522 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV, No. 1428 



PORT, Cold Spring Harbor, L. I. 



The metabolism of children in health and dis- 

 ease: Harold Bailet, Cornell Medical School, 

 New York. 



Newer aspects in the dietetics of children: 

 Alfred Hess, College of Physicians and Sur- 

 geons, New York. 



Movie demonstration of the tonsil-adenoid worh 

 in the city of Bochester, N. ¥.: L. Goler, Public 

 Health Officer, Koehester, N. Y. 



The mental hygiene of children: C. N. Hincks, 

 Canadian National Committee for Mental Hy- 

 giene. 



The meeting took place in the Academy of 

 Medicine, Toronto, which was crowded far be- 

 yond capacity. Throughout the symposium, 

 there was a most interesting discussion of the 

 papers. 



The experience of the sectional committee 

 during the last seven years has convinced it 

 that its former polic}^, to have a discussion of 

 a definite topic with invited papers, was timely, 

 instructive, and interesting to the members of 

 the association, to those working in medical 

 sciences, and to the community. 



There was, however, a growing feeling that 

 the section should undertake to reach more 

 effectively the investigators in the various fields 

 allied to the medical sciences. It was felt that 

 these workers require more than ever the stim- 

 ulation that comes from discussion of papers 

 by the Avorkers in allied fields. 



An informal meeting was called on Decem- 

 ber 28, at which representatives of medical 

 workers, parasitologists, economic entomolo- 

 gists and biologists were present. The central 

 question was how real and widespread was the 

 need for such closer coordination of allied 

 workers; how this coordination could be met 

 without the formation of new groups. 



There was a surprising unanimity of opinion 

 of the desirability and the necessity of sitch 

 closer coordination for mutual information and 

 stimulation. It was decided to form no new 

 groups. It was decided that the secretary of 

 Section N, Medical Sciences, in consultation 

 with the secretaries of the parasitologists, the 

 two entomological societies and others, was to 

 arrange a program in such a manner that it 

 might be possible for the members of these re- 

 lated societies to attend a meeting held under 



the auspices of Section N (Medical Sciences) 

 with the minimum of conflicts; that Section N 

 (Medical Sciences) should arrange an invita- 

 tion program by representatives of the en- 

 tomologists, the parasitologists, and medical 

 workers, on topics of mutual interest. The 

 opinion was definitely expre^ed that the spe- 

 cialists have so far transgressed the narrow 

 limits of their respective fields that there is an 

 increasing need of information and stimulation 

 and exchange of views on the part of those 

 working in allied fields; and finally, that the 

 meeting of Section N (Medical Sciences) should 

 be devoted primarily to the coordination of 

 such allied workers. 



This is a distinct departure from the policy 

 of Section N in the past. If it should appear 

 desii'able to add to such a program, an addi- 

 tional program in the interest of the larger 

 membership of the association, such a program 

 shall be arranged. 



It was also the consensus of opinion that 

 once each year Section N (Medical Sciences) 

 should hold a joint meeting with one of tlie 

 national medical organizations or federations, 

 so as to knit more closely the bonds between 

 the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science and these other organizations. Such 

 an arrangement already exists between the 

 Federation of Experimental Biologists and 

 Section N (Medical Sciences). It was pro- 

 posed that once in every four years a joint 

 meeting should be held between Section N 

 (Medical Sciences) and the Anatomists, the 

 Public Health Association, and the Bacteriolo- 

 gists. 



Plans are now under way to make these sug- 

 gestions effective. The secretary will appre- 

 ciate suggestions and advice. This is no place 

 to discuss the vexing problem of the relation 

 of the sections, such as chemistry and engineer- 

 ing, and the large national organizations so 

 loosely affiliated with the association, but the 

 problem seems to be the same in all these 

 instances, and any assistance to this complex 

 problem will be appreciated by these and other 

 groups who must plan the meetings for the 

 coming years. 



A. J. GOLDPAEB, 



Secretary 



