherman's wife, living in a hut between Ardnahein Farm the mouth of Loch Goil, deserves the credit of having ac this result. The rabbit was brought in when very young cat, and reared by Mrs. Paul, from whose hand it still fe It now spends part of its time in the woods, and part on the sloping roof of the hut among the pigeons, or at the door in the fowls. It is shy in the presence of strangers, but friendly to the fisherman's wife.

It seems that since the appearance of the Russians at Tah a beginning has been made there in the cultivation of the kinds of tobacco. According to the Journal of the Conte nople Chamber of Commerce, quoted in the Board of To Journal, first trials were made by a commercial firm tra

between Persia and China. The satisfactory result of this ca vation, due to the favourable atmospheric conditions and to → fruitful qualities of the soil, attracted many Russian imit and very soon the native population followed their example, that the area of land devoted to the cultivation of tobacco comprises sixty-three deciatines, and it is expected that 1: * not stop at that point.

THE new number of L'Anthropologie contains an interst article by M. Emile Cartailhac, on the Stone Age in Egyps is the first of a series of papers on the stone age in Ar English readers will be glad to see that in this instalmer: Cartailhac does ample justice to some of the discoveries of Flinders Petrie, the value of whose work has also been

recognized lately in the German periodical 'Globus. Another good paper in L'Anthropologie, by M. Louis Siret, deals with the end of the Neolithic epoch in Spain.

PROF. MCINTOSH's paper on the Scottish Fisheries, to which we referred at the time it was read at the Edinburgh meeting of the British Association, has now been issued as a pamphlet by Messrs. John Leng and Co., Dundee. The paper presents a clear and interesting account of the Scottish Fisheries, chiefly in their scientific aspects, during the decade 1882-92.

46

THE Cartwright Lectures, 1892, delivered by Dr. Henry F. Osborn, Professor of Biology in Columbia College, have been reprinted from the American Medical Record. They deal with present problems in evolution and heredity." In the first lecture Prof. Osborn discusses the contemporary evolution of man; in the second, difficulties in the heredity theory; in the third, heredity and the germ cells.

THE Kansas University has started a "Quarterly," which is to be maintained as a medium for the publication of the results of original research by members of the University. In the second number, which we have just received, Mr. E. H. S. - Bailey has an interesting paper on the Great Spirit Spring Mound. The Great Spirit Spring is in Mitchell county, Kansas, on a conical limestone mound 42 feet high, and 150 feet in diameter at the top. The pool itself is a nearly circular lake about 50 feet in diameter, 35 feet deep, and the water rises to within a few inches of the top of the basin. There is a level space on all sides of the spring so wide that a carriage can be readily driven round it. Within about 200 feet of the mound is a limestone bluff, which rises perhaps 20 feet above the level of the spring. Mr. Bailey suggests that the mound may have been made by successive deposits from the spring. Although the mound is plainly stratified, this need not, he thinks, interfere with his theory, as the water may have been intermittent in its flow. The rock is very porous, and on being ground to a thin section is shown to be concretionary in structure. It is of just such a character as might have been built up by deposition from the water, as it contains the least soluble constituents of the water. The process of solidification would be assisted by the silica in the water, forming insoluble cementing silicates. An analysis given by Mr. Bailey shows that there is abundant silica in the water for this purpose.

A PAPER presenting a revision of the species of Coryphodon, by Charles Earle, printed originally in a Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (vol. iv., No. 1), has now been issued separately. The recent expedition sent out by the American Museum of Natural History to the Bad Lands of the Wahsatch formation of Wyoming was successful in procuring some valuable Coryphodon material. The entire collection was placed in Mr. Earle's hands for identification and study. He has been surprised by the large number of species which have been proposed, and finds upon studying and comparing the ypes that a great reduction in the number of species should be nade.

