This question of the practicability of using the Kavangire is now under consideration by Professor Earle and his co-workers in Porto Rico, and at the same time further observations will be made upon the immunity of this variety to the mottling disease. Unfortunately, the available supply of plant cane of Kavangire in Porto Rico is limited. It will take a number of years to propagate enough of this variety to make it available for general planting. In the meantime its adaptability to the Porto Rican climatic and labor conditions will be determined. It appears to be a strong ratooner and to have considerable resistance to root disease, borer and stem rot. If these indications prove true Kavangire should enable the grower to keep his fields in profitable production longer without replanting than is possible with the varieties now in general use. This will reduce the cost of production, even though the habit of growth and quality of the cane should make it a somewhat more expensive variety to handle and to mill. C. O. TOWNSEND U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE USE OF POISON GAS TO THE EDITOR OF SCIENCE: In regard to the article on "Poison Gases" by Major West, in your issue of May 2, 1919, the statement on p. 415 that at the Hague Conference of 1899 "the governments represented-and all the warring powers of the present great conflict were represented-pledged themselves not to use any projectiles whose only object was to give out suffocating or poisonous gases is not correct. Twenty-six nations voted on the question, all but two being in the affirmative. The dissenting two were Great Britain and the United States. At the conference of 1907, Great Britain gave way and signed, but the United States refused. The reasons for the action of the United States are set forth clearly and, in my opinion, unanswerably by Admiral Mahan, the leader of the U. S. delegation, in a formal statement that he made on the occasion. PHILADELPHIA, Pa. HENRY LEFFMANN SCIENTIFIC BOOKS RENAISSANCE ANATOMY AMONG the interesting papers published in "Studies in the History and Method of Science," edited by Charles Singer, and printed in Oxford by the Clarendon Press, 1917, is an important contribution of fundamental interest to students of the history of anatomy. The entire series of essays has been previously reviewed by Dr. Charles Dana1 and we may confine our attention to Dr. Singer's "Study in Early Renaissance Anatomy," which occupies 84 pages of the book. This study is subdivided: I. Anatomy in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. II. Bolognese Works on Anatomy. IV. The Manuscript Anatomy of Manfredi. (a) The Brain, Cranial Nerves, etc. (b) The Eye. (c) The Heart. Italian Text of the Anothomia. There is little that is new in the first two sections, although there is much interesting material, accompanied by a wealth of bibliographic details which will save the worker in anatomical history much time and labor. The discussion is interesting and instructive; the illustrations, which are well reproduced, having been chosen from the works of such early writers as Henri de Mondeville (1314), Bartholomæus Anglicus (1482), Guy de Chauliac (1430), Mondina (1493), Ketham (1495) and many other writers. Many of these illustrations have been previously given by Locy, Sudhoff, Choulant and others. 1 Annals of Medical History, I., no. 4, 1917 (issued February, 1919). 2"Anatomical Illustrations before Vesalius," Jour. Morphol., 1911, XXII., no. 4. 3"Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Anatomie im Mittelalter," Leipzig, 1908. "Geschichte der anatomischen Abbildungen," Leipzig, 1852. He refers in an interesting way to the tangled triangle between Leonardo da Vinci, Vesalius and Marc Antonio della Torre (14731506) which has been discussed extensively by McMurrich, Forster and others. Singer speaks of the "projected treatise of Marcantonio della Torre" which was to be prepared in conjunction with Leonardo, giving an interesting reference to support his conclusion. Elsewhere he says: "Leonardo da Vinci's ... anatomical researches were without influence, and remained long unnoticed," thus casting doubt on the supposition that these illustrations had influenced the work of Vesalius. The short biographical sketch of Hieronymo Manfredi (1430-1493) is without particular interest and is doubtless duplicated in all essentials many times in the biographical sketches given in the "Biographie Médicale and in the biographical dictionary of Gurlt and Hirsch which is largely based in the "Biographie Médicale.” Manfredi's anatomical views were modified by the astrological learning so prominent in Bologna at that time. The matter of greatest interest about his "Anothomia" however is that it represents the breaking away from the old Galenic anatomy, which was based on calves, dogs and other mammals, and applied without