lege of mankind. Stones, plants, animals, obey unconsciously the laws 

 of nature, but they neither understand them nor make them. Man alone, 

 of all created things on this earth, though also subject to the same physical 

 laws, has been endowed with the privilege of investigating and appreciat- 

 ing the laws of nature, and of applying them to his own life. But as all 

 nature is a unit in design and effect, and as the smallest and the largest 

 things in the universe are connected by an endless chain of cause and effect, 

 there is nothing too small or too large for our investigation, and the scientific 

 man who, with the highest microscopic power, examines the invisible 

 spores of a despised fungus, accomplishes as much for truth as the explorer 

 of celestial bodies. Every new discovery will eventually evoke others. 

 Such splendid discoveries as the application of steam power or electricity 

 did not spring from the intellect of one man, like Minerva from the head of 

 Jupiter, but resulted really from the laborof thousands of scientific men who 

 had worked up physical science to such a degree of certainty that the new link 

 could be added. Natural sciences cover, now-a-days, such a large field that 

 nobody can longer overlook its whole extent, and nobod}- can work these 

 exclusivelv for himself. Division of labor has therefore been introduced by 

 common consent, and pne works for the other, and all for one purpose, 

 for the unity of nature. The younger members of our Academy may learn 

 from that how desirable it is to devote themselves to some special study in 

 the wide domain of natural science. Every one is thus enabled to add a 

 few grains to the mass of knowledge, accumulated for thousands of years 

 by the highest intellects of all nations. No object in nature is too trifling 

 for observation, and nobody can determine in advance its importance in 

 the chain of nature. Let every one, therefore, pursue some special favorite 

 object of study. If some special advantage to mankind is attained by it, so 

 much the better ; if not, every increase in knowledge and enlargement of our 

 views is sufficient reward. 



The following gentlemen were elected officers of the Academy 

 for the ensuing year : 



President — George Engelmann, M.D. 

 1st Vice President — A. Wislizenus, M.D. 

 id Vice-President — Isaiah Forbes, D.D.S. 

 Corresponding Secretary — Charles E. Briggs, M.D. 

 Recording Secretary — Spencer Smith. 

 Treasurer — Dr. Enno Sander. 