WITH a view to determining the phylogenetic position of ammalian hair, Herr Maurer has recently been studying the ense organs of the skin, feathers, and hairs, and their mutual -lations (Morph. Jahrb.). His researches render more evident e profound difference that exists, both in early development ad in later behaviour, between mammalian hair and feathers. orphologically, they are to be regarded as quite different Are the hairs, then, sui generis, or may they be brought relation with other epidermis-forms? From studying the wer vertebrates, Herr Maurer considers that the skin sense gans of amphibia afford the ground on which hairs are de. oped. The complex relations of the root sheath of the hair

gans.

allow thus of an easy explanation. Further, as to the relation of mammalia to other vertebrate groups, as indicated by forms of integument, Herr Maurer is of opinion that mammals become separated from Sauropsida and draw closer to amphibians, thus confirming a view based on other points of organization.

FLUORSULPHONIC ACID, SO,(OH)F, has been isolated by Prof. Thorpe and Mr. Walter Kirman in the laboratory of the Royal College of Science, South Kensington, and an account of their experiments was given at the opening meeting of the Chemical Society, held last Thursday evening. When liquid hydrogen fluoride is brought into contact with sulphur trioxide a violent reaction occurs. The product of this reaction, provided any great rise of temperature is prevented by extraneous cooling, is now shown to be fluorsulphonic acid, a liquid behaving in many respects like the chlorosulphonic acid, SO2(OH)Cl, discovered by Prof. Williamson. The preparation of fluorsulphonic acid was effected in the following manner :-A quantity of sulphur trioxide was first distilled from a glass apparatus into the receiver of a distillation apparatus constructed entirely of platinum. A quantity of the anhydrous double fluoride of hydrogen and potassium, HF. KF, more than sufficient to furnish enough hydrogen fluoride to combine with all the sulphur trioxide, was then placed in the retort of the latter apparatus, and the retort connected with a long condensing tube surrounded by a freezing mixture of ice and crystallized calcium chloride. The receiver containing the sulphur trioxide was finally adjusted to the condensing tube, and was likewise surrounded by a similar freezing mixture. Upon heating the retort the double fluoride of hydrogen and potassium was dissociated, and pure hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) distilled over into the receiver and reacted with the sulphur trioxide. The excess of hydrogen fluoride was subsequently removed by means of a current of dry carbon dioxide, the receiver and its contents being warmed to a temperature of about 30° during the process. The fluorsulphonic acid thus prepared is a colourless mobile liquid, which possesses an extraordinary affinity for water, reacting, in fact, with that liquid with almost explosive violence. It fumes when exposed to air, and possesses a specific mildly pungent odour quite different from that of hydrofluoric acid. It may be distilled, with but slight decomposition, in a platinum apparatus, its boiling point (corrected) being 162°6. The latter constant was determined by use of a specially constructed platinum distillation apparatus, in the neck of the retort of which was fitted a small platinum tube containing a little mercury, and in which the thermometer was immersed during the process of distillation, in order to protect it from the powerfully corrosive action of the vapour. The error introduced by the use of this arrangement was very slight, and was determined by distilling liquids of known boiling points. Considerable interest is attached to the relatively high boiling point of fluorsulphonic acid, inasmuch as it is several degrees higher than that of chlorosulphonic acid, which boils at 155°3. It would appear as if this fact is in some way connected with the relatively high boiling point of hydrogen fluoride itself (19°), as compared with that of hydrogen chloride, which, as most people are aware, is gaseous down to comparatively low temperatures. The main products of the decomposition which occurs to a slight extent during distillation, are most which probably sulphuric acid and sulphuryl difluoride, SO,F, latter compound Prof. Thorpe and Mr. Kirman shortly hope to isolate by a method similar to that by which Behrend prepared the analogous sulphuryl dichloride, SO,Cl.

THE additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the past week include two Maholi Galagos (Galago maholi) from South Africa, presented by Mr. Luscombe Searelle; a Feline Genet (Genetta felina), a White-eared Scops Owl (Scops leucotis), a Tawny Eagle (Aquila nævioides) from Matabeland, South