612 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVI. No. 1199 



alloys has increased to meet the country's 

 needs. 



Domestic supplies of manganese and pyrite 

 have been augmented. 



These are but a few instances of our chem- 

 ical progress. The matter can be summar- 

 ized by saying that American chemists have 

 met the country's needs as ably and com- 

 pletely as did the chemists of Germany. We 

 can go forward with every confidence of no 

 serious shortage of the many chemical prod- 

 ucts required for domestic consumption. 



THE AMERICAN METRIC ASSOCIATION 



The association will meet in Pittsburgh on 

 December 28 and 29 under the presidency of 

 Dr. George F. Kunz, of New York. The 

 first two sessions are to be held in conjunc- 

 tion with the Section on Social and Eco- 

 nomic Science of the American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science. The pro- 

 gram will be as follows: 



FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28 



2 P.M. Mr. George W. Perkins, of New 

 York, and Mr. J. "W. McEachren, of the 

 Crane Company, Chicago, will present papers 

 for discussion. 



Friday evening will be free for the opening 

 session and reception of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science, 

 with which the American Metric Associa- 

 tion is affiliated. 



SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29 



10 A.M. The officers will render their an- 

 nual reports. These will be followed by Dr. 

 William C. Wells, chief statistician of the 

 Pan-American Union; Mr. Henry D. Hub- 

 bard, of the United States Bureau of Stand- 

 ards, and others dealing with the general prob- 

 lem of international standards and their appli- 

 cation to important industries in the United 

 States and Canada. 



2 P.M. Dr. John A. Brashear, past presi- 

 dent of the American Society of Mechanical 

 Engineers, will introduce the speakers who 

 have prepared papers for the Standards Com- 

 mittee of the American Metric Association. 

 Engineers and business men are especially re- 



quested to attend this session. Technical 

 problems in connection with the general use 

 of metric weights and measures will be given 

 special attention at this time. 



6.30 P.M. An informal " Metric Dinner " 

 wiU be served at the Hotel Schenley. The 

 charge will be two dollars per cover, and those 

 who desire to attend are asked to leave their 

 names at the hotel office. 



8 P.M. The final session in the Hotel Schen- 

 ley, at which time officers for the ensuing 

 year will be elected, and necessary business 

 disposed of. The present rapid metric prog- 

 ress and the best methods for final success will 

 be discussed by leaders in the metric move- 

 ment. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



The secretary of agriculture has announced 

 the appointment of Dr. John Eobbins Mohler 

 as chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture. 

 Dr. Mohler succeeds the late Dr. Alonzo D. 

 Melvin, who died on December 7. Dr. Mohler 

 has been in the service of the Bureau of Ani- 

 mal Industry since 1897, and has been as- 

 sistant chief of the bureau since July 1, 1914. 

 During the long illness of Dr. Melvin, Dr. 

 Mohler performed the duties of acting chief as 

 well as those of chief pathologist. 



A PORTRAIT of Professor Thomas C. Cham- 

 berlin, head of the department of geology and 

 paleontology at the University of Chicago, has 

 been presented to the university by graduates 

 and former students of the department. 



Dr. Lightner Witmer, professor of psychol- 

 ogy in the University of Pennsylvania and 

 director of the psychological laboratory and 

 clinic, sailed last week for Europe. He ex- 

 pects to have the direction of social service 

 work in a foreign country under a commis- 

 sioner appointed by the War Council of the 

 American Bed Cross, and has been granted 

 leave of absence by the university for the re- 

 maider of this year. During Dr. Witmer's ab- 

 sence, Dr. Edwin B. Twitmyer will be acting 

 director of the psychological laboratory and 

 clinic. 



