or

In the upright pianos of fifty years ago the hammer was hinged on to a vertical rod called the "hopper " sticker," which pulled it back with a variable force, the escapement being below, between the hopper and the key. With a shallow touch in such an instrument it is just possible to avoid bringing the scapement into action, and thus not to hasten the return of the hammer, but the effect is decidedly difficult to produce, and the mechanism has become obsolete owing to its unsatisfactory working.

In modern uprights the hammer is more free, for the escapement is a stage higher, between the hammer and the hopper; a piece of tape passing from the hammer to the hopper exerts an elastic pull on the hammer, assisting gravity in causing the return of the hammer, but only when the key is released.

In the grand piano the hammer is left as independent as possible, so as to ensure rapid repetition; and I have not yet found or read of a horizontal action in which any accessory mechanism can influence the return of the hammer. Therefore in the horizontal piano (and probably in the ideal upright) the hammer at the moment of hitting the wire is an unencumbered projectile, and the variables (1) and (2) are not separable.

It should be remembered that staccato and legato effects are functions, not of the hammer, but of the damper. But after all, the most important element in a good touch is the player's ability to strike the different notes in chord with different intensities. The artist instinctively gives their relative importance to the various notes of a chord as surely as to those of a melody; and this is one of the features which distinguish him from the mere executant or the most perfect player-piano. F. J. ALLEN.

Cambridge, June 10.

A Mechanical Vacuum-Tube Regulator. THE mechanical vacuum-tube regulator, in which the position of a movable glass sheath relatively to the kathode determines the speed of the kathode rays, mentioned in NATURE of June 19 (p. 415) as recently brought before the Cambridge Philosophical Society by Mr. R. Whiddington, is not new, Mr. J. C. M. Stanton, Mr. H. L. T. Wolff, and myself having, in INOS devised a similar arrangement, which is described and illustrated in the discourse which I gave at the Royal Institution in that year.

We had previously shown, in a Royal Society paper read in 1897, that the speed of the kathode rays is increased by diminishing the size of the kathode itself, and what is new and interesting is Mr. Whiddington's discovery that the mechanical regulator operates by reason of the effective size of the kathode being diminished owing to the electrostatic repulsion of the rays by the negatively charged glass sheath. A. A. CAMPBELL SWINTON.

66 Victoria Street, London, S.W., June 20.

The Crossing of Water by Ants.

It may not be new to observers of animal life, but I have been much interested in watching the common house ant here. We have an American fly-trap: the sugar was one day covered with ants, so I placed the trap on a finger-bowl standing in a plate of water. The ants, when they came to the edge of the water, ran round the bowl until convinced there was no way across, and then calmly took to the water," and ran across it by aid of surface tension without getting their feet wet. Having presumably ben home to the nest, they returned for more sugar, rossing in the same way, and this went on regularly, a steady procession crossing the water. JOHN C. WILLIS. Jardim Botanico, Rio de Janeiro, June 4.

ETHNOGRAPHICAL WORKS.1

(1) THIS HIS magnificent monograph of the races of Borneo, by Dr. Hose and Mr. McDougall, illustrated by an unrivalled gallery of artistic views, covering the life of the natives of that island from the swinging-cot to the grave, will be welcomed with enthusiasm by all classes of readers. The ground had indeed to some extent been prepared by the publication in 1896 of Mr. H. Ling Roth's "Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo," which actually contained (i., 37), seventeen years before the appearance of the present work, a "List of Tribes in Borneo," specially prepared by Dr. Charles Hose.

The book before us is a singularly happy example of joint authorship. Dr. Hose, with his record of twenty-four years' service and priceless experience under the Sarawak Government, supplemented (as he tells us himself) by his travels of the Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsula, was, in other parts of Borneo, the neighbouring islands indeed, more than ordinarily fortunate in securing a collaborator whose special qualifications as reader in mental philosophy at Oxford were crowned by his experience in the field as a member of Dr. Haddon's famous expedition to the Torres Straits and Borneo in 1898. The chief cornerstone of the book is, of course, the invaluable classification (ii., ch. xxi) of the tribes of Borneo, which is supplemented by an admirable appendix on the statistics and comparative literature of the same subject by Dr. Haddon, who correlates so far as possible the ethnological work of the best Dutch authorities. The classification in the text, described (ii., 224) as resting only "on a slight basis," gives us the mature views of Dr. Hose's unequalled experience, and satisfies us that the foundations of anthropological science in Borneo have here, once for all, been "well and truly laid."

