SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS PROFESSOR REID HUNT, of the Harvard Medical School, has been elected president of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Ar the fifteenth annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association held in New York, from December 26 to 29, officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: President, Alfred L. Kroeber, Affiliated Colleges, San Francisco; Secretary, Alfred M. Tozzer, Harvard University; Treasurer, Neil M. Judd, U. S. National Museum; Editor, Pliny E. Goddard, American Museum of Natural History. Ar the recent thirtieth anniversary celebration of the Michigan College of Mines, Dr. M. E. Wadsworth, the first president of the college, now emeritus dean and professor of mining geology in the school of mines of the University of Pittsburgh, gave the address, his subject being "The Michigan College of Mines in the Nineteenth Century." AT the meeting of the Philosophical Society of Washington on January 20, the retiring president, Dr. Lyman J. Briggs, will give the address on (6 The Living Plant as a Physical System." THE Society of Chemical Industry has awarded the Perkins medal to Dr. Ernst Twitchell. The presentation will be made by Dr. Charles F. Chandler on the evening of January 19. It will be followed by addresses by Dr. A. C. Langmuir on "The Twitchell Process in the Glycerin Trade," and by Martin H. Ittner on "The Twitchell Process in the Soap and Candle Industry." ACCORDING to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Alvarenga prize, awarded annually by the Swedish Medical Association, has for 1916 been given to Dr. E. Nilsson for his comprehensive study of the physical development and fitness for military service of the young men of Sweden between 1861 and 1913. The association distributed eleven other prizes. The jubilee prize was given to H. B. Lundborg for his medicalbiologic study of generations of certain families in Sweden totaling 2,232 members. He traced the working of the Mendelian laws of heredity through nearly 200 years. PROFESSOR S. A. FORBES, of the department of entomology of the University of Illinois, has been called to Washington, D. C., to consult with the members of the United States Bureau of Entomology, in regard to formulating plans for a campaign against the Hessian fly, of which Professor Forbes has made a study. DR. F. R. WATSON, of the department of physics of the University of Illinois, who has made several years' research on the subject of acoustics, is being consulted by the United States navy officials concerning the acoustical conditions necessary for sound-proof radio rooms on battleships. It has become highly important that the wireless operator on a battleship be able to receive messages without interruption by outside noises, and the Navy Department is searching for a sound-proof room where the operator can work without interference. son. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY has appointed a local committee to cooperate with the National Research Council in its service for the United States government. The committee is composed of the following persons: For the board of trustees, Messrs. James A. Patten, Irwin C. Rew, William S. Mason, Theodore W. RobinFor the alumni, Dr. Chas. H. Mayo, Rochester, Minn., Dr. W. E. Danforth, Evanston, Ill. For the faculty, Professors Henry Crew, D. R. Curtiss, Ulysses S. Grant, Philip Fox and William A. Locy, of the College of Liberal Arts; Professors A. B. Kanavel, A. I. Kendall, J. H. Long and S. W. Ranson, of the Medical School; Professor John H. Wigmore, of the Law School; Professor O. H. Basquin, of the College of Engineering; and Professors Arthur D. Black and Thomas L. Gilmer, of the Dental School. THE Aurora, under the command of Captain Davis, sailed from Port Chalmers, New Zealand, for the Antarctic on December, with Sir Ernest Shackleton on board. Sir Ernest will command the land operations for relief of the members of the expedition marooned in Ross Sea, and is hopeful of finding Lieutenant Macintosh's party well. Before the departure of the Aurora a civic reception was given at Dunedin in honor of Sir Ernest Shackleton, who arrived there in company with Dr. R. McNab, minister of marine. DR. BARTON WARREN EVERMANN, of the Museum of the California Academy of Sciences, spent a portion of December in the east. He represented the academy as a delegate at the dedication of the new building of ceramics at the University of Illinois. At the annual meeting of the Indiana Academy of Science at Indianapolis, on December 8 and 9, which was devoted chiefly to papers dealing with a century of science in Indiana, he presented a paper on "A Century of Zoology in Indiana.” At a meeting of the Washington Biological Society Dr. Evermann spoke on the work the California Academy of Sciences is doing in the installation of habitat groups, illustrating his remarks with colored