SCIENCE 



Friday, August 6, 1909 



CONTEd!TS 

 The Chemical Work of the U. 8. Geological 

 Survey: Da. F. W. Clabke 161 



The Population of France: Ds. John Fea>-k- 



LIN Ceoweix 171 



National Inspection to prevent Importation 

 of Destructive Insects 172 



The Five Hundredth Anniversary of the Uni- 

 versity of Leipzig: Professor Charles 

 H. JuDD 173 



Scientific Notes and News 173 



University and Educational News 177 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



The Duty of Publishing: Dr. W. J. Humph- 

 reys. Reflex Action after Death: Henry 

 W. Maynahd 177 



Quotations : — 



A Longevity Trust 180 



Soientifio Books: — 



Gaudry on Pyrotherium: Dr. W. K. Greg- 

 ory. Gould on Righthandedness and Left- 

 handedness: Professor H. C. Stevens. 

 Zsigmondy's Colloids and the Ultra-Micro- 

 scope: Professor Lodis Kahlenhebo .... 180 



Special Articles: — 



Another Explanation of the Hardiness of 

 Grimm Alfalfa: J. M. Westgate. A Case 

 of Diplacusis depending upon the Tympanic 

 Mechanism : Dr. F. S. Wrinch 184 



The Detroit Meeting of the American Chem- 

 ical Society: Professor Charles L. Par- 

 sons 187 



Societies and Academies: — 



The North Carolina Academy of Science: 

 Dr. E. W. Gudqeb. The Torrey Botanical 

 Club: Dr. Marshall A. Howe 188 



MSS. intended for publication and booki, etc., intended for 

 teyiew should be sent to the Editor of Bciesce, Garrison-ou- 

 'ludson, N, Y. 



THE CHEMICAL M'ORK OF THE V. S. 

 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'' 



The present Geological Survey of the 

 United States was organized in 1879. In 

 1880 a chemical laboratory was established 

 at Denver, Colo., in charge of Dr. W. F. 

 Hillebrand, with whom were associated 

 Mr. Antony Giiyard and, later, Mr. L. G. 

 Eakins. In 1882 Dr. W. H.. Melville 

 opened a second laboratory at San Fran- 

 cisco, and in the autumn of 1883 the central 

 laboratory at Washington began operations 

 with myself as chief chemist. In Novem- 

 ber, 1885, Dr. Hillebrand was transferred 

 to Washington; early in 1888 he was fol- 

 lowed by Mr. Eakins, and the Denver labo- 

 ratory was discontinued. In the spring of 

 1890 Dr. Melville also removed to Washing- 

 ton, and the chemical work of the survey 

 was concentrated at headquarters. In re- 

 cent years a number of other laboratories 

 have been established for special purposes, 

 and the work done in them will be consid- 

 ered in due order later. 



The primary purpose for which the 

 chemists of the survey were employed was 

 to assist the geologists in working up their 

 collections. Analyses were needed for the 

 identification of mineral substances, and 

 they were called for in great numbers. Up 

 to January 1, 1909, more than 6,000 an- 

 alyses have been recorded upon the books 

 of the central laboratory; covering rocks, 

 minerals, ores, coals, waters, sediments, 

 saline incrustations, etc., and their conduct 

 has necessarily occupied a large share of 

 the time of the chemists.^ But the field of 



* Prepared for tlie International Congress of 

 Applied Chemistry in London. Publislied by per- 

 mission of the Director of the Survey. 



' Some hundreds of other analyses were made in 

 the Denver and San Francisco laboratories. 



