Makch 5, 1915] 



SCIENCE 



357 



The British Medical Journal states that the 

 hospitals of Canada have been severely affected 

 by the war, and in Montreal it seemed as 

 though the three principal hospitals might 

 have to close their doors. A campaign among 

 the 800 governors of the General Hospital pro- 

 duced $150,000 in two days, sufficient to meet 

 expenses for the next two or three years. The 

 appeal for funds for the Notre Dame and 

 Western Hospitals has been equally successiul, 

 and they will remain open at least for some 

 ■time to come. In Vancouver the staff of the 

 General Hospital have voluntarily agreed to 

 a reduction of from 5 to 10 per cent, in their 

 salaries in order to help the board in its 

 financial difficulties. 



On April 3, 1915, an examination will be 

 held to provide an eligible list for the posi- 

 tion of food bacteriologist in the Chicago 

 •office of the State Food Commission. The 

 salary at present is fixed by law at $1,800 a 

 year. The limits recommended by the State 

 Civil Service Commission are $150 to $1Y5 a 

 month. The examination will be open to non- 

 residents, as well as residents, of Illinois over 

 twenty-five years of age. The duties of the 

 position involve making bacteriological exam- 

 inations (and interpreting the results of such 

 examinations) of milk, ice cream, eggs, meat, 

 tomato products, etc., in accordance with the 

 dairy, food and sanitary laws. The applicant 

 should be able to state his opinions briefly and 

 accurately as he may be called upon fre- 

 quently as a court witness. Education equiv- 

 alent to graduation in science from a college 

 of recognized standing is required, as well as 

 some knowledge of anatomy, histology and 

 pathology, and some training in animal ex- 

 perimentation. The statement is made from 

 the State Food Commissioner's office that the 

 person employed in this position will be given 

 time to take work in the various medical 

 schools or universities of Chicago so that he 

 may acquaint himself with those subjects with 

 which he is not thoroughly familiar. 



Announcement is made of the establishment 

 for the year 1915-16 in Nela Research Labo- 

 ratory, National Lamp Works of General 

 Electric Company, of two fellowships in phys- 



ical research to be known as the " Charles F. 

 Brush Fellowships." These fellowships are 

 offered for the coming year through the gener- 

 osity of Mr. Brush who desires thereby to 

 stimulate interest in industrial physics and to 

 make it possible for young men to undertake 

 research work in physics in the environment of 

 an industrial plant. The Nela Research Labo- 

 ratory will provide space and all necessary 

 facilities, and will have general supervision 

 over the investigations, which must be con- 

 sistent with the normal activities of the labo- 

 ratory. 



Fire in the national forests of the west in 

 1914 caused a loss to the government of not 

 quite 340,000,000 board feet of merchantable 

 timber, valued at $307,303, and of reproduc- 

 tion, or young growth of trees, valued at $192,- 

 408, according to statistics just compiled by 

 the forest service. There were 6,605 fires, of 

 which only 1,545 burned over an area of ten 

 acres or more. About 77 per cent, of all the 

 fires did damage of less than $100 each. In 

 addition to the losses suffered by the govern- 

 ment, timber on state and private lands within 

 the forests, totaling 228,008,000 board feet and 

 valued at $175,302, was lost. The total area 

 burned over was 690,240 acres, of which 310,- 

 583 acres were state and private lands. Not- 

 withstanding that it was an exceptionally 

 favorable year for fires, on account of high 

 temperatures, heavy winds and prolonged 

 drought, the average loss per fire was $103, 

 as against $131 in 1911, when there were only 

 about half as many fires. Eighty-five per 

 cent, of the total loss was caused by fires in 

 Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, 

 where more than half the timber in all the na- 

 tional forests stands. Less than one tenth of 

 one per cent, of this timber was affected. Of 

 the 6,605 fires reported, 3,691, or 55.9 per cent., 

 occurred in these states, and of the 99 fires 

 causing losses of more than $1,000 each, 81 

 were in this region. Lightning was the chief 

 cause, starting 2,032 fires; campers came next 

 with 1,126, followed closely by railroad loco- 

 motives, with 1,110. Incendiaries lighted 470 

 and the rest were attributed to brush burning, 

 sawmills, etc., or their origin was unknown. 