Excluding the coastwise "Malays," the authors recognise six main ethnic groups, viz., Kayans, Kenyahs, Klemantans, Muruts, the nomadic Punans, and Ibans, or Sea "Wanderers," commonly called "Sea Dayaks." But since (ii., 245) both Kenyahs and Klemantans are "sections of the aboriginal population of nomadic hunters. (Sc. Punans) who have absorbed Kayan culture," these six clearly represent but four original stocks, viz., Kenyah-Klemantan-Punans, Kayans, Muruts, and Ibans; and this agrees with the statement made elsewhere that "the present population of the island is derived from four principal sources," the last three being regarded by the authors as later immigrants.

The members of the first group are identified as "Indonesians," that much-misused term which, as

1 (1) "The Pagan Tribes of Borneo." A description of their Physical, Moral, and Intellectual Condition, with some Discussion of their Ethnic Relations. By Dr. Charles Hose and William McDougall, F.R.S. With an Appendix on the Physical Characters of the Races of Borneo, by Dr. A. C. Haddon, F. R.S. Vol. i., pp. xv+283+143 plates. Vol. ii., pp. x+ 374+211 plates+4 maps. (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1912.) Price 475. net. 2 vols.

(2) "In the Shadow of the Bush." By P. Amaury Talbot. Pp. xiv +500 +plates+map. (London: W. Heinemann, 1912) Price 18s. net.

(3) "Monumental Java." By J. F. Scheltema. Pp. xviii+302+xl plates. (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1912.) Price 125, 6d. net.

be immediately riveted by the account of the Human Leopard and Alligator Societies (first revealed to most Englishmen by the writings of the late Mary Kingsley), the late (1912) activity of which recently drove the local Government to action and provoked an interchange of questions in the Imperial Parliament.

Ethnography in the widest sense, linguistics. (especially on the Bantu affinities of Ekoi and on its secret signary, "Nsibidi "), folklore, native art, even archæology, all these, with much valuable natural history, go to make up a fascinating volume full of direct and irresistible appeal. The achievement is worthy of one who, besides his administrative experience, can claim to have made

history in companionship with the late Boyd Alexander.

(3) The record of official ineptitude and rapine pictured in Mr. Scheltema's erudite and enlightening "Monumental Java" is almost incredible. Thus (p. 240) Mr. Scheltema, with biting sarcasm : "We are told in legendary lore of statues which flew through the air. . . dissolving into space; the statues of the Boro Budoor developed that faculty in an astonishing degree!" The climax was reached in 1897, when the late King of Siam, on his visit, was invited and allowed to remove (p. 244) from that "superb temple, whose soul is the soul of Java,' of Java," eight cartloads of irreplaceable statuary! Such vandalism was in Such vandalism was in

The former gave a startling flash, even in the daylight, and the latter was strikingly brighter than the moon, according to the testimony of several observers.

Neither of the fireballs passed over any part of England, though witnessed by many persons from the eastern and south-western counties respectively. The earlier fireball at 8h. 4m. appeared over the sea off the eastern coast near Harwich and Aldborough, and it had numerous spectators in Kent, Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. The other passed above the sea far west of Land's End, and had a long and horizontal flight of 490 miles directed from south-east to north-west from over L'Orient, about sixty miles south-east of Brest

Long as the flight of 490 miles undoubtedly is for the second fireball, it is probably much less than the actual course. When the object was last seen from Ireland it was really rising in the air, and was still burning strongly when low apparent altitude carried it behind either trees or buildings, as viewed by several observers. I suppose it is possible for a meteor to escape out of the atmosphere when its flight is horizontal and its material capable of withstanding absolute disintegration. We want more observations from the west of Ireland.

