vary in density from about 2.5 for the lightest stone, to more than eight for the heaviest iron meteorites, the increase in density is not brought about by an increase in the abundance of what have been defined as the heavy atoms, but only by a shift in the relative abundance of the light atoms. Thus in the less dense stone meteorites the average atomic percentage of oxygen, atomic weight 16, is 54.7 per cent., while that of iron, atomic weight 55.84, is 10.6 per cent. In the more dense iron meteorites, on the other hand, the percentage of oxygen is practically negligible, while that of iron has risen to 90.6 per cent. A study of the densities of the ele

be related to this property. In fact the only apparent relation is to the atomic number, which indicates that the abundance relations are the result of evolution, that is of the factors involved in the formation and disintegration of the atoms. WILLIAM D. HARKINS

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

NOTE: Since the presentation of the above paper it has been pointed out by Norris F. Hall that both the isotopic complexity, and the number of predominant radiation of the radio-active elements show a sharp alternation with increasing atomic number, and that this alternation is strictly in accord with the general hydrogen helium theory of atomic structure. The variation of these properties is illustrated in Figure 4 and it will be seen that the general form of these figures is the same as that of Figures 2 and 3 which represent the abundance of the elements.

THE CARE OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS MANY matters of importance touching upon American cooperative effort and activity along medical and surgical lines were developed during the past week in Chicago, when the general medical board and the State activities committee of the medical section of the Council of National Defense held stated meetings in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America. Secretary of the Navy Daniels discussed the activities of the Navy directed toward the moral and intellectual welfare of the naval personnel, and Surgeon Generals Gorgas, Braisted, and Blue spoke for the Army, Navy, and Public Health Service, outlining the medical work in these respective branches.

Surgeon General Gorgas at a meeting of the general medical board, which preceded the clinical congress, outlined the efforts now being directed toward meeting medical needs on the fields of battle, at home, and also in

transporting permanently disabled United States soldiers from abroad. Only those men will be returned home who are permanently disabled or who have a contemplated convalescence of six months. The experience of the allies, it was stated, indicates that about 10 per cent. of the wounded are permanently disabled.

On their return home the American soldiers will receiye not only adequate medical treatment but will also be afforded the extra facilities of special hospitals built with the idea in view of rehabilitating physically and reeducating industrially our incapacitated soldiers. It is also contemplated to devote special hospitals in France to the treatment of special diseases, such, for example, as tuberculosis or injuries of the head, brain, eyes, ears, or face.

General Gorgas announced the fundamental policy of adhering to the Manual of 1914, which provides that the military hospitals shall consist of three general divisions, medicine, surgery, and laboratories. Under this type of organization the specialties will have full scope and yet come under adequate medical or surgical control and direction.

The Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America is an organization founded seven years ago by Dr. Franklin H. Martin, of the advisory commission of the Council of National Defense, of Chicago. Surgical demonstrations were held at 25 important Chicago hospitals and programs were arranged almost exclusively along medico-military lines. France was represented by Colonel C. Dercle and England by Colonel T. H. Goodwin, R. A. M. C. Sir Berkeley Moynihan presented the activities of the British Army and Major George W. Crile, M. R. C., detailed the American medical activities in France.

After Colonels E. L. Munson and F. F. Russell had outlined the work of the Surgeon General's office in organizing the medical officers' training camps and the various military laboratories, Sir Berkeley Moynihan contributed an exposition of wound treatment in the British Army. He explained in detail the search for satisfactory antiseptic drugs and

ventured the novel axiom that wounds did best when merely carefully cleaned, put at rest, and kept free from contact with any drug or antiseptic. His address attracted much attention because it was the first authoritative denial of the universal efficacy of the now famous Carrel-Dakin technique of wound treatment.

Major G. W. Crile, in discussing the address of Sir Berkeley, corroborated all that he said. Short addresses were made by Drs. Edward Martin, E. H. Dunham, and W. E. Lee, all of Philadelphia. By means of a moving-picture demonstration and the detailing of experimental and clinical data, they showed how much could be done for clean wound healing by the new antiseptic, Dichloramine-T, which is being investigated under instructions from the Surgeon General's office. Dr. William O'Neill Sherman, who presented evidence of the efficacy of the Dakin-Carrel method of wound treatment, closed the Tuesday evening program.

In addition to the usual committee reports, the meeting of the general medical board was livened by two instructive reports from Sir Berkeley and Major Crile. Sir Berkeley showed the remarkable efficiency developed by the Medical Corps of the British forces, and this despite the fact that 96 per cent. of the doctors were civilian physicians at the outbreak of the war. This efficiency is attributable, among other things, to the two important factors of "surgical teamwork" and surgical consultants. The principle of surgical teamwork was learned in the United States, said Sir Berkeley, and the principle of consultants (these consultants are picked from the leading surgical minds of Britain) was evolved from the necessity of having some one authoritative group to direct and correlate medical activities consecutively from the field dressing stations back to the base hospital.