slides. The same address was given at Butler University. PROFESSOR R. A. MILLIKAN, of the University of Chicago, will give on the Hitchcock Foundation at the University of California, the following lectures: "Electricity in the Nineteenth Century.'' "X-rays and the Birth of the New Physics. "The Electron-Its Isolation and Measurement."' "Brownian Movements and Sub-electrons.'' PROFESSOR E. P. LEWIS, of the University of California, recently lectured at the State University of Iowa on the following subjects: "The Multiple States of Nitrogen as Indicated by Its Spectra," "The Spectroscopic Exploration of the Heavens," and "The Electrical Properties of Flames." DR. LEWELLYS F. BARKER, of the Johns Hopkins University, delivered an address on Internal Secretions," before the Medical Society of the City and County of Denver, on December 26. AT the stated meeting of the Geographic Society of Chicago on January 12, Professor Em manuel de Martonne, associate professor of geography, of the University of Paris, gave an illustrated lecture entitled, "The Battle Fields of France." JOHN FINLAYSON, an explorer, for whom Finlayson River and Finlayson Lake in Yukon territory were named, died on January 8, aged one hundred and five years. Finlayson, who was a native of Scotland, prospected and mined gold in California and Oregon until he was eighty-six years old and then went to British Columbia and Yukon territory, where he explored large areas in which white men had never penetrated. MR. DANIEL OLIVER, F.R.S., died on December 23, at his residence at Kew, in his eightyseventh year. He was professor of botany at University College, London, from 1861 to 1888, and afterwards keeper of the herbarium and library at Kew Gardens. MR. F. W. LEVANDER, editor of the Journal and Memoirs of the British Astronomical Association, died on December 20, aged seventyseven years. PROFESSOR JEAN BAPTISTE A. CHAUVEAU, the eminent biologist, member of the Section of Agriculture of the French Academy of Sciences and of the Academy of Medicine, died on January 4, in Paris. The Peat THE manuscript for a report on Deposits of Connecticut" was in the hands of Dr. Charles A. Davis, of the Bureau of Mines, at the time of his death. Careful search has failed to locate this manuscript. It is possible that it had been sent for criticism to some scientific worker and had not been returned. Any one who has knowledge regarding this manuscript is requested to address Professor Herbert E. Gregory, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. AT the first session of the American Congress on Internal Medicine, held in New York on December 28 and 29, there was founded the new American College of Physicians, and sixty-five physicians were given fellowships, the selection having been made by the council of the congress. MESSRS. JOHN WILEY AND SONS, INCORPORATED, write that they supply filing-card announcements of their new books covering scientific and technical subjects, in accordance with the plan recommended by Mr. Wilhelm Segerblom in the issue of SCIENCE for January 5. They will send copies of these cards to those who may be interested. UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL THE Billings family of Chicago, headed by Mr. C. K. G. Billings, has given one million dollars to the University of Chicago toward the endowment of the medical school. The money is to be used to provide a hospital in connection with the school. THE late Mr. John D. Archbold has bequeathed the sum of $500,000 to Syracuse University. MR. JACOB H. SCHIFF has given the sum of $50,000 to New York University toward the fund of $300,000 for the division of public affairs in the school of commerce. THE alumni of Harvard University plan to collect a fund of ten million dollars for the permanent endowment fund of the university. PROFESSOR A. A. NOYES, director of the research laboratory of physical chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will spend the next five months at Throop College, Pasadena, Cal., where the new chemistry building will be occupied about February 1. DR. ROSWELL ANGIER, assistant professor of psychology at Yale University, will during the second half year give at Yale University one of the courses given by the late Hugo Münsterberg. The other courses will be given by Assistant Professor H. S. Langfeld and Dr. L. T. Troland. THE Journal of the American Medical Association states that the senate of Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., has issued a memorandum covering its objections to the action of the University of Toronto in deciding to establish in 1918 a six-year academic course in medicine. A conference had been held between representatives of the two universities but no other universities interested in Canada had been asked to participate in that conference. Queen's University says that the proposals come at a time when there is an unusual demand for the services of medical