question to man. Manfredi's anatomy, while only a compilation, it is true, is yet based on a careful study of many writers. "It is in the main a rearranged and on the whole improved Mondino, but amplified by reference to translations from Galen, Rhazes, Haly Abbas and Avicenna." Perhaps other writers were also used. It is not an original work, not yet a piece of research, although he had confirmed some of his descriptions by actual dissection. However, "It is perhaps the first complete treatise on its subject written originally in the vernacular," and represents anatomy as taught at Bologna at the end of the fifteenth century. The translations of portions of the text, 5 G. Cervetto, "Di alcuni illustri anatomici italiani del decimoquinto secolo,'' p. 46, Verona, 1842. made by A. Mildred Westland, are interesting and instructive. Manfredi's discussion of the scalp, skull and meninges reads remarkably like a modern text-book of anatomy, the medieval terms almochatim and lauda being no worse than those of the BNA. It may be interesting to give Manfredi's discussion of the chorioid plexus, which recalls, in a way the ideas held later by Descartes and Swedenborg, concerning the pineal body. To the side.. is another thing like a subterranean worm, red as blood, yet tethered by certain ligaments and nervelets. And this worm when it lengthens itself closes these passages, and thus blocks the path between the first ventricle and the second. Nature has wrought it thus, so that when a man wills he may cease from cogitation and thought; and similarly when, on the other hand, he would think and contemplate, this worm contracts itself again and opens these passages and thus frees the way between one ventricle and another. Manfredi gives the customary six cranial nerves, all that were known to the ancients. His discussion of the anatomy of the eye shows the strong influence of the Arabians who were excellent ophthalmologists, while his description of the heart follows closely that of Mondino. In the opinion of the reviewer there have been few studies of more fundamental, importance to the study of anatomical history than the present one by Dr. Singer. Sudhoff's study already referred to, the studies of Stieda, Toply and Jastrow on the "Beginnings of Anatomy" among the ancient Chaldeans, Babylonians and Romans are to be mentioned in this connection. Important contributions to anatomical history are difficult to produce, since it requires great linguistic ability, access to large collections of manuscripts and books, and some knowledge of anatomical structure. Such a combination, rare and difficult as it is, is found in the person of Dr. Charles Singer who is doing notable work in the advancement of knowledge of ancient medical literature through the publications at Oxford University, and in the pages of the Annals of Medical History. Roy L. MOODIE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE SPECIAL ARTICLES NOTES ON CERTAIN CONGLOMERATIC STRUCTURES IN LIMESTONES IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THE following notes may be of value to those interested in the origin of limestone conglomerates in the Nittany valley, Pennsylvania. Last summer while collecting extensively from the Stonehenge and Axemann limestones, fossiliferous members of the Beekmantown series, in the Bellefonte quadrangle the writer found repeated occurrences of fossils in the conglomeratic, or pseudo-conglomeratic beds. In some cases the fossils were sparingly disseminated among structures prevailingly conglomeratic and apparently of inorganic origin. In other instances fossil layers themselves assumed a conglomeratic appearance in cross-section, especially if slightly weathered. It was often impossible to determine in the field whether a structure, apparently conglomeratic, owed its superficial appearance to a strictly inorganic origin or rather to an assemblage of fossils in a more or less clastic fashion. Gradually the impression grew upon the observer that fossils worked over mechanically in some way prior to burial formed the basis of some of the so-called limestone conglomerates. Anent this possible method of formation the following observation is offered for what it is worth. Several years ago the writer had occasion to collect fossils from the Warrior limestone (Buffalo Run limestone of Moore and Walcott) of Upper Cambrian age and found one outcrop which could be interpreted as the result of the mechanical breaking up of an organism. A small reef or cluster of Cryptozoon, seen in cross-section, appeared broken or flaked off in such a manner that the cemented rubble much resembled "edgewise" conglomerate. The area on the rock surface was small, but the occurrence is deemed significant. Caution should be used by the field worker in interpreting probable conglomeratic structures in these limestones, as a cross-sectional view