McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1954

Since very early times anatomists have known of the existence of the prostate gland; somewhere between the years 310 and 250 B.C. Erasistratus, a Greek anatomist of Alexandria, discovered and named the gland in the human (Mettler, 1947). However, in spite of this early start, the physiology and the biochemistry of the prostate and other male accessory sex glands were for long neglected. But in the last few years, these structures have been the subject of comprehensive investigations (Huggins, 1945; 1946-47; Mann and Lutwak-Mann, 1951) stimulated by the growing interest in the problem of fertility in domestic animals and man.  Lire la suite

Most engineers interested in soil problems now recognize that for progress to be made analysis must be in terms of more fundamental physical and chemical concepts. The nature of the exchangeable cation is an example of an important chemical factor contributing to the properties of many clays. Experimental work has shown that in some soils swelling due to frost action can be dramatically reduced by changing the exchangeable cation./47 Other work indicates that the bearing capacity of piles may be increased by promoting cation exchange./47 At the Golden Gate Exposition the permeability of a lagoon was reduced 90% as the …  Lire la suite

Research workers who have carried out experiments with animals or birds have sought a protein free from vitamins and having a high biological value. Many workers have used casein for this purpose. The B-vitamins have usually been removed from casein by prolonged extraction with either dilute acid or organic solvents such as ethanol and methanol. Several patents issued for the preparation of low vitamin casein describe extraction procedures with such solvents.  Lire la suite

Succulent plants are characterized by having leaves that are relatively thick, fleshy, and juicy as compared to herbaceous plants whose leaves are relatively thinner in structure and contain a higher proportion of dry matter. They may be annual or perennial and widely distributed within the families Crassulaceae, Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and to a lesser extent in Asclepiadaceae, Begoniaceae, Liliaceae, and Compositae. They could be classified primarily as xerophytes, and accordingly are found naturally in the arid regions of the world, although ecological adaptation has increased their range considerably.  Lire la suite

The strawberry is a native of North America. The cultivated berry, as it is known today, is a relatively recent product of plant breeding. The cultivated strawberry is derived from two species. They are Fragaria virginiana, the wild meadow strawberry of eastern North America, and Fragaria chiloensis, the beach strawberry, which is found along the Pacific coast. The first improvement occurred among the Indians of Chile before Columbus landed at San Salvador. By selection from Fragaria chiloensis, they obtained plants which bore fruit of exceptional size and quality.  Lire la suite

This study can be considered as an attempt to apply theories to historical facts, and historical facts to theories. The objective is two-fold: a better understanding of history; and an empirical testing of theories. In some senses, the present work is a record of frustrations. Appendix I, and the bulk of chapter 5, record unsuccessful attempts to fit certain precise theories of economic development to the facts of Canadian history. The theories demand types of information which cannot be had, or which it is not within my powers, or the scope of my intention, to discover.  Lire la suite

The spin echo experiment was first performed and described by Hahn (1,2). The following is based on his treatment which has been extended to include a fourth r. f. pulse per cycle of operations. Consider a sample containing protons placed in an external magnetic field Ho applied along the z-axis. When the field is applied, the net magnetization vector M will be aligned with this field. At t = 0, a pulse of r.f. energy of frequency ùo (the Larmor frequency) is applied. The vector H will then process about H1 the r. f. magnetic field vector, in addition to …  Lire la suite

The following work was undertaken because of the increasing body of evidence indicating that a high dietary fat intake is related to certain diseases, among which is multiple sclerosis with which we were particularly concerned. Recent nutritional surveys have suggested that geographic variations in the incidence of multiple sclerosis are due at least in part to the amount of fat consumed. Dr. Swank (Swank, 1950; Swank, Lerstad, Strom and Backer, 1952) made a survey of Holland, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland and compared figures of the dietary habits and the incidence of multiple sclerosis before, during, and after World War II …  Lire la suite

The potato is, undoubtedly, a native of South America where it was in cultivation by the natives long before the discovery of America. It originated in the central Andean region of South America, but there is controversy concerning the original home of the plant as to whether it was in Chile or in Peru and Bolivia. There is also some doubt as to whether the potato was introduced into North America from Europe, or brought directly from South America by Spanish explorers.  Lire la suite

