594 
on the discovery of the right man for the office 
of director, and doubtless he will have a good 
deal to say about working details. 
THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC 
Tue Bureau of the Census has supplied the 
following data concerning deaths from in- 
fluenza and pneumonia covering twelve weeks 
ending September 14 to November 30, in- 
elusive. 
Week |Deaths from Influ- 
when |€n2a and Pneumo- 
Maxi- | Death nia (all Forms) 
Cities in Order First Sacra (etter Re som etn ona 
Affected Week Week | Causes) Number 
Reached) y7ympber |f9r 1,000 
Normal Popula- 
Level tion 
Boston ......- Sept. 14) 4th | 10th 4,510) 5.7 
Worcester Soe con ka ais 9th 919| 5.3 
Lowell ....... CN OMe ae is 8th 534) 4.9 
Fall River....| “ 21) “ 704) 5.5 
Providence....| ‘ 21) 5th | 10th 1,086| 4.1 
New York....| “ 21) 6th 21,314) 4.1 
Cambridge....| ‘“ 28] 2d 7th ° 504) 4.5 
Syracuse...... 28) 4th 9th 9151) 5.7 
New Haven...) “ 28) 5th 783| 5.1 
Washington...| ‘ 28] 4th 8th 2,082) 5.2 
Jersey City ...| “ 28 
Pittsburgh....| “ 28) 7th 3,710) 6.3 
Philadelphia ..) ‘““ 28] 4th 9th | 18,025) 7.4 
Indianapolis...| ‘' 28) “ 5841) 2.0 
Chicago ...... “ 28) Sth 9,133) 3.5 
Buftalo. oes. - LED SAI 9th 2,293| 4.8 
Baltimore.....| ‘‘ 28] 4th 3,812] 6.4 
Milwaukee....| “ 28) 5th 821| 1.8 
Minneapolis ..| ‘ 28) “ 6711| 1.7 
Birmingham..| “ 28) “ 7th 622} 3.1 
Newark ...... SOR 28) luke 1,873] 4.4 
Richmond....| Oct. 5} 3d 667} 4.2 
Kansas City ..| “ 5} 5th 1,085| 3.5 
New Orleans..| “ 5| 4th 2,134 6 
Denver....... 4 leat 962 
Louisville. .... a Hype & 7th 735| 3.0 
Columbus ....| “ By ore 526| 2.3 
Cincinnati....| “ Dallas 1,280} 3.1 
Nashville..... oe 5| 8d : 620) 5.2 
Atlanta....... of 5| 4th 5th 
Los Angeles...| “* 5| 5th 1,877| 3.3 
Cleveland..... o By oS 2,686| 3.3 
Albany . oe 5| 4th 8th 592) 5.3 
Memphis..... v 5| 8d 7th 5341) 3.4 
Omaha . COE P| Pho! 5271, 2.9 
Stee auluerrreir “ 12) 6th 6241) 2.4 
Seattle ....... CO 151R2)) Biel 703 
Dayton ...... Fey LOHayss 6th 533| 4.1 
Rochester ra eT 808] 3.1 
St. Louis ..... 12) 4th 1,714| 2.2 
Oakland...... SSRN IRs 702) 3.3 
Grand Rapids.| “‘ 12) 6th 12811 0.9 
Spokane...... Comey) sl 2331 
Portland......| “‘ 12] 4th 676 
San Francisco.| ‘“ 12| “ 2,247| 4.7 
Toledo....... “.. 12) 3d 523] 2.0 
1 Deaths for eleven weeks only. 
SCIENCE 
[N. S. Vou. XLVIII. No. 1250 
THE RETURN OF CHEMISTS TO THE 
INDUSTRIES 
WHEN the United States entered the Euro- 
pean war one of the first problems to be con- 
sidered was the effect of the draft upon our 
essential industries. It was early appreciated 
that in order to maintain our full efficiency it 
would be necessary to conserve as far as pos- 
sible our skilled workers and men with tech- 
nical training. In order that we might not 
suffer from the depletion of our ranks, steps 
were taken to secure deferred classification, 
and later on provision was made to furlough 
back to industry. This arrangement made it 
possible for chemical industries to maintain 
their efficiency and has eontributed largely to 
the effectiveness of our forces in the field. 
Up to the time of cessation of hostilities the 
Industrial Relations Branch of the Chemical 
Warfare Service had recommended for deferred 
classification 641 chemists and skilled workers. 
These recommendations were favorably con- 
sidered, as a rule, by the local boards, and as a 
result about 90 per cent. of the men so recom- 
mended were put in a deferred class. 
Many cases, however, were not brought to 
the attention of this branch until the men had 
actually been called into service. Such chem- 
ists or skilled workers as were essential to in- 
dustry were then furloughed in order that the 
production of war materials might not be re- 
‘tarded. Through this method 156 men had 
been returned to industry, and at the time of 
the signing of the armistice 120 more cases 
were pending in the Adjutant General’s office. 
As hostilities cease we naturally must again 
turn to peace-time conditions and look forward 
to the future development of chemical industry 
in America. The problem now before the In- 
dustrial Relations Branch of the Chemical 
Warfare Service is to assist chemists in service 
to secure positions where their training and 
experience can be used to the best interests of 
the government. This enormous readjustment 
is rendered possible through the information 
gathered by Dr. Charles L. Parsons, secretary 
of the American Chemical Society, and 
through the questionnaires sent out by Major 
