96 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 759 



Dr. Joseph Grindon then spoke on " The Pro- 

 tection against Disease aflforded by Certain Sub- 

 stances in the Blood." The facts are apparent as 

 soon as one approaches the study of the phe- 

 noniena of disease. First, that the natural tend- 

 ency of the body is toward cure. Second, that 

 certain species and certain individuals are im- 

 mune toward certain diseases. This immimity 

 may be relative or absolute, temporary or perma- 

 nent, natural or acquired. These two facts may 

 be considered together, having much in common. 

 The older theories of immunity are either unten- 

 able or incomplete. The modern view distin- 

 guishes between immunity towards poisons, and 

 immunity toward the invasion of bacteria, which 

 secrete these poisons. In discussing the immunity 

 toward poisons Dr. Grindon reviewed the produc- 

 tion of antitoxins naturally and artificially, dwell- 

 ing particularly on the side-chain theory of anti- 

 toxins. In speaking of immunity toward bacterial 

 invasion, the speaker explained the formation and 

 function of agglutinins and coagulins. Bacteria 

 as a rule do not thrive in bodies of living animals, 

 because of the presence of substances inimical to 

 them. These bodies are called lysins, and consist 

 of two components — the amboceptor and tne com- 

 plement. In concluding Dr. Grindon discussed 

 phagocytosis and its application in practise. 



The Academy met at the Academy Building on 

 Monday evening. May 3, 1909. 



Professor F. E. Nipher, of Washington Univer- 

 sity, presented a paper on " Lessons to be Learned 

 from Common Things." 



Professor Wm. Trelease, director of the Mis- 

 souri Botanical Garden, presented, with numerous 

 lantern slides, an oral abstract of a paper on the 

 " Mexican Fiber Agaves " known as zapupe, in 

 which botanical names and descriptions were ap- 

 plied to five new species of Agave, all of economic 

 importance. 



The secretary of the entomological section re- 

 ported that at the March meeting Mr. Hermann 

 Schwarz spoke on " Collecting in Mexico," illus- 

 trated with many views and insects from that 

 locality. At the April meeting Mr. Philip Rau 

 exhibited a number of golden rod galls together 

 with one species of diptera and species of hymen- 

 optera which had emerged from them. Professor 

 J. F. Abbott lectured on " Collecting in Japan," 

 illustrated with lantern slides and coleoptera col- 

 lected by him. 



The following resolution was adopted: 



Realizing that the whole country is taking stock 



of the natural resources which remain, and be- 

 lieving that the conservation in particular of the 

 forest and water resources of the state of Missouri 

 are of particular interest to the people of this 

 state; realizing furthermore that available statis- 

 tics show that there has been a decrease of 29 

 per cent, in the amount of lumber produced in the 

 state during the last ten years; realizing further- 

 more the importance of conserving the forest and 

 water resources of the state not only from the 

 standpoint of the timber to be actually used in 

 building and other purposes, but also with a view 

 that the conservation of the forests within the 

 boundaries of the state is desirable in order that 

 the water supplies may be conserved, the farming 

 lands preserved in their integrity and opportuni- 

 ties preserved for recreation grounds for the 

 people; realizing also that some twenty- four states 

 have already taken advanced steps, looking toward 

 the conservation of their forest and water re- 

 sources, be it 



Resolved, that the Academy of Science of St. 

 Louis endorses the report made by the forest and 

 water commissions to the governor, and endorses 

 the bills now pending before the legislature of 

 Missouri, looking toward the appointment of per- 

 manent forest and water commissions, and that 

 copies of this resolution be sent to the governor 

 and presiding officers of the senate and house of 

 representatives. 



W. E. McCouBT, 

 Recording Secretary 



THE AMEEICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 

 NOBTHEASTEKN SECTION 



The ninety-third regular meeting of the section 

 was held at the Twentieth Century Club, Boston, 

 on May 28. Dr. Willis R. Whitney, president of 

 the society, addressed the section upon " Colloids 

 and the Brownian Movement." The speaker 

 pointed out many striking similarities between 

 the properties of ions and of colloidal particles. 

 He also presented two dilferent theories to account 

 for the " Brownian Movement." Dr. James F. 

 Norris, of Simmons College, addressed the section 

 upon " The Base-forming Properties of Carbon." 

 The speaker presented the results already obtained 

 in his study of the relation between the structure 

 of the alcohols and their reactivity with aqueous 

 solutions of the halogen acids, and showed the 

 bearing of this work upon our knowledge of the 

 mechanism of salt formations in general. 



K. L. Mask, 

 Secretary 



