380 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



SECTION OF ASTEONOMY, PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY 



18 May, 1914 



Section was called to order at 8 :15 p. m., Vice-President Charles 

 Baskerville presiding. 



The minutes of the last meeting of the Section were read and approved. 

 The following programme was then offered: 



D. D. Van Slyke, The Mechanism of Enzyme Action. 

 Victor E. Levine, Biocttemtcal Sti^dtes of Selenium. 



SUMMAEY OF PaPER 



Dr. Levine said in abstract: Experiments were reported relating to 

 the reduction of selenium compounds of chemical substances of biologic 

 significance, by micro-organisms, by plant and by animal tissues. Toxi- 

 cological and pharmacological effects were also studied, as well as the 

 effect on germination and growth of plants, the effect on enzyme activity 

 and the effect on the precipitation of proteins. The compounds employed 

 were selenium dioxide (selenious acid), sodium hydrogen selenite, normal 

 sodium selenite, selenic acid, sodium selenate, potassium selenocyanate. 



A discussion took place after the presentation of the papers. 



The Section then adjourned. 



E. E. Smith, 



Secretary. 



BUSINESS MEETING 

 5 October, 1914 



The Academy met at 8:19 p. m. at the American Museum of Natural 

 History, President George F. Kunz presiding. 



The minutes of the last business meeting were read and approved. 



The following candidate for Associate Membership in the Academy, 

 recommended by Council, was duly elected : 



Warren S. Smith, Columbia University. 



The Recording Secretary reported the following deaths : 



Heinrich Rosenbusch, Honorary Member since 1887, died 20 Janu- 

 ary, 1914, 



Seth Eugene Meek, Correspondent since 1888, died 6 July 1914, 

 A. S. Bickmore, Fellow and Active Member since 1873, died 13 Au- 

 gust, 1914, 



