underlying the surface were replaced by common salt with a specific gravity of 2.10 or 2.20, the effect on the intensity of gravity might be observable. If a still heavier mass made up of salt, dolomite, igneous rock, etc., having a specific gravity of 2.50 to 2.75 were intruded the rate of swing of the pendulum would be very perceptibly increased. If, however, only a quarter of a cubic mile of the clay and sand were replaced with the lighter or heavier substances, the effect would scarcely be observable, and if the intrusion occurred several thousand feet below the surface it might not be possible to locate the position with the gravity instrument. Other instruments have been devised for measuring the intensity of gravity that do not make use of the pendulum, and it seems within the range of possibility that in time an instrument of some sort will be perfected by which more delicate observations can be made.

The writer has found but one published statement suggesting the use of gravity anomalies in the search for oil, and this was not intended to apply in the way here outlined. Eötvös, in 1913, suggests that it may be possible to find water, ore, coal, salt, oil and gas by using gravity anomalies. David White⭑ has, however, studied the relationships between gravity anomalies and character of rocks.

On account of the slight variations in altitude and latitude in southern Louisiana and Texas and other regions where salt domes occur, it seems possible that a considerable part of the calculations made in connection with the occupation of stations for other purposes may be eliminated. The use of gravity

3 Eötvös, Roland, Ungarn. Bericht über Arbeiten mit der Drehwage ausgeführt im Auftrage der Kön. Ungarischen Regiergung in den Jahren 1909-1911: Internat. Erdmessung, 17 Allg. Conf.,

Hamburg, 1912, Beilage A, XL., pp. 427–438, 1913.

4 White, David, "Discussion of Gravity Anomalies from the Stratigraphic Standpoint" (no abstract). Discussed by William Bowie: Washington Acad. Sci. Jour., Vol. 7, No. 10, p. 312, May 19, 1917. Meeting of Geol. Soc. of Washington on March 14, 1917.

observations in the search for salt domes would then consist essentially in determining at many points the number of beats in a unit of time of a pendulum so constructed and encased as to reduce the friction to the lowest point possible. If the material in many of the domes will perceptibly affect the number of beats then it may be that gravity anomalies can be used profitably in searching for hidden domes, the observations for most points in a county or group of counties being uniform, while at a few points a perceptible departure can be observed. The increasing value of oil and the keen interest in prospecting make it seem possibly worth while to make some practical tests with the gravity instrument on a known salt dome and surrounding country, especially since many wells are being sunk at random in the region. To be sure, some salt domes are known which do not seem to have oil pools, and others are known which have not yet been fully tested, but the number of insufficiently tested domes is rapidly decreasing, and with the keener interest in the search for oil the time will no doubt soon come when it will be profitable to spend a great deal of money searching for salt domes, for they seem to be much more likely to contain oil than the surrounding country.

EUGENE WESLEY SHAW

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

ANNUAL FIELD TRIP OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE GEOLOGISTS

THE American Association of State Geologists made a very pleasant and instructive trip through Oklahoma, October 12 to 16. At the winter meeting in Albany, in December, 1916, it was decided to hold the summer field meeting in Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Geological Survey accordingly made very comprehensive plans for the entertainment of the association.

The declaration of war and the consequent interest of the geologists in war materials lead to the combination of the first part of the field trip with the meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers.

After the meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers ended at Drumright the

State Geologists' Association left the American Institute and continued the excursion outlined by the Oklahoma Geological Survey. The association was fortunate in having with it Mr. A. A. Snietkoff and Ivan C. Goubkin, members of the Russian Commission, and A. Stepanoff, their secretary and interpreter, and also Mr. David White, chief geologist of the U. S. Geological Survey.