alone may be misleading unless the possibility of fossils is constantly kept in mind. The paper by Mr. Richard M. Field1 on these obscure structures deserves commendation. His many field observations and summary of previous literature render the work a distant contribution to knowledge whether or not one agrees with his theory of origin. The reader is referred to this paper for a full treatment of the subject. HARRY N. EATON SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE ON POLICY OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE THE Committee on Policy met on Monday, April 28, 1919, at 5 P.M., at the Cosmos Club, with Mr. Nichols in the chair, and Messrs. Woodward, Merriam, Humphreys, MacDougal, Cattell, Noyes, Ward and Howard also present. On motion, Professor Dimon Kellogg, of Columbia, Mo., was elected to membership, made a fellow and, on nomination from the sectional committee of Section A, was elected vice-president and chairman of that section. On motion, Dr. David Jayne Hill, was elected to membership, made a fellow and, on nomination from the sectional committee of Section I, was elected vice-president and chairman of that section. On motion, Dr. C. Kenneth Leith, of Madison, having been nominated by the sectional committee of Section E, was elected as vicepresident and chairman of that section. On motion, A. S. Langsdorf, of Washington University, was elected as secretary of the council in place of Dr. J. F. Abbott, resigned. 1"A Preliminary Paper on the Origin and Classification of Intraformational Conglomerates and Breccias," Richard M. Field, Ottawa Naturalist, vol. 30, nos. 2-6, May-Sept., 1916, pp. 29-36, 47-52, 58-66. A communication from Dr. Felix Neumann, of the Surgeon General's Library, suggesting a change in the last constitution in the name of Section K from Historical and Philological Sciences to History of Science was read, and, on motion, the secretary was instructed to inform Dr. Neumann that this idea could be embodied in an amendment to the constitution to be submitted at the St. Louis meeting, if desirable, or that members interested in the history of science could form a sub-section of Section K provided the name as previously recommended for the section should be adopted. The following fellows were elected as honorary fellows emeritus under the terms of the Jane M. Smith Fund: Charles Frederick Chandler, Edward Williams Morley, William North Rice and Albert Henry Tuttle. On motion, the treasurer was authorized to invest two thousand dollars in Victory Liberty Notes. Reports of progress with regard to the proposed popular journal were made by Mr. Humphreys and Mr. Noyes. After a lengthy discussion on the proposal for a new scientific journal under the partial auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, it was agreed it would be equitable to enter into arrangements provided that SCIENCE be offered to members for the three dollar fee; that the new popular journal or The Scientific Monthly be offered for four dollars; that SCIENCE and the new popular journal be offered for six dollars, and that all three publications be offered for nine dollars, and that SCIENCE be underwritten for its circulation through the American Association for the Advancement of Science on the amount of its subscriptions at the time of the establishment of the new journal; or that SCIENCE be paid fifty cents for each individual subscription between the actual subscriptions and the circulation at the time mentioned, the same to be deducted from the amount paid by the association to the new journal. Dr. Ward reported from the committee on state and local academies, giving the results of preliminary negotiations with three state academies. On motion, it was resolved that state and city academies of science may become associated or affiliated with the association by paying to the association only two dollars and fifty cents for each member, retaining fifty cents of the association fee for the use of the academy, and the entrance fee of the association of five dollars shall be remitted in such cases. Mr. Cattell made a progress report with regard to the National Education Association. On motion, Messrs. MacDougal, Coulter and B. M. Duggar were appointed a special committee to confer with the secretaries of societies of botanical interests which meet with the association to consider the coordination of the efforts of such societies. On motion, the opinion of the committee on policy was expressed that, when the new journal on popular science is established, the entrance fee of the association should be remitted for one year. At 10.30 P.M., the committee adjourned. L. O. HOWARD, Permanent Secretary THE UTAH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES THE twelfth annual convention of the Utah Academy of Sciences was held at Salt Lake City, April 4 and 5, 1919, in the physics