Societies and Academies

Abstract

PARIS. Academy of Sciences, August 22.—M. Léon Guignard in the chair.—J. K. de Feriet: Hypergeometric functions of higher order with two variables.—R. Serville: The tangential and radial resistance of a turning body. Application to the isochronism of the conical pendulum by a central force.—K. Ogura: The movement of a particle in the field of a charged nucleus.—St. Procopiu: The depolarisation of light by liquids holding crystalline particles in suspension. Depolarisation is practically nil for pure liquids, very small for non-crystalliae suspensions or for substances crystallising in the cubic system, and large for doubly refracting suspensions. A solution of ferric chloride is strongly depolarising, suggesting that the colloidal particles are crystalline and doubly refracting.—P. Dejean: The transformation of iron at the Curie point. From the experiments described it is concluded that the apparent discontinuity produced in the magnetic qualities at the Curie point can be explained by a continuous action, either the progressive transformation of an α form into a β form, or, more simply, the progressive separation of the elementary magnets by the gradual rise of temperature.—M. Bridel and Mile. Marie Braecke: The presence of a glucoside hydrolysable by emulsin in two species of the genus Melampyrum. These plants blacken on drying, and this is shown to be due to the presence of a glucoside. This glucoside, on hydrolysis, gives a black insoluble substance. It is possible that the glucoside is aucubine.—M. Bezssonoff: The antiscorbutic principle in potato-juice extracted in presence of acids. The juice extracted from potatoes by pressure possesses a very small antiscorbutic action. As it was thought probable that the antiscorbutic principle might under these conditions have been destroyed by laccase, a small proportion of citric acid was incorporated with the potato before applying pressure. The acidity in the juice thus obtained was sufficient to inhibit the oxidising action of the laccase, and it was found that the antiscorbutic action of this expressed potato-juice was much higher than that expressed without the addition of acid.—J. Mascart: Weather forecasts for long periods.—J. Politis: The rdle of the chondriome in the defence of the plant against parasitic invasion.—H. Ricome: The orientation of the stem.—St. Jonesco: Anthocyanidines in the free state in the flowers and red leaves of some plants. Proof that this red pigment exists in the free state in red organs of plants.—A. Kozlowski: Saponarine in Mnium cuspidatum.