112 BULLETIN OF THE 



Organisms undergoing conservative modification were liable to 

 fail in reaching the designed completion of adaptive change, from 

 (1) the environing changes of condition having been exaggerated 

 ill degree; (2) their being inconstant, or vacillating in kind; or 

 (3) multiplied in number. 



Many pathological changes, apparently destructive, might still 

 be conservative, our lack of knowledge not enabling ns to under- 

 stand how they had contributed to prolong life. Organs of lesser 

 importance were often impaired in function and structure, to pre- 

 serve the functional integrity of other organs whose office was 

 more directly essential to life : e. g. the joint affection in rheuma- 

 tism served to prolong life, by lessening the labor of the heart 

 — the latter organ being saved from fatal overwork by the joint 

 disease restraining motion — especially locomotion — on the part 

 of the patient. 



Diseases sometimes end fatally because the instinctive desires 

 or cravings that accompany them are disregarded, or their grati- 

 fication is opposed by medical opinion ; when, in fact, they were 

 the best guides to the hygienic requirements of the body. The 

 success attending the permission to drink and bathe during fever 

 (the new mode of practice) was very striking compared with the 

 old mode of practice, which forbade, or greatly restricted, drink- 

 ing, and bathing in cool water. 



The subject was discussed by Messrs. Dall, Woodward, Tay- 

 lor, and Farquhar. 



Mr. G. K. Gilbert made a communication on 



THE STRUCTURE OF THE HENRY MOUNTAINS 



in the middle of the Colorado plateau region. 



120th Meeting. March 10, ISTt. 



"^ The President in the Chair. 



Thirty-two members and visitors present. 