The daylight fireball at 8h. 4m. left a streak for about three minutes, and several of the observers state that a noise like thunder followed its disruption in two or three minutes. One person at Watford avers that he is certain the meteor was not more than twenty yards distant from where he stood, for he witnessed the object descend in front of some trees. W. F. DENNING.

THE STATE AND MEDICAL RESEARCH.

A COMMITTEE with executive functions, to be known as the Medical Research Committee, has been appointed for the purpose of dealing with the money made available for research under the Insurance Act. The Committee is constituted as follows:

The Right Hon. Lord Moulton of Bank, F.R.S. (chairman).

Dr. C. Addison, M.P.

Mr. Waldorf Astor, M.P.

Sir T. Clifford Allbutt, K.C.B., F.R.S., Regius professor of physic, University of Cambridge.

Mr. C. J. Bond, senior honorary surgeon, Leicester Infirmary.

Dr. W. Bulloch, F.R.S., bacteriologist to the London Hospital, and professor of bacteriology in the University of London.

Prof. M. Hay, professor of forensic medicine and public health, Aberdeen University.

Dr. F. Gowland Hopkins, F.R.S., reader in chemical physiology in the University of Cambridge. Sir W. B. Leishman, F.R.S., professor of pathology, Royal Army Medical College.

The appointment of the Committee is the outcome of the final report of the Departmental Committee on Tuberculosis, which was summarised in an article in NATURE on April 24 (vol. xci., p. 191). In this report the Committee

recommended the appointment of an Council and an Executive Committee, and t have now been constituted. The Advisory Council is to make suggestions, and to submit the Executre Committee's budget to the Government, and advise the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee is to frame a budge to be considered with the Advisory Council before being submitted to the Government; to determine the scheme of research work; to make periodic reports, and generally to organise and supervise research work.

The Departmental Committee suggested tha the work of research could be carried out advantageously on the following, among other, lines:(a) A central bureau should be established arg should be the headquarters of the Advisory Counc and Executive Committee. The central bureau should have a statistical and sociological department, in t work of which should be included the coordinates: and correlation of results. With regard to statistical investigations, every effort should be made to utile, where possible, and cooperate with the statistical departments of the different Government departments. Statistics should be so collected and framed as to comparable with the existing statistics of mortalit.

There should also be a library and publishing dpartment. The central bureau should be under the immediate control of the Executive Committee.

(b) Clinical, pathological, bacteriological, chemica and other scientific researches should be carried o by competent investigators employed by the Executive Committee in institutions approved by it.

(c) When the Government, on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, and after consulting the Advisory Council, deems such arrangements desirabl researches of the same nature as those referred to r the preceding paragraph should be carried out in an institution or institutions (including laboratories and hospital wards) which should be under the immediate control of the Executive Committee to the extent an for the purpose in question.

(d) Money should be available in order that speria' inquiries-e.g. of a statistical and sociological nature -should be carried out by the Executive Committee if necessary, independently of any particular instit.

tion.

(e) The question whether a sum of money, not exceeding 100ol, per annum, should be available as : prize or prizes for the best original research work de should be considered. The money should only b awarded if the discovery is of sufficient importarand utility.

As regards research workers the Department. Committee recommended that some workers of proved and exceptional ability should be en.ble to devote their whole time to research work, an should be given a definite and adequate salary, and be entitled to a pension. The Committee also considered that efforts should be made to retais for research work young and talented investigators who would otherwise tend to drift into other lines

The Departmental Committee computed that the income for the purposes of research under the Insurance Act will amount to about 57,000l. a ver, and the Medical Research Committee will be called upon to draw up a general plan of research to be entered upon at once, and to be carried out year by year. But before the Minister respon

sible for national health insurance consents to the adoption of the plans of the Research Committee they will be subjected to examination and criticism by the Advisory Council, which is a large and representative body including most of the members of the Departmental Committee. It was appointed by Mr. Lloyd George after receiving Suggestions for suitable names from each of the universities of the United Kingdom, from the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Surgeons, from the Royal Society, and from other public bodies interested in the question. It includes medical representatives of the four National Health Insurance Commissions, and the other Government departments concerned in medical work.