men from the British and Canadian governments, and that the great need for medical men will not immediately cease when the war is over. DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE THE INFLUENCE OF DISEASE IN THE EXTINCTION OF RACES OSBORN1 has called our attention to the part disease may have played in the extinction of certain mammalian groups especially. He based his suggestion on the prevalence of certain diseases among modern mammals, such as Texas fever, "rinderpest," biliary fever and the disease transmitted by the tse-tse fly. He says: Thus in these diseases we have all the conditions favorable for the wide distribution of insect-borne diseases which in past times may have attacked various types of quadrupeds and resulted in extermination before natural immunity was acquired. He did not, however, cite any instances in which disease is known to have played a part among the fossil vertebrates, and it is not likely that epidemic diseases of which he spoke should leave an impress on the skeleton. The writer has already indicated how a study of pathological lesions on fossil bones may show something of the widespread nature of disease in geological time. During the past few months there have been accumulated evidences of at least a score of diseases which are suggested by the lesions found on the petrified skeletal remains. Since the detailed description of these will appear elsewhere, it will only be necessary to say here that disease, as indicated by the above-mentioned lesions, was widespread quite early in the history of the early vertebrates. Pathological bones have so far not been noted in the early or 1 H. F. Osborn, American Naturalist, Vol. XL., p. 836, 1906. 2 SCIENCE, N. S., Vol. XLIII., No. 1108, pp. 425426, 1916. American Journal of Science, Vol. XLI., pp. 530-531, 1916. middle Paleozoic, but in the Permian diseased bones have been described by Renault, which were afflicted with caries, and he was able to discern something of the nature of the bacteria producing these lesions. Walcott has indicated the presence of bacteria in a much earlier period but, so far as I am aware, nothing of the diseased nature of fossil forms is known earlier than that stated above. The lesions so far studied are the results of accidents, or of infections and none of them are very extensive. It is improbable that any of the lesions so far studied were 80 severe that the life of the individual afflicted was endangered. Certainly none of them are severe enough to have endangered the race. Troxell has suggested in the description of a pathologic camel phalanx from the Pleistocene of Texas: The interesting pathologic phalanx is probably a result of exostosis or uncontrolled deposition of bony material. The bone was not broken, because it shows the same length as the normal one of the same size. Possibly the disease which caused the death of the individual also contributed to the destruction of the species. It is to be doubted if lesions of this nature are ever fatal. They may result in the loss of usefulness of the member afflicted and in the case of the camel, aside from a stiffness in the foot afflicted, probably no other result was noticeable. Troxell has mentioned that the introduction of swampy conditions into that region was instrumental in the extinction of the fauna, and it is to be further noted that the swampy condition also produced the arthritic lesion in the camel phalanx, since arthritides are more commonly found in animals inhabiting moist places, and are particularly severe in extinct cave-inhabiting and fossorial animals. It is not my intention to contend that disease has not been influential in the extinction of races; it probably has been; but those diseases which have left an impress on the C. D. Walcott, 1915, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., April, 1915, pp. 256-257. E. L. Troxell, 1915, Amer. Journ. Sci., Vol. XXXIX., p. 626, Fig. 14. fossilized skeleton certainly can not be regarded as among those diseases which would produce widespread extinction. Some other has been the dominant factor. Among the labyrinthodonts, for instance, there is no evidence of disease on the skeletons, and we know that after a sudden rise and world-wide distribution of species, suddenly the whole group went out of existence. The same may be said of other early groups of vertebrates. The present results of the study of fossil pathology indicate the early appearance in geological time and widespread distribution of diseases of many kinds, but none of them, so far as these lesions may be interpreted, were sufficiently severe to have played a part in the extinction of any of the known races of vertebrates. They are to be regarded rather as chronic infectious or constitutional diseases which may have played a part in extinction, but there must have been some other and more powerful ally which is at present unknown. ROY