February 21, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



197 



standing. In collaboration with some of my 

 pupils and other clinical men we have tested 

 the protein in various streptococcus infections 

 with good clinical results. More recently we 

 have been extending the work to influenza, 

 tuberciilosis, pneumonia and all kinds of infec- 

 tions. 



We dp not yet know the exact compounds 

 contained in the mixture of proteins which we 

 have been using. There seems to be reason to 

 believe that it is a rich mixture of many dif- 

 ferent individual proteins. We are making an 

 effort to identify them as far as possible. It 

 may be that the complexity of the mixture is 

 the source of its power in so many different in- 

 fections. We are also pursuing the inquiry as 

 to the various possibilities of preparing other 

 proteins from blood producing tissues and test- 

 ing out on those infections which do not yield 

 to the present protein. 



I hope soon to publish a more complete ac- 

 count of the chemical work concerned with this 

 problem and also of the clinical results ob- 

 tained. 



Clyde Brooks 



The Ohio State University 



A BIO-CHEMICAL THEORY OF THE ORIGIN OF 

 INDIANAITE 



IxDiAN.viTE is the name applied to a varietj- 

 of halloysite (Dana) by E. T. Cox.i j^ is a 

 white mineral of porcelain-like appearance oc- 

 curring in Indiana in beds varying in thick- 

 ness from a few inches to eleven feet in rocks 

 of the Mississippian and Penusylvanian groups. 

 Leo Lesquereux suggested that it had been 

 formed by the burning out of a bed of coal.- 

 Ck)s3 advanced the theory that the Indianaite 

 had been formed by the weathering and dis- 

 solution of a bed of limestone. 



From studies in the field and laboratory the 

 writer is convinced that the origin is due to 

 bio-chemical action. Briefly stated the process 

 is as follows: Shales containing pyrite are 

 weathered and sulphuric acid is produced. 

 The sulphuric acid attacks the clay forming 



» See 6th Ann. Kept. Geol. Sur. Indiana, p. 15. 



- See Kept, of a Geol. Reconn. of Indiana, 1862, 

 p. 320. 



3 Loc. cit. 



aluminum sulphate. Sulphur bacteria absorb 

 the soluble alum and rob it of its sulphur, se- 

 creting the aluminium in the form of a hy- 

 drated aluminium silicate which by a partial 

 dehydration is rendered insoluble thus form- 

 ing Indianaite. The writer has isolated the 

 bacteria and finds them to be similar in ap- 

 pearance to Beggiatoa alba. That these 

 microorganisms are influential in the origin of 

 the Indianaite the writer believes he has dem- 

 onstrated by experiments in the laboratory. 



William N. Logan 



Indiana University 



THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY 



The ninety-fifth meeting (the twentieth annual 

 meeting) of the American Physical Society was 

 held at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, 

 Maryland, on December 27 and 28, 1918, in affilia- 

 tion with Section B — Physics, of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science. Pro- 

 fessor Bumstead is now serving as scientific at- 

 tache to the American Embassy in London and his 

 resignation as president of the society was accepted 

 by the council on November 30, 1918. The vice- 

 president, J. S. Ames, thus became acting-president, 

 and he presided at the several sessions of the so- 

 ciety and the council. The maximum attendance 

 at the technical meetings was about one hundred, 

 while eighty-eight members and visitors were pres- 

 ent at the time of the business session. 



On the afternoon of December 27 there were two 

 sessions under the auspices of Section B, the pre- 

 siding officer being the vice-president and chair- 

 man of the section. Major 6. F. Hull. At 2 o 'clock, 

 P.M., the retiring vice-president and chairman, W. 

 J. Humphreys, gave an address on "Some recent 

 contributions to the physics of the air." At five 

 o'clock, P.M., Dr. George E. Hale gave an address 

 before the entire association on "The National 

 Research Council." 



The annual business meeting was held at eleven 

 o'clock, a.m., on December 28, 1918. The revised 

 form of the constitution and by-laws was unani- 

 mously adopted by letter ballot. The amendments 

 do not alter the intent or i)urpose of the constitu- 

 tion in the old form, except in one respect: the 

 managing editor is made a member, ex-officio, of 

 the council. The amended constitution will be pub- 

 lished in the next printed list of members. 



The following officers were elected for the year 

 1919: 



