898 



SCIENCE 



[N". S. Vou. XXXIX:. No. 10 16 



ANTHROPOLOGY 



The anthropology of Porto Eico offers an 

 attractive field of stiidy not only in the ethnol- 

 ogy of the present inhabitants, but also and 

 more particularly along the lines of archeology. 

 Much material has been gathered from the 

 surface, but a broad field is offered in the in- 

 vestigation of anciently inhabited caves and in 

 the scientific working over of numerous kitchen 

 middens. 



OCEANOGRAPHY 



The oceanogTaphic work falls naturally into 

 two general divisions — physical and biological. 

 In both of these divisions there is opportunity 

 for new and very valuable research. 



The physical division should, include a 

 study of the tides and of the ocean currents 

 in the neighborhood of Porto Eico. The 

 present tidal data consist of several short and 

 disconnected series of observations — the long- 

 est series having been made at San Juan in 

 1899. Observations of ocean currents are few 

 and crude — those of the Blahe were obtained 

 by comparing dead-reckoning positions of the 

 vessel with observed positions. 



Tidal observations could best be carried on 

 by the establishment of self-registering 

 gauges. These could be established at the 

 principal harbors and continuous records for 

 several months or a year obtained. 



Current observations to be of value must 

 be obtained by a properly equipped ocean- 

 going vessel, and such a vessel could obtain in 

 a short voyage results of extreme value. At 

 the same time, the vessel could and should be 

 equipped for biological study — the current 

 observations and the deep sea dredging for 

 animal life going on side by side. Por these 

 two branches of oceanographic work a vessel 

 is absolutely essential. 



The specimens which are collected will 

 eventually find lodgment in the American 

 Museum of Natural History, except for the 

 "first set" of duplicates. These will be de- 

 posited with the authorities of Porto Rico for 

 the inauguration of an insular museum, and 

 the academy's investigators will take partic- 

 ular pains to insure the good quality and ex- 

 tent of this series. Edmund Otis Hovey 



TSE NINTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 

 OF APPLIED CBEMISTBY 

 Professor Paul Welden, president of the 

 congress, in a personal letter writes as 

 follows : 



1. The meetings will be held in St. Peters- 

 burg from the 8th to the 14th of August, 

 1915. 



2. Excursions are to be made to Finland, 

 Moscow, Kiew, Baku in the Caucasus, etc. 



3. In addition to the usual addresses, sys- 

 tematic reviews of the work in particular 

 fields (with discussions) are to be given by 

 specialists, on the invitation of the committee 

 of organization, to a greater extent than 

 formerly. 



4. Particulars as to receptions, entertain- 

 ments, etc., can only be given later. 



5. The question of reduced railway fares 

 on the Russian railroads is now under con- 

 sideration by the government. 



6. No obstacles will be placed in the way 

 of the journey of Jewish chemists to the 

 CongTess provided (a) that at the frontier, 

 in addition to the vised passport (requisite 

 for every passenger), cards of membership, 

 signed by the president and honorary secre- 

 tary of the congress shall be presented. 



7. An announcement of the Ninth Inter- 

 national Congress in English will be sent in 

 the course of the next few days or weeks to 

 North America and England. 



THE RUSSELL SAGE INSTITUTE OF 

 PATHOLOGY 



At a meeting of the board of directors of 

 the Russell Sage Institute of Pathology, held 

 in New York on June 5, the following officers 

 were elected: 



President, Dr. D. Bryson Delaven. 



Vice-president, Dr. Simon Flexner. 



Secretary, Dr. Theodore C. Janeway. 



Treasurer, Dr. G-rahaiii Lusk. 



Appointments to the scientific staff were as 

 follows : 



Scientific director, Dr. Graham Lusk. 



Medical director, Dr. Eugene F. Du Bois. 



Chemist, F. C. Gephart, Ph.D. 



Assistant, Dr. A. L. Meyer. 



