Scientific worthies : [No.] 29, Sir Joseph Lister / [Hermann Tillmanns].
- Tillmanns, Hermann, 1844-1927.
- Date:
- [1896]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Scientific worthies : [No.] 29, Sir Joseph Lister / [Hermann Tillmanns]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![many touches of dry humour.' This part of the work is of high value, as the notes on the country, the sketches of the life of the people, and the account of the incidents of the march, enable one to form a clear and true idea of the present condition of British East Africa. The second group of chapters (Nos. x., xi., xii., xviii. and xx.) are devoted to the discussion of general topics. These, taken in order of length, and beginning with the longest, deal with transport, meteorology and climate, outfit, botany and geology. The great length at which transport is treated, and the brevity of the chapter on botany, remind us of the main disappointment of the book. It-is entitled “ A Naturalist in Mid-Africa”; but, unfortunately, there is in it more about politics than about nature. The author is the only botanical expert who has travelled in British East Africa since Hildebrandt’s journey to Ukarnba, in 1877, and hence results of the highest importance might be expected from his labours. The chapter on botany is devoted to an attempt to explain the present distribution of the Africa floras. He assumes first, that,in Miocene times a sea stretched “ across the whole of the desert country which now ex¬ tends from Beluchistan to the Atlantic, between Morocco and Senegal.” But it is practically certain 'that no such sea has existed since at least Palaeozoic times. The second assumption is a use of Korner’s thermal constants, to which the author appeals to prohibit the movement of plants along certain directions, and to produce variation by a factor which is almost the same as Romanes’ physiological selection. He tells us that in the Victoria Nyanza region, “the rainy season is from October to April. It follows from this that the plants there could not have come from the Congo area, for their climate is a very wet one, and their rainy season is from April to October.” If we are not always converted to Mr. Scott Elliot’s theories, we always enjoy his sketches of wild life and of nature. He is seen at his best as an observer. The spirit of the true naturalist comes out in his sketches of life in the woods and on the hillside ; and some of his observations, such as on the original limits of the Victoria Nyanza and on the shapes of the valleys of the upper streams of the Nile basin, are of great interest and value. He is always happier when speaking of plants and describing the habits of animals, than when dealing with men. Mr. Scott Elliot takes things sadly, and his quiet humour brings into relief the spirit of sadness that per¬ vades the book. He draws a dismal picture of the con¬ ditions of life with a small expedition in Equatorial Africa; and then remarks that on his return people always asked him, “Did you enjoy yourself?” He appears to have been ill-used during his expedition by the officials of both the British East Africa Company and of the German territories. He repeatedly complains that naturalists at home are very inconsiderate of the diffi¬ culties of collectors. He grieves that his meteorological notes are of little service, for, as usual, “ in the interval between my departure and return, quite new instruments and observations were found to be absolutely essential.” In his dedication he describes his book as the “result of a most inconvenient love of botany.” In his preface he regrets that he cannot use the map of Ruwenzori pre¬ pared from his materials by the Geographical Society, NO. 1384, VOL. 54] “ as several inaccuracies were retained in deference to a more recognised authority than myself.” He deplores that “insects are usually collected by travellers, but it is difficult to obtain any information about them in this country.” Mr. Scott Elliot’s complaint appears to be that the collections of English travellers are not described as thoroughly or as well as those of Germans, and that in consequence there is little inducement to Englishmen to undertake scientific exploration. There are so few men willing to run the risks and spend their money in this work, that we greatly hope that Mr. Scott Elliot’s complaints are not to be taken as proof of a widespread evil. British naturalists have exceptional opportunities for obtaining rich harvests of material from abroad ; but owing to the neglect of systematic zoology and botany in our educational centres, the number of trained labourers who can work at them is far too few. The loss to science is no doubt very serious ; but as it is impossible for a single collector to collect everything, a traveller can protect himself by devoting his attention to groups in which he knows that his materials will not be wasted. ANAL YTICAL CHEMISTR Y Analytical Chemistry. By N. Menschutkin. Translated from the third German edition by James Locke. Pp. xii + 512. (London : Macmillan and Co., 1895.) HERE is, perhaps, hardly any branch of chemistry so overstocked with text-books as that of analysis. In the work before us, however, the subject is presented in such a clear and original manner, that it can hardly fail to become as popular in this country as in Germany, where it has already reached a third edition. In the preface the author states that although general and analytical chemistry are usually commenced together, yet, in his opinion, the study of the former should always precede that of the latter, the best order of attack being general, analytical, organic, and finally physical chemistry. In view of the difference of opinion in this country as to the best lines to follow in the elementary teaching of chemistry, the following remarks of Prof. Menschutkin are of sufficient interest to quote in full. “ The student cannot rightly turn to analytical chemistry until he has obtained a thorough preparation in the general science ; and his knowledge of the latter is measured, not by the number of single and isolated facts with which he is familiar, but by the clearness with which he understands the fundamental chemical phe¬ nomena and theories. For these reasons I strongly advise the beginner not to devote himself too quickly to analytical chemistry, and my advice is justified by the character which its study must assume if it is to be of value.” Rather more than half of the book deals with qualitative analysis. The metals are grouped, as usual, according to the properties and modes of formation of their sul¬ phides. Under the heading “ General reactions,” the corresponding compounds of all the methods of a group are given, and then, as “Special reactions,” follow the properties of the chief compounds of each element used in analysis. Especial stress is laid upon the fact that every analytical reaction depends upon definite con¬ ditions, which must be known *and fulfilled for the sue-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30592069_0006.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
