and Laboratory Methods. 1315 



NEWS AND NOTES. 



The Academy of Science of St. Louis. — At the meeting of the Academy 

 of Science of St. Louis, on April 1, 1901, thirty-three persons present, a memo- 

 rial notice of the late Judge Nathaniel Holmes, a charter member of the Acad- 

 emy, was presented by a committee composed of Professor Nipher, Dr. Sander 

 and Dr. Baumgarten. 



Dr. John S. Thurman delivered an address on the many industrial uses now 

 made of compressed air, illustrating his remarks by apparatus in operation, 

 including electric motor air compressor, compressed air auger, drill, disinfecting 

 atomizer, sculptors' and stone-cutters' tools, carpet renovators, etc., and a set of 

 lantern slides showing the practical uses made of these and other implements 

 and machines operated by means of compressed air. 



Dr. Theodore Kodis exhibited, under the microscope, slides illustrating a 

 new method of staining brain tissue, whereby, in four or five days, it has proved 

 possible to prepare single or double stained preparations containing nerve cells 

 with the dendrites of the latter brought out by a direct stain, instead of being 

 differentiated merely as amorphous silhouettes, as is the case with the much 

 slower Golgi process commonly employed. It was stated that the material is 

 treated before sectioning, for about twenty-four hours, with cyanide of mercury, 

 followed for approximately the same length of time by a formaldehyde solution, 

 after which sections are cut, stained with phosphomolybdate haematoxylin and, if 

 desired, a contrasting stain, such as one of the anilin greens, and mounted in 

 the usual way. William Trelease, 



Recording Secretary. 



We have received an announcement of the Summer School for Apprentices 

 and Artisans, which will be held at the University of Wisconsin, from July 1st to 

 August 9th of this year. The school has been established for the benefit of 

 machinists, carpenters, or sheet metal workers ; stationary, marine, or locomo. 

 tive engineers ; shop foremen and superintendents ; superintendents of water- 

 works, electric light plants, power stations, factories, large offices and store build- 

 ings in cities ; and for young men who wish to qualify themselves for such posi- 

 tions. The purpose is to give to apprentices a certain amount of theoretical and 

 practical instruction in the line of their trade, which they would not get in the 

 shops. 



No detailed educational requirements are specified for entrance, the fitness of 

 the applicant being determined by a series of questions to ascertain whether or 

 not he seems likely to be benefited by the work, and not be a hindrance to others. 



It is believed that employers can well afford to give intelligent, ambitious 

 young men leave of absence from actual employment in order that they may 

 increase their efficiency by availing themselves of the advantages offered in such 

 sessions as the one outlined for this summer at the University of Wisconsin. 

 Persons desiring to attend this school during the coming summer are asked to 

 make application on or before June 1, 1901, to J. B. Johnson, Dean College of 

 Engineering, University of Wisconsin. 