Towards the end of the nineteenth century Canada might in all fairness have been considered a backward country. She had not yet experienced any very substantial transition from an agricultural to an industrial way of life. In a sense she was still asleep, she was not truly in equilibrium. The world over farmers appeared to be relatively less affluent than industrial workers. The world over, therefore, there seemed to be a relative growth of industry accompanied by a resultant decline in agriculture.  Lire la suite

The year 1953 is the Fiftieth Anniversary of powered flight. What is the history of aviation from Icarus until today? The legend of Icarus is well-known, but little is known about the more historical than legendary first “heavier-than-air" flight. Nimrod, the builder of the famous tower of Babel, and contemporary of Abraham, who reigned over Lebanon, wanted to attack Jehovah in Heaven. He devised the plan of scaling the heavens in a car drawn by four strong birds. "The car, after wandering in space for a long time, crashed on Mount Hermon, where the body of the audacious monarch, horribly …  Lire la suite

A desire to study congenital malformations of the CNS originated several years ago. It was found necessary first to acquire sufficient knowledge of anatomy of the normal adult human brain as well as of the morphogenesis of the developing human brain. The results of the work done in this field formed the subject for my M.Sc. thesis at the McGill University: Anatomical and Developmental Study of the Human Thalamus, 1951. This was subsequently published in the J. Comp. Neurology 1953 and 1954.  Lire la suite

A mould was isolated in this laboratory by Dr. D. G. Denton in 1947 which was found to produce in culture a potent toxin neutralizing substance. The mould was isolated as a contaminant from a Lowenstein's slope which had been inoculated with sputum tor the bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculosis. It was shown that the active toxin neutralizing principle was secreted into the medium during the growth of the mould in fluid cultures and that it may be demonstrated in mycelium free culture filtrates.  Lire la suite

The global limitation of the shipowner's liability has been called the 'clé de voûte', the 'keystone', of maritime law. International air law does not have a global limitation of liability, and if one had to characterize the importance of limitation of liability in the field of aviation it would be more appropriate to compare it with the 'leitmotiv' of some unfinished symphony. It certainly is not the only theme, but it is one that comes back every now and then and which makes international private air law, as it has developed in the last 25 years, unthinkable without a limitation …  Lire la suite

One of the most outstanding developments in chemical kinetics has undoubtedly been the evolution of our present knowledge of atomic and tree radical reactions. The literature on this subject was comprehensively reviewed by Steacie in 1946 (1) and again in 1953*; in the interval between these years, a voluminous extension to the previous literature occurred. It is obvious, therefore, that any discussion of atomic and free radical reactions that is included in the present thesis can make no pretence to completeness; indeed the intention is to restrict it rather severely to the type of systems that are of immediate interest …  Lire la suite

Mount Royal is one of the three "mountains" or hills on the island of Montreal. Mount Royal, Outremont and Westmount mountains are within a circle of two miles radius and are separated by rolling ground with a relief of 100 feet. The principal exposures that were studied are: the cliff face at the north portal of the tramway tunnel in Mount Royal, and further exposures north of this along the tramway track; the cliff on the southeast side of Mount Royal in the vicinity of the lookout; and the quarry face on the northeast side of Westmount mountain. (see Map.)  Lire la suite

It has been said by many scholars that at the present the Middle East is grappling with the problem of Westernization. For us to comprehend this problem, they say that we must analyze and understand what this process of Westernization is and what it involves. This is true; yet there is a need for a clarification of terms and ideas before one proceeds with such a study. In the first place, what is meant by the term Westernization?  Lire la suite

The Non-Local Field Theory owe its origin to an attempt made by the physisists to solve the divergence difficulties arising in the Quantum theory of fields. It has often been sugested in recent years that those difficulties could not be solved without modifying the concepts of the conventional field theory for short distances. Since the early days of quantum electrodynamics, it has been clear that an essential part of the divergencies are due to the use of the point-like picture of the elementary particles.  Lire la suite

