xxxvi Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



wrapped in tin-foil, but not when it is within a large mass of cotton 

 batting. 



When the air around the charged magnet is disturbed by means of 

 a palm-leaf fan, the deflection of the needle is not less than 15 seconds; 

 its amplitude of vibration may be gradually increased, by operating the 

 fan during alternate semi-vibrations. In this way the angle of vibra- 

 tion has been increased to about four degrees of arc. In a similar 

 manner it can be quickly brought to rest. 



This result seems to indicate that the electrified molecules of air be- 

 have somewhat like iron filings in the field of the magnet. 



Arrangements are being made to place the deflecting magnets in 

 adjoining rooms. The electrified magnet being placed between two 

 large sheets of glass, may make it possible to obtain photographs of the 

 lines of force. 



The deviations of the needle here observed are of the same order of 

 magnitude as those due to momentary variations in the magnetic field 

 of the earth. 



Professor LeRoy McMaster read a paper on "The 

 Preparation and Properties of Some Ammonium Salts 

 of Organic Acids." 



Professor McMaster described a method of preparing the neutral 

 ammonium salts of monobasic and dibasic organic acids, and gave an 

 account of some of the properties of these salts. The method consists, 

 briefly, in dissolving the organic acids in absolute alcohol or ether and 

 passing dry ammonia gas into the solution. By this method were easily 

 prepared the neutral ammonium salts of succinic, tartaric, ortho and 

 meta-phthalic acids, propionic, iso-butyric and benzoic acids. The neu- 

 tral salts of malonic, malic and cinnamic acids were prepared with 

 some difficulty. Analyses of the prepared salts were given and proved 

 the compounds to be neutral. 



Dr. Leo Loeb presented a communication entitled 

 "Some Biological Aspects of Tumor Investigation.'' 



Weismann stated that Protozoa and germ cells of metazoa are poten- 

 tially immortal while the somatic cells of metazoa are mortal. As far 

 as the Protozoa are concerned his statement was controverted by Mau- 

 pas, R. Hartwig, Calkins and others. The recent experiments of Henri- 

 quez and especially of Woodruff make it, however, very probable that 

 his conclusion was essentially correct. As far as the somatic cells of 

 metazoa are concerned, Weismann's conclusion was not warranted by 

 facts, the evidence pointing merely to the conclusion that somatic cells 

 can usually not reproduce the whole organism. The writer first pointed 

 out in 1901 that facts established through experimental tumor investi- 

 gation made it very probable that tumor cells are potentially immor- 

 tal — as much as Protozoa and as germ cells. And a few years later he 

 concluded further that, inasmuch as tumor cells are merely ordinary 



