Aveust 23, 1918] 
he has been admitted to the service. It has 
become apparent that the flier is unlike other 
soldiers. In the Air Service he has become 
an intricate, highy sensitized piece of mech- 
anism with troubles all his own. To keep his 
complex organism physically fit a special 
master mechanic had to be provided solely for 
him. The flight surgeon, therefore, has been 
given freedom of independent initiative in all 
questions of fitness of the fliers. Subject to 
the approval of the commanding officer, he is 
expected to institute such measures as periods 
of rest, recreations, and temporary excuse 
from duty as may seem advisable. He takes 
sick calls of aviators, he visits such cases as 
may be in the hospital and consults with the 
attending surgeon regarding them. He makes 
the examination of candidates for aviation 
and lives in close touch with fliers. The 
physical directors are assistants to the flight 
surgeons and their duty is to supervise such 
recreation and physical training of the fliers 
as is considered necessary. 
A THREE months’ course at New York Uni- 
versity and Bellevue Medical College will be- 
gin on September 4 for laboratory assistants, 
trained in bacteriological work. They are 
needed for immediate service for camp and 
hospital work. The course is in response to a 
request of the surgeon general’s office of the 
War Department. There will be daily ses- 
sions from 9 to 5, except Saturdays. Efforts 
to secure scholarships covering the cost of 
tuition for expressly qualified women will be 
made. Futher information can be secured 
from Dr. William H. Park, at the Department 
of Health laboratory, foot of East Sixteenth 
Street. 
Nearty 50,000 physicians will be required 
for war service eventually, according to the 
Army and navy authorities, and in order to 
prevent the disorganizing of their teaching 
staffs of the medical schools, it is proposed to 
commission all teachers and assign them to 
their present duties. Of the 143,000 doctors in 
the United States it is estimated that between 
80,000 and 95,000 are in active practise and 
that 23,000 are in the Army or Navy. 
SCIENCE 
189 
Tue War Department has approved the re- 
quest of the director of Chemical Warfare 
Service to furlough back to approved institu- 
tions a limited number of teachers of chemis- 
try. This furlough will be administered by the 
committee on education and special training, 
old Land Office Building, Washington, D. C., 
upon recommendation of the officer in charge 
of university relations, Chemical Warfare Serv- 
ice. Approved institutions which have al- 
ready lost many of their instructors through 
draft or enlistment may now make application 
for the return of such men, provided that the 
return is agreeable to the men themselves. In 
the event of failure to secure the men asked 
for, the relations section may be able to pro- 
vide for the assignment of other men whose 
qualifications would seem to fit them to carry 
on the work of instruction. Application for 
furlough of enlisted men should be made to 
Chemical Warfare Service, University Rela- 
tions Section, Seventh and B streets, Wash- 
ington, D. C. ° 
A sBitt “to prohibit the importation of 
nursery stock into the United States in order 
to prevent the introduction of insect pests and 
plant diseases” (Senate Bill No. 3344) has 
been introduced by Senator Weeks of Massa- 
chusetts. The bill is of considerable interest 
to entomologists, plant pathologists, horticul- 
turists, and all who have observed the repeated 
introduction of insects and plant diseases on 
imported nursery stock, particularly during 
the past fifteen years. The bill provides that 
it shall be unlawful for any person to import 
or offer for entry into the United States any 
nursery stock, with the exception of field, vege- 
table and flower seeds, bedding plants and 
other herbaceous plants, bulbs and roots. It 
is provided, however, that the Secretary of 
Agriculture may import, grow, and propagate 
nursery stock for experimental and scientific 
purposes, and after holding this stock in quar- 
antine for a length of time sufficient to 
establish its freedom from insect pests and 
plant diseases, he may distribute it under such 
regulations as may be necessary. 