The party arrived in Oklahoma City, where they were dinner guests of the Oklahoma Geological Survey. At this dinner President and Mrs. Brooks of the university honored the association with their presence. The next morning the party went to Lawton, where the Businessmen's League conducted them on an automobile trip through the Ft. Sill Military Reservation, Medicine Park and through the Wichita Mountains to the United States Forest and Game Preserve. The hospitality exhibited on this occasion will long be remembered by every one of the party. On the following morning automobiles were again used for a trip through the Lawton oil and gas field, where some new gas wells with enormous capacity have recently been brought in. courtesy of the owners, the Keys well No. 2 was opened in order that the visitors might have the opportunity of seeing one of the largest gassers ever drilled in the state. capacity of this well is estimated at 60,000,000 cubic feet per day and the rock pressure is in excess of 1,000 pounds, so large, indeed, that great difficulty is experienced in controlling the well. From this field the trip was continued by automobile through Waurika and Ringling to the Healdton oil field and the Fox gas district. After visiting the many interesting sights of this field the party was taken to Ardmore for the night, and in the evening were the guests of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce at a concert.

By

The

The following morning the Chamber of Commerce provided machines to take the party north of the city into the Arbuckle Mountains. About two miles above. Turner Falls the machines left the party and the trip was made on foot down to Turner Falls and across the mountains to Price's Falls, where

they were again joined by the machines. The wonderful beauty of the Travertine Falls in this district was enjoyed by all members of the party, and it was particularly enjoyable because of the fact that a new bulletin by the Oklahoma Geological Survey on these phenomena had just been received that morning from the printer. The automobiles then took the party to Davis, where the Santa Fe train was taken for home. The party finally disbanded after dinner at the Harvey House, at Purcell.

A few members of the association stopped over at Norman and visited the State University before continuing to their homes. W. O. HOTCHKISS, Secretary

SCIENTIFIC EVENTS

THE LATE DR. RICHARD WEIL

The following minute has been adopted by the board of trustees of the New York Memorial Hospital:

Dr. Richard Weil, Major in the Medical Reserve Corps, U. S. A., died while on active duty at Camp Wheeler, Macon, Ga., November 19, 1917. By his death the Memorial Hospital loses one of the most highly trained and successful workers of its medical staff, and American cancer research one of its recognized leaders. Since 1906 Dr. Weil has been an active member of the staff of the Huntington Fund, and throughout this period of eleven years he was constantly engaged in the problems of cancer research. His contributions in the field of the serology of cancer and in the general problems of immunity gained for him an international reputation. He was one of the founders of the American Association for Cancer Research, and largely through his efforts was founded the Journal of Cancer Research, of which he was editor-inchief. At the reorganization of the Memorial Hospital in 1913, Dr. Weil assumed the position of assistant director of cancer research and attending physician to the hospital, and in this capacity he labored energetically to establish an efficient organization of the routine and research work of the hospital. In 1915 he resigned the position of assistant director upon his appointment as professor of experimental medicine in Cornell University, but he continued without interruption his experimental work in cancer. Upon the declaration of war he was among the first to offer his services to

the government, and spent the summer at Fort Benjamin Harrison in the Medical Officers' Training Corps. Quite recently he was detailed to take charge of a large military hospital at Camp Wheeler, Macon, Ga., and here in the performance of strenuous military service he fell a victim to pneumonia. During his brief but brilliant career he attained eminence as a devoted laboratory worker, a skilful experimenter, a broadly trained clinician, and a forceful writer, while his untimely death places his name among the first on his country's honor roll in the great war.

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF CAMP WHEELER

MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM C. GORGAS, surgeon general of the army, has returned from an inspection trip to Camp Wheeler, Macon, Ga. His report to the chief of staff is in full as follows:

In my recent inspection of Camp Wheeler at Macon, Ga., I found conditions as had been indicated by reports. There had been a sharp epidemic of measles, some 3,000 cases, and, as always occurs with measles, a certain number of cases of pneumonia. At the time of my visit, there were some 300 cases of pneumonia in the hospital. While the hospital was crowded, the right of way was given the pneumonia cases, and they were being well cared for.

In the past month there have been about 60 deaths from pneumonia. The height of the measles epidemic was passed some 10 days ago, and at the time of my visit the epidemic was markedly on the decline, but the pneumonia does not develop until a week or 10 days after the incidence of the measles.

We can therefore expect a considerable number of deaths from pneumonia.

The camp is well situated and was in generally good condition. I think the reason for the measles affecting so severely this particular camp is the fact that the men came from the surrounding southern states which are sparsely settled and therefore the inhabitants do not, as a rule, have measles in childhood.

