Page:Science vol. 5.djvu/536

 �mtDt* d'ftDtliropologle giairaie ' (Paris, 1386), states IbSt the chief dlfficultiea with water are: Rnt, that tbi water, wetting the side« o( the measuring-glags. riM* on it, and makes it impoiaible for the observer to Nad correctly; and, tecond, that the water pene- tiUM to the Biniues and Tuuoles of the tkull, and ntunia, when the ticull Is drained, to augment unduly the water lielonging to the cavlt; proper. The ei- perttnenta of Dr. MatlbeirB Indicated that the great-

���est source nl uncertainty lay in the fact that the skull, when moistened, Increases rapidly in cnblc capacity. Bis method is as follows: —

After recording the weight of the skull, it is var- nished inside with thin alicllac vomlab, applied by means of a reversible spray apparatus. ArtiGelal or accidental oriflces are closed with India-rubber adhesive piaster. The foramina and fossae are BUed with putty. The skull Is wrapped In a coating of putty an inch or more In thickness, which renders it water-tight. It is filled with water by special appa- ratus] Id forty-live seconds, and emptied in dfteeo

��yCE. fVoc T.. NO. m

seconds. The rapidity of this manipulation, ta «■> Junction with the varnishing, prevents soaking lato the atnuies, and the undue measuremeut of nut which (loos not pertain to the cranial eavlty. Iks water is poured Into a meaauring^glass of two UiM' land cubic centimetres capacity, and lyoopodiotD li scattered on the water to define the true lurfu*. The pntty is taken from the skull: the latter is cleansL and placeil in a dry, warm apartment, until b; ila< evaporation it has been reduced to its former weight, and coQsequentty to its former capacity. Th«n It 1) measured a secoad time to verify the rnsults ol Oa first measure msnt. Theauthordid notclaim lafridlt] as an adrantage of the system, but bsli«T«d thai fl removed to a great extent the eSect of varying m» cular effort, which was such a disturtiinfc faetoc id other methols. "With the most Importmnl epan- tions, the unchangeable element of tlin« nUMa ibi place of tlie Qchle element of vital force." Although the method is new, and still i of improvemeni. It is thought that the shown in the following table have not be«n esDctflad,

�� �3M

sea l.»l»

�I.%v*a»..„-.

� � � �"Ill

�i

5



� �1

�i

t

i

�Dalcof

� �,4nu

i

if

�1.380

is 1

�1,W

ll4M 1,3U0

�i

i

�March 3B A|WU:

••SB " :

�'^

�omof

�differ

�•-

� ��uDvamlthed akatU,. . . . ., l^t*.

��THE CULTIVATION OF MICROBES.^

It is possible to obtain a perfectly sterile liquid (that Is to say, one deprived of all living germs) by one of four methods: —

1. Filtering through some material whose mesbfi are sufficiently line to arrest the amnUest ot^anisrai. The only material really practicable for tills purposr is the unglaied porcelain used by Pasteur atid Chaiu- berland,

2. Obtaining the liquid directly from the Internal organs of one of the superior animals ; the digestive tract being considered, for this purpose, an etUrnai organ. Pasteur's eiperimenls have shown tlial tb«

�� �