614 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. 1005 



Professor M. Rich Porter, Weber Stake Academy, 

 Ogden. 



"Workable Phosphates of the Missiasippian, " 

 by Professor William Peterson, U. A. C, Logan. 



"How Far is Scientific Extension Practicable?" 

 by Dr. E. G. Peterson, TJ. A. C, Ijogan. 



"Some Features of the Recent International 

 Congress of Geologists," by W. D. Neal, Salt 

 Lake City. 



"Outline of Mining and Smelting Conditions at 

 Santa Fe., N. M.," by B. A. Berryman, San 

 Pedro, N. M. 



"The First Law of Irrigation Practise," by 

 Dr. John A. Widtsoe, TJ. A. C. (Read by title.) 



"Uranium and Vanadium Deposits in Utah," 

 by Professor Marcus E. Jones, Salt Lake City. 



A. O. Garbett, 



Secretary 



NEW ORLEANS ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 



The regular monthly meeting of the Academy 

 was held in the Richardson Memorial Building, 

 Tulane University, on Tuesday, February 17, with 

 Dr. Isadore Dyer, president, in the chair and a 

 large number of feUows and members present. 

 The president appointed a committee of two to 

 draw up suitable resolutions upon the death of Dr. 

 Alcee Fortier, who had been a fellow of the Acad- 

 emy for thirty years and for some time corre- 

 sponding secretary. The first paper of the even- 

 ing was read by Dr. Irving Hardesty, professor 

 of anatomy, Tulane University. 



A number of objections to the Helmholtz 

 theory of hearing were cited and attention was 

 called to the impossibility, anatomically, of the 

 basilar membrane serving in the manner usually 

 assumed for it. Then the tectorial membrane was 

 shown to be coextensively with the organ of Corti, 

 to occupy the logical position, extending with one 

 edge free over the peripheral surface of the neuro- 

 epithelium and nearer the scala vestibuli, and that 

 it is far more adapted and capable of being the 

 chief vibratory structure in hearing, its flexibil- 

 ity being much greater and its proportions vary- 

 ing far more than those of the basilar membrane. 

 A telephone theory of hearing was applied to the 

 tectorial membrane and a model was shown in 

 which the three divisions of the auditory organ 

 were represented and in which the tectorial mem- 

 brane was simulated as nearly as possible, both as 

 to position and varying proportions. Sounds of 

 varying vibration frequently applied to this model 



indicated (1) that the tectorial membrane does vi- 

 brate; (2) that sounds of low vibration fre- 

 quency throw the entire membrane Into vibration; 

 (3) that sounds of high frequency throw only 

 varying extents of the more slender, basal end of 

 the membrane into vibration, such sound waves 

 being so damped out before reaching the apical 

 end of the cochlea as to be incapable of producing 

 vibrations in the thicker, apical end of the mem- 

 brane; (4) a certain small amount of resonance 

 seems apparent in the tectorial membrane, but 

 probably little more than is possessed by the dia- 

 phragm of the telephone. 



The second paper was by Dr. E. B. Bean, also 

 of the department of anatomy, Tulane University, 

 on "The Cartilaginous Tip (Woolner -Darwin) and 

 the Skin Tip of the Human Ear." The speaker 

 explained that ' ' Darwin 's tubercle ' ' in the adult 

 represents the cartilaginous tip of the ear of the 

 fetus, which turns forward during the late stages 

 of fetal life. There is at the same time a fold- 

 ing over of the skin and a shrinking with the fold- 

 ing, which leaves lines in the skin over the upper 

 outer part of the helix. These lines are present 

 on all ears that have been observed so far. They 

 converge ventraUy, thus indicating where the skin 

 tip has turned under the ventral edge of the helix. 

 The lines are not always over ' ' Darwin 's tubercle ' ' 

 but are frequently superior to this cartilaginous 

 point, which seems to indicate that the skin or 

 cartilage has shifted in development. By means 

 of these lines one is able to demonstrate that cer- 

 tain distorted ears, which look as if they had 

 been injured by accident, are in reality normal. 

 The majority of the ears of about 150 negroes 

 preserved in formalin at Tulane University seem 

 to be distorted, and imtU these Unes were discov- 

 ered they were considered abnormal, frost-bitten, 

 scarred, or otherwise mutilated, but they appear 

 to be normal because the lines of the skin are 

 present in their proper position and relations. 

 Observations upon thousands of negroes show that 

 this condition of apparent distortion of the ear is 

 characteristic of that people. The ear of the 

 Negro may, therefore, be called a distorted or 

 mutilated looking ear. It is smaller than the ear 

 of the white people, and shows a greater extent of 

 retrograde metamorphosis. 



There was considerable discussion of both 

 papers in which Dr. Mann, Dr. Clo, Dr. Dyer and 

 others participated. The academy then adjourned. 



R. S. Cocks, 

 Secretary 