A large proportion of the cases of pneumonia were evidently contact cases, and I am anxious on this score, fearing that we may be beginning here an epidemic and septic pneumonia. We have had a few cases of meningitis, a few cases of scarlet fever and some cases of mumps.

Whatever the original cause of the epidemic and the present conditions, all these evils are accentu

ated by the crowded condition of the camp. The tendency to pneumonia has no doubt been increased by the fact that the men have generally been exposed to the cold weather of the past month with no other protection than their summer clothing. Clothing is now rapidly coming into camp, and about two thirds of the men are supplied with woolen garments.

I recommend that it be insisted upon that all men in the camp have 50 feet of floor space each and, to accomplish this, that such additional shelter be supplied as may be necessary; that no fresh men be brought into the camp until the epidemic has subsided; that an observation camp be established; and that all new men be kept under observation until the main camp is free from infection.

Accompanying General Gorgas were Colonel Dean C. Howard, of the Regular Army, recently health officer at the Canal Zone, where he was in charge of civil sanitation; Major Victor C. Vaughan, Marine Officers' Reserve Corps, professor of hygiene at the University of Michigan, dean of its medical faculty and president of the Michigan State board of health; Major William H. Welch, Marine Offcers' Reserve Corps, professor of pathology at John Hopkins University and dean of its school of hygiene; and Major Theodore C. Janeway, Marine Officers' Reserve Corps, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins.

Steps have already been taken to separate the men to a greater degree. By the use of tents which were held for new men due to be called to the camp and with 1,000 additional tents immediately shipped, the number of men per tent can be reduced from nine to five. As new men come other tents will be provided for them. All the new arrivals will be kept away from men who have been some time in camp to minimize the danger of contagion. This carries out Gen. Gorgas's recommendation that an observation camp be established for new

men.

The supplying of sufficient clothing has been delayed by the necessity of equipping first those divisions in northern latitudes and those which have been sent abroad. The men at Camp Wheeler now have a good supply of warm underwear and heavy outside clothing

was shipped some days ago. It should be arriving at the camp now, but congestion of railroad traffic has caused some delay in its delivery.

There are over 22,600 men at Camp Wheeler.

THE USE OF THE MCKAY BEQUEST TO
HARVARD UNIVERSITY

HARVARD University can not share the Gordon McKay bequest with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to the decision by the full bench of the Supreme Court which declares invalid the agreement between the two institutions under which Harvard suspends its instruction in applied science and devotes three fifths of the income of the McKay endowment to the maintenance of the engineering departments at the Institute. The decision is on the petition of Harvard to have the court ratify the agreement. It means that Harvard, which abolished the Lawrence Scientific School to merge its scientific courses with those at Technology, will have to reestablish a school of applied science under its administration. The court, in its decision, written by Judge DeCourcy, says:

We are constrained to instruct the plaintiff corporation that it can not lawfully carry out this agreement between it and the institute, as far as respects the property received by the university under the deeds of trust and the will of Gordon McKay.

In substance the plan agreed upon between Harvard and the Institute of Technology devotes three fifths of the endowment to an engineering school, which is not only located at the institute but is conducted and controlled by the institute instead of by the university. We can not assent to the assertion of counsel that "the school of applied science on the Charles River embankment is a Harvard school, a department of Harvard University."

Education and research in the five branches covered by the agreements are to be transferred from the university to the institute, and there conducted under the provisions of the agreement as part of the latter's curriculum. The Harvard professors associated with those courses shall become members of the faculty of the institute, and the property and equipment which the university may hold for the promotion of instruction in industrial science shall be devoted to the courses. so conducted.

The faculty which determines the conditions of entrance, prescribes the courses that lead to degrees, largely shapes and carries to practical application the instruction and discipline of the school, and mainly influences the appointment of professors, is the faculty of the institute, notwithstanding that 14 of its 120 members come from the university.

The effective instrument is the deed of trust executed October 30, 1891, and confirmed by a codicil November 5, 1891. McKay was then seventy years of age. He had been a successful manufacturer and inventor of machinery. He was a man of artistic tastes, a lover of music and had traveled extensively in Europe. From 1864 or 1865, for more than twenty years, his home was in Cambridge, near the college yard; he took a leading part in supporting the Symphony concerts in Sanders theater and was brought into friendly relations with many of the college teachers and students. He appreciated the advantages of combining training in the exact sciences with liberal culture in the atmosphere of the university. During all those years there was a close personal intimacy between him and the late Professor Shaler, long connected with the university and appointed dean of the Lawrence Scientific School in 1891; and with the latter McKay discussed his scheme for the disposition of his fortune.

