1 882. 57 Trans. N. V. Ac. Set. 



Dr. Bolton referred to the symbol, still in use by physicians 

 at the head of their inscriptions, as probably an altered form of the 

 symbol of a planet, formerly adopted for the purpose of invocation. 



Prof. O. P. Hubbard stated that the specimens of Col. Gibb's 

 famous Cabinet, Yale College, imported from Europe in 1805, ori- 

 ginally in large part brought from Russia, still retained, as late as 

 the year 1836, circular labels marked with these ancient symbols of 

 the metals. 



The President stated that the heading of the prescriptions of 

 modern physicians was commonly understood to be an antique R, 

 standing for the Latin word, Recipe ( Take !) However, this 

 explanation was probably incorrect, the symbol having descended 

 from antiquity. 



The subject was further discussed by Mr. Hawkins and other 

 members. 



December 18, 1882. 



The President, Dr. J. S. Newberry, in the Chair. 



Sixty-four persons present. 



The resignation of Dr. W. I. Bauer, as a Resident Member, was 

 accepted. 



A paper was read by Mrs. Erminnie A. Smith, illustrated with 

 early and remarkable manuscripts, dictionaries, etc., entitled : 



Language of the Iroquois Indians. 



The impossibility of clearly understanding a people or its literature, 

 especially the latter if it be unwritten, without some knowledge of its 

 language or medium of thought, cannot be disputed. 



Admitted as they are to be the most remarkable of all our American 

 Indians, and those most intimately connected with our early national 

 history, it is unaccountable that so little has been known of the six Iro- 

 quois dialects. 



A brief, but as it has since proven most important Mohawk vocabu- 

 lary, taken down in the i6th century by Jacques Cartier; a small Latin- 