Major Crile outlined this plan for the socalled clinical sector, which in brief is made up of a team of men, selected preferably from a university or hospital where they have previously worked in unison, and now distributed among the dressing, field, evacuation, and

base hospitals of a given sector at the front. The object of such a unit is to secure at all times uniformity and continuity of oversight in the treatment of the wounded from the time of the first field dressing to the completion of convalescence.

At the meetings of the States activities committee resolutions were introduced and acted upon in regard to the universal training of young men above 19 for a period of six months, for the rehabilitation of rejected physically defective conscripts, and for the prophylaxis, control, and treatment of venereal disease.

DEATHS AMONG ORNITHOLOGISTS THE Auk publishes obituary notices of several ornithologists who have died recently from which we take the following facts:

Dr. Emil August Goeldi died suddenly at Bern, Switzerland, July 5, 1917, in the fiftyeighth year of his age. He was born at Ennetbühl, Canton of St. Gall, Switzerland, August 28, 1859. He studied at the Zoological Station at Naples and was assistant of Professor Ernst Haeckel at the Zoological Institute at Jena. In 1884 he went to Brazil and became associated with the museum in Rio de Janeiro. After the fall of the Emperor Dom Pedro II., in 1889, he retired from this position and lived for four years in the state of Rio de Janeiro. About 1894 he founded the museum in Para, now known as the Museu Goeldi. This institution which comprised not only a museum but also a zoological garden and a botanical garden was taken over by the state a few years later and Goeldi then became honorary director. In 1905, after twenty years of life in the tropics, he returned to Switzerland and took up his residence in Bern where, since 1908, he has been professor of zoology in the Cantonal University. He visited the United States in August, 1907, at the time of the meeting of the Seventh International Congress of Zoology in Boston. Dr. Goeldi has published a number of papers in English, German and Portuguese on various branches of zoology, but chiefly on mammals, birds and fishes.

Alfred John North died of heart failure at Sydney, Australia, May 6, 1917, only five months after the death of his former chief and associate, Dr. E. P. Ramsay. He was born in North Melbourne, Australia, June 11, 1855, and was educated in the public and grammar schools of Melbourne. Later he worked at the jeweler's trade for some years. At an early age he developed an interest in ornithology which was stimulated by visits to the National Museum at Melbourne and by the officers of this institution, Sir Frederick McCoy the director, and John Leadbeater in charge of ornithology. In 1878 he corresponded with Ramsay and eight years later went to Sidney to arrange the Ramsay collection of birds and the collection of eggs of the Australian Museum. After spending several months at this task he was asked to prepare the "Descriptive Catalogue of the Nests and Eggs of Birds found Breeding in Australia and Tasmania ” which was published in 1889. About this time he was appointed an assistant to the curator, Dr. Ramsay, and in 1891 was made ornithologist of the museum, a position which he retained until his death. He has published many papers on the birds of Australia.

Rev. William Rogers Lord died in Dover, Mass., February 2, 1916, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. He was born in Boston, Mass., May 6, 1847. He graduated from Amherst College with the degree of A.B., in 1875 and from the Union Theological Seminary, in New York, in 1878, and had held pastorates in the

East and in the West.

Mr. Lord was deeply interested in birds and especially in popularizing bird study and bird protection.

Dr. Bert Heald Bailey died at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 22, 1917. He was born at Farley, Iowa, May 2, 1875. Dr. Bailey graduated from Coe College in 1897 and received his master's degree from the same institution in 1900. In 1900 he also completed his course and received an M.D. degree from Rush Med. ical College, Chicago. In September, 1900, he became professor of zoology and curator of the Museum of Coe College, a position which he held at the time of his death.

He published a small volume entitled "200 Wild Birds of Iowa" in 1906, and was the author of numerous short papers and notes on mammals and birds which appeared from time to time in the Proceedings of the Iowa Acad of Science and in The Auk. In addition, many valuable notes contributed by him appear in Anderson's "Birds of Iowa."

Francis Windle died at his home in West Chester, Pa., on February 24, 1917, in his seventy-second year. Mr. Windle was born in West Marlboro, Chester county, Pa. He lived most of his life in West Chester, having received his education in the schools of his native county and at the University of Michigan, at which latter place he took his law course. Owing to poor health Mr. Windle found it necessary to give up the practise of law and seek outdoor employment. He secured a position with one of the extensive nurseries at West Chester. Here his wide knowledge of botany acquired during his frequent outing trips, which constituted his chief recreation for years, proved a valuable asset. During his recreational activities his time was about equally divided between his study and observation of plants and birds, with the result that he became skilled in both botany and field ornithology.

For several years Mr. Windle taught biology at Darlington Seminary, West Chester, and also did some teaching at the State Normal School in the same place.

