82 STATE BOAED OF AGEICULTURE. 



have prepared three articles for the annual Report of that Board : 1. Means 

 of Escape from Public Buildings in case of Fire ; 3. Ventilation of Railroad 

 Cars; 3. The Water Supply of Michigan. As the efforts of the State Board 

 of Health are directed to promoting the public health, I think an intelligent 

 public will justify me in devoting a part of my time to this beneficent work. 



Detroit Medical College. — By invitation of the Faculty of Detroit Medical 

 College, I gave an address to their graduating class at their commencement in 

 February last. 



Lightning Hods. — During the year I have spent a good deal of time in exper- 

 iments to determine the laws of conduction of electricity in metallic rods to 

 ascertain beyond controversy whether conduction is by surface action or through 

 the mass of the conductor, — whether a solid rod is as good a conductor as a 

 tube of the same metal. It may be said that this is a question of purely scien- 

 tific interest, and of no practical importance to the farmers, but I think it is 

 of pecuniary interest to the farmers to have this question settled correctly, aside 

 from the question of safety to life and property. The cost of an iron tube will 

 be at least double that of a solid rod containing the same amount of metal, and 

 the use of solid rods would thus reduce one-half the cost of a rod as compared 

 with the use of iron tubes of equal conducting cajDacity. It will thus be evident 

 that such investigations are of value to the public, aside from the scientific 

 question involved. It is money in the pocket for people to know the truth. 



Meteorological Olservations. — A full set of meteorological observations have 

 been taken for the year, and monthly reports of the same forwarded to the 

 Smithsonian Institution. These observations have now been taken continuously 

 for more than 13 years at this College. I believe they are the only set of com- 

 plete observations ever taken in this State, embracing the same number of years. 

 They will be of great value in determining many questions o great importance 

 to the farmers of this State. 



WAISTS OF THE CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. 



We need additional means for class illustration, especially a projection spec- 

 troscope and an electrical lamp. For these and other needed apparatus I ask 

 an appropriation of $500 for eacli of the years 1877 and 1878. We also need 

 some cheaper and more convenient means of heat for use of students in analy- 

 sis. With the present revenue tax on alcohol, it is very expensive as well as in- 

 convenient material for such use. The introduction of a cheap gas machine 

 would afford a convenient and much more economical source of heat. I there- 

 fore ask for an appropriation of $750 (all to be expended in 1877), for a gas 

 machine and fixtures for the Laboratory. 



ASSISTANT IN CHEMISTRY. 



On this topic I cannot do better than to substantially repeat what I said in 

 my last report. I cannot in justice pass from the subject of Laboratory work 

 without speaking of the satisfactory way in which my assistant has performed 

 his laborious duties. Besides the janitor work for the laborator}^, such as sweep- 

 ing the rooms, building fires, etc., work done in other departments by a student 

 specially assigned to that duty, he assists in preparing cliomicals and apparatus 

 for class-room illustration. He takes all the meteorological observations. When 

 I am called away from the College by other duties he gives my lectures and car- 

 ries on my classes to their entire satisfaction. He takes almost the entire care 

 of the routine work in chemical analysis. But for having so capable an assist- 



