1. The specific mortality rates for males, females and the total population for England and Wales, for Scotland and for Sweden, have been fitted to a formula ƒ (t, θ) = α. (t—θ) βθ where ƒ (t, θ) is the specific mortality rate at a time t for age θ, β0 is a function depending solely on the age θ, and α (t —θ)depends only on the time of birth (t — θ). The results are in substantial agreement with those obtained by less refined methods in the previous paper. The probable errors of the values found for à and for β have been calculated.

2. It is shown that the β0 curves for the Scottish and the English males are approximately represented by the Makeham-Gompertz formula A+Becθ, where A, B and c have suitable values. The other β0 curves do not appear to conform exactly to a formula of this type.

3. With the help of the representation of β0 by the Makeham-Gompertz expression the effect of variation of α on the survival curves, the death curves, and the expectation of life has been determined. It is shown that with the range of values of α experienced in Britain during the last 50 years, the most marked effect is most likely to be experienced in the future between the ages of 65 and 85, a very considerable increase of people of these ages being likely provided that the relationship exhibited by the statistics up to the present date is maintained in the future.

Though the Makeham-Gompertz formula does not hold in the case of the English and Scottish females, nor for the Swedish statistics, these approximate sufficiently closely to the values for the English and Scottish males, to allow of the conclusion deduced in the latter case being extended to the former.

4. It is strongly emphasised that the validity of all the predictions depends upon a hypothesis of extrapolation which, however attractive in the light of the figures so far available, might not be fulfilled under certain contingencies.

The effects of radiation and convection on the globe thermometer have been studied.

Equations have been obtained, and alignment charts constructed, for the calculation of mean radiation intensity and of equivalent temperature from readings of the globe thermometer, air temperature and air velocity.

The accuracy of these methods has been tested on observations made under industrial conditions. Taking direct thermopile observations as the standard, the mean radiation intensity values calculated from globe thermometer readings had an average error of 1·2 B.Th.U. per sq. ft. per hour. With eupatheoscope readings as standard, equivalent temperature estimates had a mean error of 1·2°.

It is concluded that, while globe thermometer readings alone are unreliable as indications of the effects of the thermal environment, valuable results can be obtained by using the instrument along with an ordinary thermometer and a silvered kata-thermometer.

1. A fluid is described in which cavy sperms react to the most diverse substances almost exactly as do human sperms in human semen. This fluid, called albumen-saline, consists of:

0·9% sodium chloride solution … 0·7 c.c. Egg-white … … … … 2·3 c.c.

2. A detailed description is given of a new technique for comparing the spermicidal powers and rate of disintegration of suppositories (including foam tablets).

3. The new test differs from the old chiefly in allowing only five minutes for the spermicide to act, and in requiring the actual killing of the sperms and not only their immobilisation.

4. Of the commercial suppositories tested, Rendell and Finil are the most spermicidal, followed by Vimule, Speton, Semori, Prorace (chinosol) and Martindale, in that order. None of them is sufficiently spermicidal to encourage complete reliance in the absence of other contraceptive methods.

Rabbit 1 and mouse 1 probably died from pneumonia, although, both animals showed well-marked lesions in both liver and kidneys. The rat lungs were—as usual—dubious. In the other animals the lungs were normal and the picture was one of hepatic and renal damage alone.

At this concentration, the likelihood of pulmonary affections, and death therefrom, appears to be much less than in the cases of animals exposed to 1/100.

Pulmonary inflammation does not occur at this concentration, and the lesions were exclusively hepatic and renal.

Summary.Pulmonary inflammation does not occur at this concentration, and the lesions were exclusively hepatic and renal.

Summary. The rats in the experiment seemed to be more severely affected than the mice, and two rats died with an acute enteritis. The renal and hepatic tissue changes were also more severe in the rats.

During the Spring Session (1934) of the Burma Legislative Council, a member of the Council—the only lady member—submitted the following resolution:

“This Council recommends to Government that immediate steps be taken to prevent the sale of medical preparations for preventing or controlling childbirth.”

Muir and Browning (1909) were the first to show that alexin is retained by the filter when fresh serum is passed through a Berkefeld candle. Several filtrations are generally required to remove all traces of the alexic activity, although when a fresh candle is employed for each filtration, the third or fourth filtrate is usually devoid of alexic power (Schmidt, 1914). It is not established whether or not the failure of later filtrates to haemolyse sensitised erythrocytes results from the removal by the filter of some one or of all of the known components of alexin from the serum. We have, therefore, studied the effect of Berkefeld filtration upon the alexic activity of fresh human serum with respect to the thermolabile elements, and the thermostable third and fourth components (Whitehead, Gordon and Wormall, 1925; Gordon, Whitehead and Wormall, 1926).

1. In Chatham naval hospital a carrier rate for agglutinable meningococci of 50 per cent, persisted for over a year, during which period there were no cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis among the naval and military population of the port.

2. During the same period the carrier rate at Portsmouth among the contacts to six cases of meningitis was 5 per cent.

3. During the year previous to the present Chatham investigation the carrier rate at Chatham was 13 per cent, among the contacts to five cases of C.S.M.

4. There was no association of the meningococcus carrier rate with density of population or season of the year.

5. The most senior ratings, with the most spacious accommodation, had as high a carrier rate (60 per cent.) as the recruits with the worst sleeping quarters. Ratings of intermediate seniority had an intermediate rate (38 per cent.).

6. Agglutination tests indicated that the antigenic composition of the bacterial herd of N. meningitidis changed rather suddenly, while the total meningococcal carrier rate remained constant.

7. Many of the above recent observations are at variance to what was seen at Chatham, and elsewhere, during the Great War. An attempt is made therefore to reconcile the past with the present experiences.

Our thanks are due to Surgeon-Commander J. A. O'Flynn, who kindly tested our culture medium and supplied the Portsmouth C.S.M. data, and also to Chief Petty Officer R. Kircher, R.N., Sick Berth Staff, who did all the nasopharyngeal swabbing (in order to keep the personal equation constant), as well as much of the technical laboratory work.

The haemolytic streptococci associated with scarlet fever, tonsillitis, septic conditions, etc., belong to one group or species designated Streptococcus pyogenes.

Cultural and serological aids to the identification of Str. pyogenes are described.

The epidemiologically significant types of Str. pyogenes appear to be about 20 in number, though probably more than thirty type sera will be necessary for the complete analysis of the group. So far twenty-seven individual serological types have been defined.

The irregularities which have been observed in the agglutination reactions of streptococcal cultures are ascribed chiefly to variations in type-specificity.

Different colonies may give “type-specific” or “group” agglutination, and these distinctions are revealed macroscopically in the case of certain types by growth on homologous agglutinating serum agar.

Some examples are given of observations on the epidemiology of streptococcal infections in schools and other institutions.

The principles involved in the serological classification of a bacterial group are discussed.