SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTEB TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 



OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Peidat, April 23, 1909 



CONTENTS 

 A. Plea for the Wider and Better Extension of 

 the Knowledge of Sam.it ary Science: Pbo- 

 FESSOB W. P. Mason 641 



The Future of Agricultural Chemistry: Db. 

 H. J. Whebueb 647 



Soientifit Notes and News 653 



University and Educational News 655 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



The Fundamental Laws of Matter and 

 Energy: Pbofessob Claeence L. Speyebs. 

 Mars as the Abode of Life: Pbofessob 

 Bliot Blackweldeb 656 



Uoientifi* Books: — 



Mailer's L'Europe prdhistorique : Db. 

 Geoege Gbant MacOubdt. Linck's Cfrun- 

 driss der Kristallographie : Pbofessob W. 

 S. Batlet. MacFadyen's The Cell as the 

 Unit of Life: G. N. C 661 



Scientifio Journals and Articles 668 



Botanical Notes: — 



Vegetation Pictures; Another Botanical 

 Jowmal; Amending the Vienna'Code: Pbo- 

 fessob Chabi.es E. Besset 669 



Special Articles: — 



Pre-persoonian Names and Mycological 

 . Nomenclature : Pbofessob Elias J. Dueand 670 



Societies and Academies: — 



The Biological Society of Washington: M. 

 C. Marsh. The i'hilosophioal Society of 

 Wasliington : R. L. Faeis 676 



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

 review should be sent to the Editor of Science, Garrlson-on- 

 iludson, N. Y. 



A PLEA FOB A WIDER AND BETTER EX- 

 TENSION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF 

 SANITARY SCIENCE^ 



Sanitary science is young, or, at least, 

 that much may be said of the science as we 

 know it to-day, and consequently I pre- 

 sume it is scarcely reasonable to expect the 

 public at large to be very weU posted as 

 to its latest discoveries and improvements. 

 But so much depends upon an intelligent 

 cooperation on the part of the masses of 

 the people in the matter of the proper ap- 

 plication of sanitary principles that every 

 effort should be made to hasten the day 

 when sound doctrine shall underlie each 

 act of the community that is made in the 

 interest of public health. 



In view of the great width of the field 

 which suggests itself, some kind of reduc- 

 tion wiU be necessary for our present pur- 

 pose. Therefore, may I ask your attention 

 to two items with which I have had more 

 or less to do, viz., "water" and "air"? 



A great deal has been accomplished in 

 recent years in the matter of educating the 

 public in the proper care of domestic water 

 supplies; but much misunderstanding yet 

 remains for removal, and old-time tradi- 

 tions are with us still. 



Did you ever hear that a horse wiU drinJs: 

 no water that is of inferior quality ? Such 

 a statement has been made to me many a 

 time and has been insisted upon as a fact. 

 The fairy tale is pretty widely distributed, 

 especially in country districts, and it is 

 received as true, although it needs but a 



^ Founder's Day address, given at Lafayette Col- 

 lege October 21, 1908. 