lecture room of the University of Utah. In all, three sessions were held-the first beginning at 8 o'clock Friday evening, the second at 9:30 o'clock Saturday morning, and the closing session at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon. At the business meeting Saturday afternoon, five members were elected to fellowship as follows: Dr. M. C. Merrill, Dr. Willard Gardner, Harold R. Hagan and Tracy H. Abell, of the Utah Agricultural College, Dr. Joseph F. Merrill, of the University of Utah. The following persons were elected to membership in the Academy: Professor A. L. Beeley and Professor LeRoy Cowles, of the University of Utah, D. W. Pittman, of the Utah Agricultural College, Mark Anderson, of the U. S. Forestry Service, and Andrew Lee Christensen, Salt Lake City. Dr. W. C. Ebaugh, formerly head of the department of chemistry at the University of Utah, having permanently removed from the state, was transferred to associate membership. The constitution was amended in several particulars relating principally to the admission of new members. The office of corresponding secretary was created. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President-Dr. Orin Tugman, University of Utah; First Vice-president-C. F. Korstian, U. S. Forestry Service, Ogden, Utah; Second Vice-president-Dr. Frank L. West, Utah Agricultural College, Logan; Permanent Secretary-Treasurer-A. O. Garrett, East High School, Salt Lake City; Corresponding Secretary-C. Arthur Smith, East High School, Salt Lake City; Councillors-atlarge-Dr. W. D. Bonner, U. of U., Salt Lake City; Professor Hyrum Schneider, U. of U., Salt Lake City, and Dr. Newton Miller, U. of U., Salt Lake City. The following papers were read at the convention: Harold R. Hagan, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "A history of entomology to 1800." Mark Anderson, Forest Service, Ogden, "Detection of overgrazing by indicator plants.'' Professor A. L. Beeley, Utah University, Salt Lake City, "The problem of handedness."' Professor Tracy H. Abell, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "Investigations in dehydration."' Dr. M. C. Merrill, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "Distilled water as a medium for growing plants.'' Dr. Frank L. West, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "Determination of probable temperature at a particular place for a definite hour on a definite day." Dr. F. S. Harris and N. I. Butt, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "Alkali water for irrigation." Professor D. W. Pittman, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "The relation of the method of analyzing alkali soils to the limit of toxicity." Dr. Willard Gardner, Utah Agricultural College, Logan, "A theory of capillary flow." Dr. Joseph F. Merrill, Utah University, Salt Lake City, "Is electric air heating feasible?" Dr. W. D. Bonner, Utah University, Salt Lake City, "Atoms and the atomic theory." C. F. Korstian, Forest Service, Ogden, "Evaporation and soil moisture in relation to forest planting." C. ARTHUR SMITH, Corresponding Secretary THE KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE THE fifty-first annual meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science was held at the State Agri cultural College, Manhattan, April 18 and 19. There was in attendance an excellent representation of the scientists of the educational institutions, scientific professions and industries of the state. "The cultivation of medicinal plants in the United States," illustrated, was the subject of the presidential address, by Professor L. D. Havenhill, of Kansas University. Professor Henry B. Ward, of the University of Illinois, the visiting scientist, delivered two lectures, one on "The conservation of our aquatic resources, " and the other on "Research and reconstruction," the latter to the faculty, students and friends of the college as well. President W. M. Jardine addressed the academy on the problems and aims of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and described some of the projects under way. Sixty-one papers were presented, either by title or read, most of them reports of progress and accomplishment in research. A banquet was served during the evening of the eighteenth which was attended by more than one hundred persons. Dean L. E. Sayre, of Kansas University, was toastmaster, and talks were made by President Jardine, Professor Ward, Major E. L. Holton, of the Red Cross, and Representative Hughbanks, of the Kansas legislature. The academy formally voted to accept the invitation to affiliate itself with the American Association for the Advancement of Science according to the plan previously published in SCIENCE. Dr. Robert K. Nabours, of the Agricultural College, and Dr. B. M. Allen, of Kansas University, were elected president and first vice-president, respectively, for the coming year. |