Conversaziones 1951

The Society’s Conversaziones this year were held on Thursday, 24 May 1951 and on Thursday, 28 June 1951. At the former there were thirty exhibits and at the latter twenty-four. The exhibits ranged through physical and biological sciences and once again the Society gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the exhibitors towards making these evenings, when the Society is host to its many friends, so successful. At both Conversaziones two films were shown, one entitled ‘ The freezing and thawing of living cells ’ which illustrated the work of Mr C. Polge, Mr J. Smiles and Dr Audrey Smith of the National Institute for Medical Research, London : the other film was entitled ‘ Medical aspects of venomous snakes ’ made by the Wellcome Foundation Limited. The former film showed how suspensions of fowl spermatozoa and of rabbit blood cells in the presence of glycerol could be taken to temperatures of — 60° C and on raising the temperature, the spermatozoa resumed fertility and the red blood cells are preserved from haemolysis. The film describing the snakes was in colour : that part of the photography dealing with living snakes was made at the London Zoo—not without some interesting moments ! These films, and the exhibits for the first Soirée, were seen by some 250 scholars on the morning of Friday, 25 May. Sir David Brunt, Vice-President and Physical Secretary, welcomed these young men and women of science, and Professor Finch, Chairman of the Soiree Committee, addressed them on some of the exhibits which they were about to see. From communications received since, it is clearly evident that this invitation to science scholars in the London area is greatly appreciated.