New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-23
SCIENCE.
TIE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

CLOSING HOURS OF THE MEETING-THE SEC
TIoNAL NATURALIZATION HOSPITALITY.
IRON OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE
EDINBURGH, Aug 10.-I must give parting
word to the British Association, which held ls hnai
meeting Tuesday. 1t had previously chosen Brighton
for its next gathering the date fixed being the li'h
August 1872 one would think no member OF the Asso
citation had ever visited Brighton at that season. lor'
seasdetown and famous watering place though IL De-
il IA one of the hottest and most glarng places IN
the world during the Summer months Inc
true season is in November, when people 80
down from London 20 escape the fogs ana hyue raih
u deserted for the Marine Parade. However, men Oh
science must shrink from no hardships In pursuit Oh
their duties Dr. W. b. Carpenter is to be PRESIDENT
The Association has made grants Of money for Sclehhc
inquiries during the year amounting TO about Ss'VO
divided among its different sections; the largest single
sum- $500 going for the maintenance oil he" OoserN
atory. The total receipts from TINS meeting
have been S125OO. Various schemes have been
talked over for enlarging the work OF inc
Association that it may not be exposed to the re-
proach Of lying dormant all the year. and then at the
end being galvanized with week Of exceptional energy
But It's best friends think il does its proper work toera
b WELL and recognize the danger OF creating suOassoca
tons, which might prove difficult TO manage some
specific lamentations OF the Committees nave Deen
adopted viz That the President and Council cooperate
with the ROYAL Society in whatever they may think
q
they should promote observations of the coming solar
eclipse that they pursue their tidal inquiries, and that
spp, should be taken 70 push scientific instruction in
elementary schools.
Few sectional meetings are held Wednesday, most
Of the sections having heard smOthered all the papers
submitted 10 Them and some OF them going of on excur-
sous The spontaneous generation question, which had
been looming Omnously for some days, but had been
twice postponed, finally got hearing. Most OF us have
got hardened by this time TO the horrors which these and
kindred investigations have brought to light Dr. Fer
told Tuesday that erery kind Of water except
freshly distilled, teens with germs Of bacteria,
and bacteria the pioneers if not the producers of
pureiaction. They cannot he detected by the micro
scope nor yet by Prof Tyndals electric beam So it
SENS to he only choice between different degrees of
impuriy The ceares ice-water is better than the
rest and fasdous there is nothing for 1t but
u dstill our water and drink it warm.
But Dr. Charlton Bastan does abandon the theory
Of spontaneous generation. He described sundy novel
experiments he had lately made. which had convinced
him. re-cOnvinced him. that living matter might arise
de nOpo and that this living matter might go on 10 the
development of certain common organic FORMS just as
surely rs any speck of crystalline matter in fluid might
certain definite characters which belonged TO
that saline substance in its crystalline condition. HIS
experiments he insists prove that living organisms have
been found in fluids exposed to temperature higher
than sufficient to destroy germs. am not competent
to say what the value of DR.. BaStdn experiments may
be but his conclusions must at any rate be received with
caution so long as they rejected by such Ty
dali and Huxley. Dr. Lancaster believes the question
still open, and Prof Allen Thomson agrees in that view
Miss LYDIA Becker madeta contribution TO the debate
such nobody but woman would have been able 10
offer Applying the germ theory to the preparation Of
Jams ard jellies she pointed out that the custom OF
leaving newly made preserves uncovered for day or two
favored the development of fungi while if closed over
immediately the heat of the jam destroyed the germ
nf1,.s tod 4fr1tft IL
clear and satisfactory condition 1t is hoped house
wives will take notice; for whatever scientific pred-
lections may be- shall all in desiring TO eat as
few germs in jams possible.
Another question: purely scientific has been raised
al the last moment Whether Edinburgh has received
the Association with all the hospitality 10 which IT was
entitled A correspondent of The Times UOndon) de-
scrbed at length dispute between the University
and the City growing out Of former invitation 10 Edn
burgh which the Association had declined in favor OF
Liverpool The invitation renewed he says, by the
University alone and hence arose GOODNESS between
Town and Gown, the result of which that the Town
Council the local leaders of society and hemOre wealthy
emsers the mercantile and professional classes TOOL
no part in the meeting, and offered no attention
to the members of the Association. But Sir Alex
ander Grant, Principal Of the University, in NOV
ipy a vote OF thanks to the President OF tn
Association. took up this tale and denounced
itisa pure invention There has been no quarrel, ant
both the Council private citizens in general had re-
joced to welcome Association. do not know out o
what the original story So far as can judge and
I have not been wholly without means OF Judging, J
think the Inequalities OF Edinburgh have been cordial
and general IL is that this is not the time when
the more aristocratc classes usually az home. The
Edinburgh season begins February aud ends in April
when the London begins to approach its hight
In August everybody is out OF town. and their houses
are shut up But it is clear enough that good many
houses have been open 10 members Of the Association
and see no reason suppose, The Times correspond
ent alleges that the reputation OF Edinburgh for hos
pitaty will long suiIcr among men OF science. If he
will reply to sir Alexander Grant, shall know what
he has to complain Of.
As whole the meeting is considered to have done It's
work well II there has been lack of specially brilliant
papers the average has been good and science probably
gains as much the results OF steady and patient in
luiry as from exciting specuatiOns even from pas
siouate debates with the clergy. Sir william Thomson,
in LIS concluding address, in speaking Of the of
the meeting remarked that much OF its pleasures had
been due 10 the beauty of Edinburgh Anybody who
visited this noble city, as do, for the first time, viii
toin heartily in that declaration c. ". :.