The Academy of Natural Sciences 31 



them. A conservative estimate places the value of the Academy's 

 portion of the estate at half a million. It now became possible to 

 broaden the work of the institution in various ways. 



Among the sources of increase of the museum reported by 

 the Curators year after year is the continued interest of the Kev. 

 Dr. L. T. Chamberlain, who, out of regard for the memory of his 

 father-in-law, Dr. Isaac Lea, has furnished cases for the arrange- 

 ment of the collection of fossils associated with his name. He 

 has provided for its increase by fitting out expeditions to the 

 Eocene and Oligocene deposits of the South. 



Having completed his fourth year as President of the 

 Academy, General Wistar was succeeded by Dr. Samuel Gibson 

 Dixon, who had been elected a member in 1890. Shortly after 

 his election he had resigned his professorship of Hygiene in the Med- 

 ical Department of the University of Pennsylvania and trans- 

 ferred his laboratory to the Academy, where he continued his 

 bacteriological researches and perfected the biological product 

 with which he had produced immunity to tuberculosis in the lower 

 animals. 32 He had been elected one of the four Curators at the 

 annual meeting in 1891, and immediately instituted a number of 

 reforms in the administration of the office. He was appointed 

 Professor of Bacteriology and Microscopic Technology, October 24, 

 1892, and held the position until 1896, when he was compelled to 

 relinquish it because of the pressure of other engagements. 



The year 1896 was made memorable by the opening of the 

 central section of the building and the consequent improvement 

 in the arrangement of the collections. 



Notable action was taken in May, 1899, when a revision of 

 the By-Laws was adopted providing for important changes of 

 administration. Assistant Curatorships were substituted for the 

 Professorships, the clause limiting the possible continuous term 

 of the Presidency to four years was repealed, and provision was 

 made for the appointment of a Committee on Accounts in addi- 

 tion to the Committee on Finance. 



The alteration of the By-Laws enabled the Academy to con- 

 tinue Dr. Dixon in the Presidency on the termination of his 

 fourth year of service, and he has since been re-elected annually 

 to the office. He has also served continuously as Executive 

 Curator. 



32 Medical Neivs, October 17, 1889. 