WHEN

SIR JONATHAN HUTCHINSON, F.R.S. THEN the history of modern medicine comes to be written it is certain that Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, who died in his eighty-fifth year at Haslemere on June 23, will occupy a more prominent position than that usually assigned to him by his contemporaries. He had the misfortune to be at work when Pasteur and Lister opened up new, attractive, and practical fields of research, carrying with them all the eager intellects. of a younger generation, and leaving the subject of this notice to explore the inexhaustible fields of clinical medicine. From the year 1844, when he was apprenticed to Dr. Caleb Williams, of York, at the age of sixteen, until the day of his death, within a month of finishing his eighty-fifth year, he never ceased to study the manifestations of health and disease, and to place his observations and inferences on record.

an inductive

Sir Jonathan Hutchinson was philosopher who patiently and accurately collected facts to provide a sure basis for the principles of scientific medicine. The monument he leaves behind him is seen in the volumes of the "Archives of Surgery," "Atlas of Illustrations of Clinical Surgery, and the hundreds of clinical records which are to be found in medical literature of the last fifty years. He leaves behind him no brilliant discovery to fix his name in the public memory, and yet it may be claimed for him that he did more than any man of his time to solidify the foundations of the surgeon's art.

He was

a

self-made surgeon, neither the follower nor the leader of any school. It is true that after coming to London in 1850, at the age of twenty-two, he came under the influence of Lawrence and of Paget at St. Bartholomew's Hospital for a few months, but the spirit which dominated him when he ultimately settled in London was the quiet inquiring and observing wood which he acquired in the seclusion of his Quaker home in Selby. Before he was in his thirtieth year he was on the staff of the leading eve hospital (Moorfields), Blackfriars Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, the Metropolitan and the London Hospitals, where he had to deal with all the problems of general surgery.

With those great and varied clinical fields at

his disposal he was able, in less than ten years from the time he settled in London, to produce convincing proof that a host of conditions which were regarded as separate diseases were really the remote manifestations of syphilis, and amenable to specific remedies.

The varied and puzzling diseases to which the skin was liable had a special attraction for Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, and it was at an early stage of his career that he began a systematic investigation of the cause and nature of leprosy. In 1859 he came to the conclusion that it was due to eating imperfectly preserved fish, and that the disease was therefore non-contagious and preventable. Fifty years later found him still searching in various parts of the earth for evidence to support his original contention.

The persistency which he applied to the study of leprosy he gave to all the various lines of research he took up. He was a student of growth; he never ceased recording facts and cases which were likely to reveal the principles which regulate the growth and development of the animal body. His lectures at the Royal College of Surgeons in 1881 on the pedigree of disease are happy illustrations of the methods by which he sought to advance this kind of knowledge. He was a surgeon who made a reputation not by the use of the operating knife, but by the application of his intellect to the understanding and cure of disease. He operated with success; he introduced new procedures, but he recognised that recourse to operation was necessitated by the imperfections of the healer's art.

He was an educationist, believing that all teaching should be objective. He did much as chairman of the Museum Committee and as president of the College of Surgeons for the great museum founded by John Hunter; he established and furnished three museums in the Polyclinic (Medical Graduates' College) in Chenies Street, in his native town of Selby, and in Haslemere, where he latterly made his home.

NOTES.

WE heartily congratulate Dr. A. F. R. Wollaston on his return from a successful visit to the Ingkipulu Mountains (Nassau range), Netherlands New Guinea. Last year Dr. Wollaston gave an account of the unlucky unlucky attempt of the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition in "Pygmies and Papuans," and quite recently Capt. C. G. Rawling has published another book on the same expedition, "The Land of the New Guinea Pygmies." On the present occasion Mr. C. B. Kloss, curator of the Kuala Lumpur Museum, accompanied Dr. Wollaston, and, in addition to an engineer and five native collectors, they took with them seventyfive "Dyaks," and a large escort was provided by the Netherlands Government. Four and a half months were occupied in reaching the mountains from the coast. The geographical results cannot be worked out for some time. Extensive zoological collections were made which comprise many new species; among