L. MOODIE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, CHICAGO VERTICAL FILING FOR PAMPHLET COLLECTIONS IN the issue of SCIENCE for November 24 Professor Storer calls attention to the important matter of properly caring for pamphlet collections. He also brings together in very serviceable form the data regarding the various methods which have been used in storing pamphlets. The writer merely wishes to add some items from his experience in using for this purpose ordinary commercial vertical filing cases. When this system is used the pamphlets are placed in the drawers of the cabinet face forward and with the back of the pamphlet uppermost. It is thus possible to read the back title if the pamphlet bears one, or to separate the pamphlets slightly as one would cards in a card index and thus note the title printed or written on the front cover. Guides are inserted at convenient intervals to assist in finding the particular group of pamphlets desired. These guides may provide a series of subdivisions as minute as desired, though in practise an average of one guide per inch will be found to be a generous allowance. Any pamphlet in the series may be found and removed without disturbing others, or the whole group bearing upon a single subject may be located instantly. It goes without saying that the publications are protected in the most complete manner from dust, light and accidental injury and are at the same time kept perfectly flat and under light pressure. The total floor space occupied is little if any greater than is required for storage on shelves. The horizontal extent of the case along the wall is less than in other types of storage. The latter point is often of great importance, due to the limited amount of wall space in many offices. Furthermore, the vertical file may be placed in the center of the floor if the room happens to be a large one. The entire cabinet with its contents can be moved from one location to another with no risk of disarranging the collection. Storage in this manner is not as expensive as is ordinarily supposed. A vertical filing case which I have just received for my own use contains filing space equal to 110 inches of shelving. The cost is about twelve and one half cents per inch, without guides. This is not a transfer case, but a well-made five-drawer upright unit, invoice size. It is steel construction inside with oak exterior. Data are not at hand regarding the cost of filing in pamphlet cases, but shelving with closed dustproof back if made of selected lumber and well finished would cost probably from seven to ten cents per lineal inch of filing space. If to this be added the cost of pamphlet cases the expense of the method can not be much less than that of vertical filing. The convenience of the latter is such that it would appear advisable to investigate it closely in every case before adopting another system. It offers particular advantages for personal use. It should be added that the file that I am using accommodates papers with a greatest dimension of ten and one fourth inches. This will provide for most separates, though there are of course a few which are too large. SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, PHRENOLOGY Ir is gratifying to report the receipt of the following communication, relating to the lecture on "Phrenology" which was referred to in SCIENCE of December 29. The letter is dated January 4, and is signed by Professor Wm. A. Wilbur, dean of Columbian College, George Washington University. Following your letters of December 21 and December 23, concerning an announced lecture on phrenology before the Enosinian Society, and following a letter of December 26 from Dr. Frank Baker, relating to the same subject, President Stockton directed me to see that the lecture was not given. On December 28 I notified the president of the society of President Stockton's directions in the matter, and I am in receipt from him of a letter of January 3 cancelling all arrangements for the lecture referred to. President Stockton directed me to say that he felt sure you would wish to give this action of the university as wide publicity as the announcement and note over your signature in the issue of SCIENCE of December 29, 1916. U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, D. C. QUOTATIONS A. HRDLICKA THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN GREAT WHILE discussion is in progress as to the right principles upon which science, now beginning to be recognized as an educational essential, should be introduced into our curricula, it is well to wait until some general synthesis of opinion has been effected before attempting a general summary of conclusions. In practise, we shall arrive at the type of science teaching that commends itself to those who are most closely in contact with present needs and conditions. But it may help to clear the air of controversy if two points of view are restated which are coming into gen |