NoveMBER 15, 1918] 
2, 1911, and they have one daughter, Ellen 
Ayers Putney, who was born July 6, 1917. 
Professor Putney was a member of the Amer- 
ican Association for the Advancement of Sci- 
ence, the Dairy Science Association, Alpha 
Zeta, Theta Chi, Acacia and the Order of 
Free and Accepted Masons. Just in his prime 
and in the fullness of his powers, the loss of 
Professor Putney will be keenly felt by his 
wide circle of friends and associates in dairy 
work. He had that rare combination ot prac- 
tical common sense combined with research 
ability which enabled him to keep a proper 
balance in all problems of a research nature. 
By his death, science has lost a well-trained 
and efficient worker. 
VON ADOLF ERICH DAECKE 
Von Apotr Erich Darcke—born in Ger- 
many, place and date unknown—died at Rich- 
mond, L. I., New York, on October 27. 
He was entomologist to the department of 
agriculture of the Commonwealth of Penn- 
sylvania. His work in the New Jersey 
Museum Reports of 1905-7 and 9 on Diptera 
was excellent—his knowledge of the Odonata 
was quite accurate. His name is immortal- 
ized in the family of Pipunculide in the spe- 
cific name of the genera Nephrocerus daecket. 
His nature was very kind, as was shown by 
the manner the squirrels in Capitol Park upon 
the sound of his voice or footsteps would 
spring toward and climb over him, awaiting 
a word and a caress—when he spoke to them 
they seemed to comprehend his conversation, 
his affection for children was wonderful and 
they were so pleased when he told them of 
the superficial observation of insects and ani- 
mals they never seemed to tire of his discourses 
made so plain by him. 
He was a devoted fellow of the Harrisburg, 
Pa., Natural History Society; from the mem- 
bership he formed excursions along the by- 
roads and brooklets and over the mountains 
searching for the local avi- and zoo-fauna; 
his enthusiasm added many more to its mem- 
bership. The charm of his interest in his 
SCIENCE 
487 
students endeared him to them while his at- 
tainments were equally fascinating to them. 
He was a member of the Entomological 
Section of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science and attended its 
meetings with the vigor of youth, although a 
man in the fifties, was also a member of Aca- 
demy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and 
several scientific societies on the European 
continent. 
He was a sincere friend and generous to a 
fault—was uncommonly fair in scientific dis- 
cussion. However, he had very decided views 
of the superiority of the Germans; he could 
not read English without a curious disturbance 
overcoming his usual affability. He 
SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 
THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH 
SERVICE AND THE INFLUENZA 
EPIDEMIC? 
Wiru the widespread occurrence of influ- 
enza in the vicinity of Boston, and the un- 
mistakable signs of its beginning elsewhere, 
urgent calls were addressed to the United 
States Public Health Service to furnish medi- 
eal and nursing relief to stricken communi- 
ties. All available regular officers were de- 
tailed to the stricken communities, but the 
number available for such detail was insignifi- 
cant compared to the urgent need occasioned 
by the epidemic. Moreover, the bureau had 
no nurses available for service in epidemic. 
In this emergency the Surgeon General 
called upon the Volunteer Medical Service 
Corps, the Red Cross, the medical and nurs- 
ing professions as a whole, and on the general 
public for personnel to help combat the epi- 
demic. At the same time Congress was ap- 
pealed to for a special appropriation to meet 
the expenditure required by the emergency. 
The necessary funds were promptly voted. 
Im response to the request for physicians 
available for duty in the Public Health Serv- 
ice, the Volunteer Medical Service Corps com- 
piled a list of over 1,000 names classified by 
states. Appointments were offered by tele- 
1 Publication authorized by the U. 8. Publie 
Health Service. 
