July 21, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



87 



collusion, was described by the author, as having 

 come under his observation. The author is con- 

 vinced that the phenomenon was genuine but 

 asserts his disbelief that it was a spiritual mani- 

 festation. 



A Kentuclcy chemist of the old school: xV-LFred 

 M. Peter, University of Kentucky. J(ohu) Law- 

 rence Smith, M.D. (1818-1883), a citizen of 

 Louisville, Ky., from 1854 to 1883, is most 

 esteemed by the chemist engaged in mineral 

 analysis by reason of the unique and very prac- 

 tical method for the determination of alkalies in 

 silicates of his devising. Indeed, the extensive 

 study of the potassium content of Kentucky soils, 

 by the experiment station, Avas made practicable 

 by the application of this method. Dr. Smith 's 

 publications number some 1.50 titles, a large pro- 

 portion of which appeared in the American Jour- 

 nal of Science. His work was mainly in mineral 

 chemistry. His investigations on emery led to the 

 development of the emery industry in the United 

 States. He made a life study of meteorites, of 

 which he had a very fine collection, now owned by 

 Harvard University. Dr. Smith occupied a high 

 position in the scientific world and was an active 

 member of many learned societies both foreign 

 and American, including the National Academy of 

 Sciences. The Lawrence Smith medal of the Na- 

 tional Academy, a gold medal worth $200, to be 

 awarded for research upon meteorites, was estab- 

 lished by Dr. Smith 's widow, who used for the 

 endowment the sum of $8,000 received from the 

 sale of his collection of meteorites to Harvard 

 University. The medal has been awarded only 

 twice: to H. A. Newton, in 1888, and to Dr. Geo. 

 P. Merrill, in 1922. Dr. Smith was a man of 

 means, charitable, public spirited, always ready to 

 contribute his scientific knowledge for public 

 good, and was held in high esteem in tlie com- 

 munity. 



Some economics as a science: JlARG.iiRET 

 Whittemorb, University of Kentucky. Before 

 considering home economics in relation to natural 

 sciences it must be remembered that it has a vital 

 connection also with social sciences and with the 

 fine arts. For this reason, and also because it is 

 distinctly an applied sub.ieet, its relation with the 

 natural sciences should be chiefly that of producer 

 and consumer. Home economics, however, should 

 contribute to scientific knowledge by suggesting 

 problems which need attention and by providing 

 the situations for application and experimentation. 

 The earnest attention now being given to home 

 economics reveals several weaknesses. One is the 

 fact that as a course of study it has been oraan- 



ized too much upon a logical in opposition to 

 psychological basis. This seems still true of nmch 

 of the teaching of the natural sciences, as shown 

 by the requirement of inorganic before organic 

 chemistry. Another cause of weakness is the 

 failure to recognize the desirable limits of home 

 economics and the frequent attempt to teach in 

 the department the principles as well as the appli- 

 cation of the arts and sciences involved. 



The measurement of the mental changes after 

 the removal of diseased tonsils and adenoids: 

 Gladys Marie Lowe, University of Kentucky. A 

 group of thirty-five school children operated upon 

 for diseased tonsils and adenoids was compared 

 with a group of twenty-five which did not undergo 

 the operation. This study is unique in the use 

 of a control group of children with diseased ton- 

 sils and adenoids but not operated upon. Three 

 lines of evidence were used, namely, changes re- 

 vealed by a scale of tests of mental alertness, by 

 the teacher's estimate of certain traits, and by 

 the actual scholarship records. The comparisons 

 are made between data obtained just preceding the 

 operation and those obtained one year after the 

 diagnosis. The Stanford Revision of the Binet- 

 Simon Scale for measuring mental alertness was 

 used. The teacher's rating for each trait was 

 obtained by estimating in which fifth of the class 

 the pupils belonged. The traits estimated were: 

 (1) companionship with fellows, (2) emotional 

 self control, (3) initiative, (4) self expression, 

 (speech), (,5) interest in school work, (6) atten- 

 tion and (7) scholarship. The results show that: 



(1) While the average scholarship of the oper- 

 ated group continued to be the same as that of all 

 the classes represented, the average scholarship of 

 the nou-operated group fell one scholarship rank 

 below the average of all the classes represented. 



(2) The operated group showed no more change 

 in the mental age, or in "brightness" (I.Q.) than 

 did the non-operated group. The diiferenees com- 

 pared with the error were so sliglit as to be negli- 

 gible. (3) The teacher's estimates showed no 

 significant change. (4) Pronounced improvement 

 was found in three or four eases. 



The importance of scientific investigation in 

 marketing: O. B. Jesness, University of Ken- 

 tucky. Attention was called to the growing com- 

 plexity of marketing methods and a comparison 

 of present methods with the comparatively simple 

 methods that sufficed a century ago was made in 

 order to suggest some of the reasons why the 

 marketing system of to-day necessarily is involved. 

 Mention was made of the prevalence of loose 

 thinking and talking on marketing questions. 