The income of the McKay endowment must be administered according to the intention of the founder, Gordon McKay, even though it be at variance with our views of policy and expediency.

Reading this instrument in the light of the circumstances already referred to it seems reasonably clear from its expressed provisions and implied limitations that Mr. McKay intended that not only the investment of the endowment fund, but the education which his endowment was to make possible should be under the control and direction of the university, its government and administration.

He selected as a trustee to carry out his purpose a great educational institution, one whose ability adequately to carry out his plans he was familiar with, and with whose historic name he desired to associate his own in perpetual memory.

In our opinion this intention of Gordon McKay is not in fact carried out in the agreement in controversy, as we have construed its provisions in their practical operation.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN
ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION

THE thirty-fifth annual meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union was held in

Cambridge, Mass., from November 12 to 16. The election resulted in the choice of the following officers for the ensuing year: John H. Sage, Portland, Conn., President; H. W. Henshaw and Dr. Witmer Stone, Vice-Presidents; Dr. T. S. Palmer, 1939 Biltmore St., Washington, D. C., Secretary; and Dr. Jonathan Dwight, Treasurer; the members of the council were all reelected. The single vacancy in the list of fellows was filled by the election of P. A. Taverner; two additions were made to the list of honorary fellows, Dr. A. H. Evans, of Cambridge, England, and W. L. Sclater, of London; and Dr. F. E. Beddard, of London, was elected a corresponding fellow. R. H. Beck, W. S. Brooks, James B. Chapin, Francis Harper, and Winsor M. Tyler, were elected members and 113 associates were added to the rolls.

The public meetings which were held in the Museum of Comparative Zoology were well attended and the program was more varied than usual. Papers were presented on the birds of several distinct parts of the world, including northern Canada, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, British Guiana, Peru, Chile, Falkland Islands, China and Africa. In addition to the regular program the social features of the meeting included an informal reception at the Boston Society of Natural History, the regular subscription dinner, and an outing to the Ipswich sand dunes where the Ipswich sparrow and other characteristic birds were observed. The members also had an opportunity to examine the collections of the Boston Society of Natural History and the Museum of Comparative Zoology, including the celebrated Lafresnaye collection of foreign birds, and to visit some of the historic points about Boston and Cambridge.

The next meeting will be held in New York City.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE

THE seventieth meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the sixteenth of the "Convocation week"

meetings, will be held in Pittsburgh from December 28, 1917, to January 2, 1918.

The Council will meet Friday morning, December 28, and each following morning, in the Council Room, Hotel Schenley, at 9 o'clock.

The opening general session of the Association, with address of retiring President Van Hise, on the Economic Effects of the World War in the United States, will be held at 8 o'clock P.M., on Friday, December 28 (not Thursday, as was at one time proposed), in the Carnegie Music Hall, followed by a reception in the foyer, tendered by the University of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Institute to members of the association and affiliated societies, with accompanying ladies.

Hotel rates, railroad rates, facts concerning affiliated society meetings, and other information will be found in the preliminary announcement.

For all matters relating to the local arrangements, hotel and boarding house accommodations, not explained in the following pages, address Dr. S. B. Linhart, secretary, local executive committee, American Association for the Advancement of Science, University of Pittsburgh.

Nominations to membership and letters relating to the general business of the Association should be sent to the Permanent Secretary at Washington. It is strongly urged that each member should at least make an effort to secure the nomination of some desirable new member. Owing to the lateness in the year, those proposed may, if desired, have their membership date from January 1, 1918; but they will be entitled to all privileges at the coming Pittsburgh meeting. The payment of the $8 fee should be mailed to the Permanent Secretary's office, Washington, prior to December 18, so that membership cards and announcement may be mailed promptly, or the member may make payment in person during the meeting-week at the Registration Desk, Main Building, Carnegie Institute.

Official receipts for dues are mailed to members on the same day that their payments reach the office of the permanent secretary. For their own comfort, members are urged to send