For about eleven years prior to his death he was connected with the Bureau of Zoology, Department of Agriculture of Pennsylvania, with headquarters at Harrisburg. He became assistant orchard inspector for the eastern end of Pennsylvania, and while acting in this capacity was made a member of the Chestnut Blight Commission, and later of the White Pine Blister Rust Commission. The duties of these positions took him all over the eastern end of the state and kept him out of doors where he could indulge his passion for botany and ornithology. He was a member of the Philadelphia Botanical Club and of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and kept constantly in touch with men in these fields.

SCIENTIFIC EVENTS

WAR SERVICE FOR CHEMISTS1

FRANCE and England freely acknowledge that they greatly decreased their efficiency by sending their scientific men to the trenches. Although they have since withdrawn most of those still alive and are now using them in special service, the dearth of technically trained men has been and is severely felt.

Secretary of War Baker, aware of this fact, is carrying out the full spirit of the selective draft, and specially trained men, so far as needed, are being assigned to the war service which they are trained to render.

More than others among scientific men, trained chemists have been needed for war purposes by both the Army and the Navy.

Fortunately, the American Chemical Society and the Bureau of Mines, acting cooperatively, foreseeing this need, took first a census of American chemists and later compiled from all data available a list of those enlisted. From this list of chemists actually in the Army and the Navy a large number have been selected for special fitness and have been already assigned. Many more, undoubtedly, will be so assigned, and if the present demand keeps up, it may later be necessary to ask for special enlistment for chemical work. That time has not yet arrived.

At present any chemist not required by law to enter chemical war service who enters voluntarily keeps one chemist in the ranks and deprives the chemical industries of his own service as well. A number of chemists have been commissioned, but these are picked men of special attainments and specific experience. The majority will serve as privates or noncommissioned officers until such time as they are found to deserve promotion.

Don't ask to be assigned to chemical work until you are actually in the camp. Camp assignment must be made before your name will be submitted to the War Department.

Don't send in your name, even for consideration for such service, if exemption is to be

1 From The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.

Don't try to deprive another chemist actually in the Army of his opportunity to render chemical service by yourself seeking such service, until called. The industries which supply the Army and Navy with the sinews of war need trained chemists and are being seriously handicapped by the depletion of their chemical personnel.

Don't write to anyone in Washington to aid you in a claim for exemption. Even if they wished to do so, they are quite properly powerless for the law delegates exemption to the Local and District Boards.

Do send me your name, address, military and camp assignment when actually sworn in (not before). If you have not already filed details of your age, training and experience, send this also at the same time.

CHARLES L. PARSONS,
Secretary

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Box 505,

WASHINGTON, D. C.

THE MAYO FOUNDATION

AT the meeting of the board of regents of the University of Minnesota held on September 13, the regents adopted the following resolution thanking the Drs. Mayo for their gift establishing the Mayo Foundation for medical investigation and research:

Whereas, Dr. William J. Mayo and Dr. Chas. H. Mayo, of Rochester, Minnesota, have given the sum of $1,650,344.79 to the University of Minnesota for the establishment of a fund to be known as the "Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research," and,

Whereas, This gift has been duly accepted by unanimous action of the board of regents,

Therefore, be it Resolved, That the board of regents records its profound sense of gratitude to the donors. The gift is unique in the annals of American education. It represents the lofty purposes of two of the most distinguished citizens of our commonwealth. They believe that this money has come from the people and that it should be returned to the people. It has been the sole aim of the donors to provide a fund which would be of permanent benefit to the state of Minnesota and to mankind as a whole. They have wisely and appropri

be used for medical education and research. American universities should be encouraged in the prosecution of an educational policy which aims to develop investigators and scientists of the first rank. One clear function of a true university is to make actual contributions to various fields of knowledge. This new foundation, therefore, relates itself very intimately to the realization of our highest educational aims. Both for the gift itself and for the genuine impetus which it will impart to scholarly investigation in this university, we desire to convey to the donors our sincere appreciation.

THE

CONNAUGHT LABORATORIES OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

THE Connaught Laboratories of the University of Toronto, and a farm of fifty acres, were formally presented by Colonel Albert Gooderham, to the University of Toronto and at the same time officially opened by the Governor General, the Duke of Devonshire, on October 25. The value of the gift is about seventy-five thousand dollars. The laboratories are to be used for the purpose of research in preventive medicine and for the production of serums and vaccines. Sir William Hearst, the premier of Ontario, at the opening, announced that a grant of seventy-five thousand dollars would be authorized at the next session of the legislature, to establish a research foundation in preventive medicine. The income from this and also from an additional twenty-five thousand dollars, will be used for research only, the laboratories being self-supporting. This is the first endowment of research in preventive medicine in Canada. In connection with the official opening of these laboratories, a lecture was delivered in Convocation Hall, on the same evening by Dr. Simon Flexner, director of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, on the "War activities of the Rockefeller Institute." A distinguished audience, including the Governor General and the Lieutenant Governor, attended this most interesting and able lecture.

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES FOR EXPERI

MENTAL BIOLOGY

THE annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology