lxii Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



presence and amount of sewage contamination in potable 

 waters, was present in the digestive tract in quantity, and cul- 

 tures showed that this Bacillus thrives and multiplies greatly 

 in these contents in cultures kept at the normal body tem- 

 perature of the fish. The fact that this species, which does 

 not multiply freely in river water at similar temperatures, 

 appears to multiply in this way in the intestines of fish and 

 reptiles, was pointed out as introducing into the biological 

 analysis of the water of rivers and lakes a new factor, of un- 

 certain quantity but tending to destroy confidence in the 

 occurrence and abundance of Bacillus coli-communis in water 

 as an indication of the degree to which it has been contamin- 

 ated by the faecal discharges of human beings and domestic 

 animals. Dr. Ravold stated that in each of the examinations 

 made, the Bacillus, when isolated, had been carried through 

 all of the cultures by which coli-communis is differentiated 

 from related species with which, in the absence of these 

 tests, it might easily be confused. 



Mr. George I. Stocker, of St. Louis, was elected to active 

 membership. 



One person was proposed for active membership. 



December 3, 1900. 



President Engler in the chair, fifteen persons present. 



The resignation of Mr. Henry Branch and the addition to 

 the exchange list of the Societe Scientifique de Chevtchenko, 

 Lemberg, Austria, and the Indiana Department of Geology 

 and Natural Resources, Indianapolis, Indiana, were reported 

 by the Council, which also announced its authorization of 

 the purchase of the paleontological collection of the late Dr. 

 L. P. Yandell, containing many types, and of particular value 

 as complementary to the Shumard collection now the property 

 of Washington University, it being the expectation of the 

 Council that payment for this collection could be made by 

 means of contributions from members, without encroaching 

 on the current or reserve funds of the Academy. 



Mr. William H. Roever, of Washington University, read a 

 paper on brilliant points and loci of brilliant points. The 



