234 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. 998 



its publications already issued, by tbe de- 

 sires of experts at home and abroad to 

 learn of the ways and means employed, 

 and by the duplication in laboratories of 

 other countries, as well as in those of 

 America, of apparatus developed. 



But science is cosmopolitan, and although 

 many novel enterprises may be said to have 

 originated with the institution, it may not 

 lay claim to any monopoly in research; it 

 can only contribute here and there in a lim- 

 ited degree to the ever-expanding aggregate 

 of verifiable knowledge. In recognition of 

 these limitations the director has appropri- 

 ately adopted the plan of inspecting, at fre- 

 quent intervals, the laboratories, the spe- 

 cial apparatus and the technique developed 

 elsewhere for the same and allied work. 

 Thus he has made during the past year a 

 third triennial tour of European labora- 

 tories, hospitals, etc., devoted to such work. 

 This has afforded opportunity for numer- 

 ous advantageous conferences with col- 

 leagues and for the selection of new appa- 

 ratus of proved utility; while the director 

 has been able during the same time to give 

 counsel in respect to the adoption in other 

 laboratories of apparatus and methods sim- 

 ilar to those of the nutrition laboratory. 

 The latter, therefore, like the geophysical 

 laboratory, is no longer distinguished by 

 its singularity, but must now enter upon a 

 career of friendly rivalry with many cog- 

 nate establishments. 



For details of the investigations of the 

 year, reference must be made to the direc- 

 tor's report. They are summarized by him 

 under thirteen principal heads, which 

 range from studies of metabolism in infants, 

 through those of normal metabolism in 

 adults, up to studies of chronic starvation 

 and diabetes mellitus. Many publications 

 issued or in press during the year are also 

 reviewed by the director in his report. Con- 

 siderable new apparatus has been acquired 



and earlier forms of equipment have under- 

 gone modifications suggested by experi- 

 ence. Interesting mention is made of vis- 

 iting and cooperating investigators, of the 

 special researches of the laboratory staff, 

 and of the conferences had by the director 

 during his trip abroad. The staff has been 

 enlarged during the year by the addition 

 of Professor Raymond Dodge, who will 

 undertake work in the psychology of nu- 

 trition, and by Mr. E. H. Lange, who will 

 serve as physicist for the staff. 



DEPARTMENT OF TEEEESTRIAL MAGNETISM 



As already indicated in an earlier section 

 of this report, one of the noteworthy events 

 of the year for this department will be the 

 completion of the second cruise of the non- 

 magnetic ship Carnegie. She is now on the 

 last stretch of this cruise and may be ex- 

 pected to arrive at a home port before the 

 end of the calendar year, having been con- 

 tinually in service since June 20, 1910. 

 The aggregate distance traversed in her 

 two cruises will be in round numbers 80,- 

 000 miles. The corresponding distance 

 covered by the chartered ship Oalilee, in 

 the Pacific Ocean during 1905-08, is 60,000 

 miles. Thus the total distance traversed 

 up to date in the magnetic survey of the 

 oceans is 140,000 miles, or about six times 

 the circumference of the earth. Accurate 

 magnetic data have been obtained thereby 

 in all of the oceans between the parallels of 

 50° north and 50° south latitude, or near 

 the courses usually followed by vessels. By 

 reason of the expedition attained in deriv- 

 ing from these surveys the results of chief 

 interest to mariners, it has been practicable 

 for chart-publishing establishments to make 

 prompt revision of defective sailing charts 

 or to issue corrections thereto; and a dis- 

 tinct improvement in these aids to naviga- 

 tion is already noticeable in the charts is- 

 sued by the leading maritime nations. The 