The- present study aims to discover the theological content and background of the term logos as used in the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel. The use of the term was traced through primary sources of possible influence on the Evangelist,-on the Greek side, the fragments of Heracelitus, Plato, Aristotle, and the Iiterary remains of the Stoics from Zeno through Cleanthes. A study was also made of certain key concepts in the mythological tradition.  Lire la suite

In 1817 - 78 the Howgate Polar expedition wintered in Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, at the little harbour of Annanactook. The position of the camp is now uncertain, but it was probably at the head of the Sound, on the east shore, within thirty or forty miles of Pangnirtung. Included in the personnel of the expedition were two scientists, Sherman and Kumlien, who were responsible for the meteorological and biological observations. Kumlien was the first professional biologist to examine the shores of Baffin Island (Kumlien, 1879).  Lire la suite

There have been two main types of studies on social influences on perception. The first type of study has not been concerned with social influences on perception per se, but has attempted to discover the personality factors which influence perception. Most of the work in this area has been done by Bruner (4,5,6,7,24) and Postman (6,7, 24,26) and collaboraters. A survey of the literature of this field is contained in the volume by Blake and Ramsey (3).  Lire la suite

This study is based on the thesis that all education should be liberal in curriculum, method, instruction, and administration. It should mean full development- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual- of free men guided by free men. Its foundation should be the ideal of all true faiths and of democracy itself, viz, duty towards God, and a Vision of Greatness and duty towards one’s neighbour, as a goal of unselfish service. It should practice Greek philosophy in striving for knowledge as Goodness, found in all true Religion; as Beauty, learned through the Arts; as Truth, found in Science, as well as …  Lire la suite

Zaloha, Anne (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

The importance and widespread distribution of the 2-amino sugars has gradually been revealed in investigations during the last 70 years. They are now regarded as important components of a broad group of substances, being present in many compounds of diverse biological function, such as heparin, the bacterial polysaccharides, the polysaccharides of connective tissue and the structural polysaccharides which make up the exoskeleton of many invertebrates. The amino sugars do not normally occur in the freestate, but as compounds of substances of varying complexity.  Lire la suite

MacEwan, J. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

The harp seal, Phoca groenlandica, ranges from the eastern Canadian coast and Arctic eastward to Novaya Zemlya and adjacent Soviet areas. Within this range it is divided into three major breeding populations which can be referred to as the Eastern, breeding in the White Sea, the Central, breeding in the Jan Mayen area, and the Western, breeding off the northeast coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Fig. 1). The species is strongly migratory and occupies the southern area of pack-ice for breeding in the spring, between late February and the end of April.  Lire la suite

The artificial disintegration of atomic nuclei has furnished scientists with a continuous flow of new and useful information ever since it was first observed by Rutherford in 1919 (66). This technique for probing the sub-atomic world has progressed very rapidly during and after the last Great War. The recent development of electromagnetic devices capable of accelerating particles over a wide range of velocities, and the utilization of high-energy radiations in the so-called "cosmic-rays", has permitted an exhaustive study of the interactions of moving particles with atomic nuclei.  Lire la suite

Collections of planktonic copepods of Ungava Bay and central Hudson Strait were made during late June, July and August of 1947, 1949 and 1950. The following twenty-two species have been identified: Calanus finmarchicus, C.hyperboreus, C.helgolandicus, Pseudocalanus minutus , Microcalanus pygmaeus, Gaidius tenuispinus, Aetideopsis rostrata, Pareuchaeta norvegica, P.glacialis, Eurytemora americana, Metridia longa,Pleuromamma robusta, Heterorhabdus norvegicus, Acartia longiremis, A.bifilosa, Oithona similis, Oncaea borealis, Cyc10pina gracilis, C,Schneideri, Monstrilla dubia, M.helgolandica and M,canadensis. The latter five species have not previously been recorded from the western North Atlantic.  Lire la suite

The p-adic numbers were introduced by K. Hensel [1] in connection with number theory. The absolute value properties of these numbers were subsequently generalized to the theory of valuations. The p-adic numbers generate a non-archimedean metric space, of which the arithmetic properties were investigated by H. Hasse and F. K. Schmidt [2]. The importance of non-archimedean fields in representation theory creates the need for a theory of functions over these fields. J. Dieudonne' [3] , and F. Loonstra [4] have made initial studies in this domain.  Lire la suite

In the course of a series of investigations in these laboratories on the chemistry of vanillin, attempts were made to improve the synthesis from it of the opium alkaloid papaverine. This alkaloid finds use in medicine as one of a group of spasmolytic drugs with a paralyzing action on the smooth muscles of the intestines and blood vessels. Unlike some of the other opium alkaloids, papaverine is neither narcotic nor habit-forming.  Lire la suite

Following Kierkegaard's hint respecting the importance of his earlier life, Chapter l of this thesis surveys his childhood and youth with a view to the assessment of its significance for certain important elements in his philosophy and, more specifically, for his understanding of the process of self-realization. The purpose of the historical sketch in Chapter II is to exhibit the continuity of the concern for self-realization or individuation in recorded philosophical and religious reflection.  Lire la suite

The Munro "A" asbestos orebody is located in Munro Township, 13 miles east of Matheson in the district of Cochrane, Northern Ontario. Matheson is 206 miles by rail north of North Bay. It is also served by Highway #11 (Fergus on Highway), being 321 miles north of Toronto, and also by Highway #101, which will eventually run from Timmins, through Matheson, to the Quebec border. This road is metalled and in good condition from Matheson to the Munro Mine turn-off.  Lire la suite

During the past few decades, there have been a number of articles and several research projects undertaken on the different phases of unmarried motherhood and illegitimate children. There appears, however, to be a noticeable lack of attention, both in research projects and written material, to the unmarried mother who keeps her child rather than release him for adoption placement. The written material refers briefly to the social and psychological problems that face both the mother and the child while dealing with other phases of unmarried motherhood.  Lire la suite

Many investigations have been carried out to elucidate the structures of polybutadienes. The first ones established the occurrence of two kinds of structural units: one originating from a 1,4-addition of butadiene, the other resulting from a 1,2-addition; later, the percentages of each unit were determined quantitatively. Units originating from a 1,4-addition were found to appear either in a cis form or in a trans form; the amounts of each form were evaluated. [...]  Lire la suite

Thin webbed girders have been recognized for a long time as an economical section for taking flexural stress and therefore, are widely used today, not only for stationary structures, but in aircraft and automobile industries as well. However, some restrictions are placed upon the selection of the depth to web thickness (h/t) ratio, in addition to economies.  Lire la suite

Congenital heart disease, so called because the individual is born with a heart that has developed incompletely or abnormally, is found in all age groups. However, its incidence is highest in the childhood years, and it is the children with this diagnosis with whom this study will be concerned. The study will concentrate upon psychosocial factors which affect the care and treatment of the children and their life adjustment. Congenital heart defects have become more prominent in clinical medicine as methods of diagnosis have been improved and new surgical procedures have been developed.  Lire la suite

In proclaiming its self-dissolution as the goal of its existence the Communist State of the Twentieth Century is unique in history. Unlike other constitutions, especially those framed by newly-established revolutionary regimes, the first constitution of the Soviet Russian Republic, enacted in 1918, is devoid of declarations of sanctity and eternity government and states expressly that "the principal object of constitution of the R.S.F.S.R. which is adapted to the present transition period, consists in the … abolition of exploitation of man by man and the establishment of socialism, under which there shall be neither class division nor state authority."  Lire la suite

The respiratory activities of the living organism are of great interest to the physiologist. In the study of respiratory mechanisms in the plant, three main experimental approaches have been employed. Two of these methods have this in common, that they both study the overall gas exchange in plant tissues. The first technique introduces a variable into the respiring system by altering the oxygen tension to which the living tissue is exposed. Different partial pressures of oxygen cause alterations in the respiratory rate of the tissue under investigation, and the interpretation of the results has led to the formulation of schemes …  Lire la suite

In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to determine the neuronal mechanism underlying spreading depression. The objective has been to elucidate one of the ways in which the neurones of the cerebral cortex may influence one another in their activity, rather than to assess the role of spreading depression in the overall picture of cortical function.  Lire la suite

Studies concerned, in whole or in part, with the manifold aspects of histamine release began with the first, albeit unrecognized, report of the phenomenon by Schmidt-Mulheim (1880), in which "peptone-shock" in the dog was described. No attempt is made, herein, to provide a comprehensive survey of the literature that has since accumulated. The review of the earlier literature is restricted to those papers which have been most helpful to the author in gaining an understanding of previously established facts; in this, invaluable assistance has been provided by the existing reviews, especially those of Feldberg (1941), Dragstedt (1941), Dale (1950) and …  Lire la suite

This study represents an analysis of a child care agency's experiment with early adoption placements. It aims at exploring principally the question of reliability of early assessment of infants' potentialities for adoption. Evaluation of a child's potentialities has been recognized as an essential step in any good and successful adoption practice.  Lire la suite

This paper is concerned with an appraisal of the investment policies of life insurance companies during the past fifty years. The first step is to explain the nature and origin of their investment funds, and the second to submit factual data in chronological order concerning the practices of the companies in the United States.  Lire la suite

Society in some sense, is the common birthright of all novelists. But for each writer, the word “society” has some particular meaning that is more precise than any general, all-inclusive definition. Society, for Jane Austen, meant the class-structure of her day and of her country. Nothing outside that concerned here as a novelist. The whole broad and varied expanse of eighteenth-century English life composed the society Henry Fielding depicted. Some novelists are interested primarily in a highly sophisticated and intellectual group of people, others in low life, and others still, in people of many social levels.  Lire la suite

One of the fundamental assumptions of many contemporary psychological theories is that all behavior is motivated by biological drives such as hunger, thirst and sex. Increased attention, however, has been given in recent years to types of behavior which cannot be explained solely in terms of such drives. A number or naturalistic and experimental studies has shown that exteroceptive stimuli may motivate an animal as persistently as any internal homeostatic stimuli. Tinbergen (1951), von Frisch (1950), Lorenz (1950), Thorpe (1944) brought evidence of exteroceptively elicited patterns of behavior from studies on lower animals.  Lire la suite

In Iran, as in other Muslim lands, the need has been felt for a reinterpretation of Islam, which will revive a pure belief both among the masses, whose faith is mingled with superstitions, and among those who have received Western or Western-inspired educations, many of whom have been affected by the spread of scepticism. In recent years, certain thinkers have appeared, from among both the religious leaders and the Western educated intellectuals, who have endeavoured to satisfy that need. The purpose of this thesis is to describe the ideas of some of these thinkers, the greatest of whom, in the …  Lire la suite

Lambek. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

This work is a biochemical study of human brain tumours involving a comparison of various metabolic activities of one tumour type with another and with normal brain. It was hoped that, besides obtaining information about brain tumours, some idea might be obtained of the contribution of non-neuronal elements to the total metabolism of brain.  Lire la suite

The purpose of this paper is twofold: the main purpose is to provide an analytical and critical commentary on the provisions of the TA and on certain provisions of the Convention referred to in the TA. In approaching this task, the writer has found it necessary to study to some extent the established rules of international law, both customary and conventional, regulating transit in surface and air transportation prior and subsequent to the Chicago Conference; it has also been necessary to study the transactions of the Chicago Conference relating to the drafting of the TA.  Lire la suite

A Slatis-Siegbahn type beta ray spectrometer was modified by installation of a scintillation detector, and by the addition of a mechanism for automatically scanning and recording a beta spectrum at any desired rate. An analysis of pulse heights indicated that about 80% of incident 25 Kev. electrons could be detected with a background of 150 counts per minute. A study of activities arising from proton bombardments of rheniun and tungsten was made using the beta ray spectrometer in conjunction with a sodium iodide gamma spectrometer. [...]  Lire la suite

Experimental demyelination in animals, as is well known, may be produced by a variety of methods. It is unlikely that most of the factors responsible for experimental demyelination are in any way related to those responsible for the commonly recognized clinical demyelinative diseases. However, the pathological picture produced by the use of one of these experimental methods, namely, Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis, is very similar to that produced by some forms of human demyelinating diseases. [...]  Lire la suite